Chargers Extend Home Streak, Defeat Owens CC 76-63
The Edison State Charger men, who are 8-8 overall and 4-2 in OCCAC play, entered Wednesday's game against Owens Community College 5-10 (3-5) in the next showdown for the men in the tightening OCCAC race.
Article by Rob K. Winkle, Jr., B.A. | Photos by Reflections by Rob, LLC
The Edison State Charger men, who are 8-8 overall and 4-2 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) play, entered Wednesday's game against Owens Community College 5-10 (3-5) in the next showdown for the men in the tightening OCCAC race. The Chargers would start ahead and never relinquish the lead, holding it by a comfortable margin for most of the game. 6'8 Freshman Forward Daviyon McDonald (Dublin Jerome HS) would lead the way constantly around the boards but, most of all, put up 21 points towards the Charger's winning effort. McDonald averaged 12.2 ppg in 5 appearances coming into this game and 9.8 rebounds; his scoring production was backed up by firepower from Freshman Sean Caldwell (James N Gamble Montessori), who dropped 15 (9 from downtown), and Sophomore Devonte Curry (Briggs HS) nailing 14 total points 12 from behind the arch.
Emotions were high in this game, with both teams reaching high foul counts and foul trouble in the second half, including a double-technical for taunting at the 5:31 remaining mark. The Chargers' stout defense, swift ball movement, and effective and rapid scoring kept them ahead in this contest, with little resistance from the Express until late in the second half. With 1:50 left in the game, Owens would pull to a 68-61 deficit, but the Chargers would still have no comebacks on their court on this night, pouring on the power and finishing the game with a 75-63 final, allowing only 2 points by the Express in the final two minutes of the game.
Curry has scored double digits in 8 of his now 17 game appearances this season, and Caldwell in 7 of his 16 appearances after this contest. Curry and Caldwell averaged 10.8 and 7.9 ppg, respectively, this season; relatively quiet offensively in this game was two-time OCCAC Player of the Week Caleb Iheukwu but was present on rebounds and ball movement. Ronald Smith would also be a significant offensive contributor with 12 points in this game.
The men will take their now 9-8 (5-2) fifth-place OCCAC position into another OCCAC opponent's home gym when they travel to Cuyahoga Community College on Saturday, January 20, followed by Miami University-Hamilton in Hamilton on January 24th in non-conference action. The men return home on Saturday, January 27, 2024, to host OCCAC opponent Lorain County Community College. The Chargers have nine conference games remaining in their season and are still in the hunt for the conference championship.
