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Central powers past Methuen, ends Ranger dream

Feb 13th, 2008 by Hector Longo

Just back from Central Catholic Wednesday night after the Raiders ended rival Methuen’s state tournament hopes, 77-57.
Simple thoughts from the game, Methuen needed shots to go in, they got good ones, but couldn’t convert.
Up front, the Rangers had no answer for “AG” Adrian Gonzalez, who at one point scored four straight hoops | a baseline drive, back-to-back baseline dunks and a 3-pointer.

Gallant effort by Rich Barden’s crew, who had their hopes sapped Tuesday night in a one-point loss to Chelmsford.

Big props to the Methuen High student section, for coming out in support of their team. For the most part, they kept it clean and clearly out-rocked the home crowd, which admittedly was thinned by the wrestling event and a hockey game. When it got a little iffy with the comments, Arthur Nicholson stepped in, but again for 99 percent of it, it was fun and great to see from the Methuen High kids.

Sticking with the positive for Methuen, great to see David Koerner back on the floor. The senior who broke a leg in football should be ready for baseball, and that’s a great thing. He’s a class kid and I can only hope for the best this spring.

Tough break for Ranger senior Romeo Diaz. A tourney game or two might have made the difference in his 1,000-point chase.

Unofficially, Raider freshman Jimmy Zenevitch netted five points and through a couple of sweet passes as Rick Nault subbed liberally throughout. Could the frosh factor tourney time? We’ll see.

Lowell coach Scott Boyle was in the house. He’s clearly one of the class guys you’ll find. As tough as D1 North is shaping up, I’ll stick to my early observation that it’s Central or Lowell, who’ll play at the Garden in four weeks against the South champ.

For my officiating pals, I ask for an explanation on this one.
Central’s KB Oshodi plays the last five games with a soft cast on his non-shooting hand. Fine, I’ve got no problem with that. That is, until tonight, where these two officials rule the same cast illegal and don’t allow the kid to play.
Same kid. Same cast. Same injury. Yet, he sits this one after playing five with it one.
You guys can chime in anytime now with your personal attacks and tell me how unqualified I am, and how i favor the local coaches and teams and how I should take the test, and how all the refs out there are good refs who are just in it for the kids (not the $50 per hour pay rate) and how I’m picking on them. And I’ll bring you this issue and just respond with a “Huh?”

Oh well, that’s all I’ve got, other than it’s a tough stretch that continues for Central, which goes to JP tomorrow for a battle with Boston English, then tries Madison Park in the opening round of the Comcast Tournament Saturday, with a Sunday championship date with BC High hanging in the balance.

Posted in Basketball, Hector Longo | View Comments

  • HoopRef95

    Hector:
    The cast the player wore was not allowable in my opinion. Here is the rule: Rule 3. Section 5. Article 2. “A guard, cast or brace made of hard and unyielding leather, plaster, pliable (soft) plastic, metal or any other hard substance may not be worn on the elbow, hand, finger, wrist or forarm; even though covered with soft padding.”
    It is not an easy call. I felt that there was a layer of soft pliable plastic like material that could hurt another player and did not conform with the rule. Other officials may have ruled differently.
    I know if a player was accidentally hit with the cast and injured, it would not be very easy to defend a decision to allow the cast in the game.

  • GLT

    But for the past five games and as well as scrutiny by Rhode Island refs in their game with Bishop Hendricken it is allowed? Doesn’t make sense.

  • me

    To answer the question, yes a soft cast is allowed as long as it does not fall into the materials stated above. In this case it does not fall into the materials stated above so he is able to play.

  • Hector Longo

    Thanks guys,
    HR95, nice explanation on that one. There has to be all kinds of liability questions involved.
    However, it does raise quite an issue with the tournament coming.
    Oshodi is a starter, Central’s most athletic defender and a nice little 1-2 punch in that tough-guy, defender spot with Timmy Wheeler. He’s not like losing a Billy Marsden or AG, but it’s a factor, if he can’t go.

  • me

    What type of liability are you speaking of exactly. I see these games played at a very physical level and tough . As a ref I think you would agree on that. Do you really want to say somone is more likely to get hurt with a soft and I repeat soft splint or are they more likely to get hurt in this very tough physical game that they play at this level. Example how they rebound…. It is really tough and I do not fell that having a soft splint likle a foam pad will hurt anyone more then Tim Wheeler or AG going up to rebound a ball. I would think the liability is not a factor if the rules in your handbook are followed and one again I must point out they seem to be. I would think if they are followed as stated above, you have the splint and the handbook : you have no liability at all.. I also would disagree with you on this:::: ,KB is like losing AG or Billy Marsden, Did you not see the Lowell game??? Oh yeah he played that one with his soft splint!!! and what a game it was for him!!!

  • JFG

    Quick note: KB Oshodi DID play on Thursday night vs Boston English and had a very nice game (8 pts off the bench). He plays like the cast doesn’t bother him a bit, and I don’t see the risk of anybody else getting hurt because of it. Another note: Billy Marsden (24 pts) had 6 three-pointers in the game, scoring 14 points in about 3 minutes time in the 3rd quarter in the 79-46 thrashing of Boston English.

  • http://comcast DEM

    Spirited Methuen Fans? I thought the same thing at the very beginning of the game, looking over at them all in blue and to see them clapping and cheering loudly. But in no time at all it turned inoto a vicious classless free for all that erased that first impression of them. Were we at the same game? This is what I heard from the Methuen Fans; you S—-, so and so S—-’s, Adrian (Gonzalez) S—–’s, Bull S—- (when refs made a call they didn’t like) — Then of course there was the big F—-U. In addition to that they hurled a classes insult to Brother Renne Roy which was way out of line. They also insulted some Central Catholic students not assoiciated with basekteball in their mindless little chants. They also had no repsect for their cheerleaders who came out on the floor during half time to show their routine. They booed so loud you could hardly hear the girls. Considering their cheerleaders are highly talented State Champs you would think they would have given our girls a break. Speaking of cheerleaders, why doesn’t the STate Champion Methuen Cheerleaders attend these games and support their team? It’s because they are all supporting a local Cheer Gym instead. Which shouldn’t be allowed, they should be required to support their team first! Last but not least, Methuen should consider changing their colors to Green (for envy). These fans have taken the top prize this year for misbehavior and rudeness.

  • Hector Longo

    You know, I wavered on this one a bit, because I thought for the most part the Methuen kids walked a tight rope, but fell just to the side of Ok, barely. A couple of the late remarks were pretty bad, I guess, enough to cause Mr. Arthur Nicholson to get invoved.
    Yeah, you’re probably right, they did go overboard. I was fired up by the early positives. Perhaps, I got carried away on that.
    Didn’t watch the cheerleaders to comment on that one.
    But yeah, I heard the kids caught some grief in school, which is a good thing.
    That’s how I would consider the whole night, a good thing gone bad.
    HL

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