Mentor continues winning streak, defeats Shaker Heights 83-79

<p>Mentor entered the fourth quarter with a nine-point advantage. That wouldn't last long due to a Shaker Heights 7-0 to start the fourth quarter. From there, the Cardinals were able to maintain the lead, but that wouldn't be an easy task. Shaker never let up, ultimately getting within two points in the closing seconds of the game. That's when <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/">Luke Chicone</a></a> of Mentor came up big at the free-throw line, sinking four in the final 30 seconds to ultimately put the game out of reach for the Raiders. </p> <p>After starting the season with a 4-4 record in the first eight games of the season, the Mentor Cardinals now stand at 14-5, including a nine-game conference winning streak as well. Head coach Bob Krizancic has had a slew of players step up when their names have been called and knew this game was one of the more complete games his team has played all season.</p> <p>"It took 32 minutes of toughness," Krizancic said. "We did a lot of the little things. This was such a great game because you had the tournament type atmosphere...It's a really good night for the Mentor Cardinals."</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Top Performers</span></strong></p> <p>Luke Floriea<strong> (2020) | 5-11 PG | Mentor</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 26 points</em></strong></p> <p>Coach Krizancic reiterated the word toughness when talking about Luke Floriea's performance Friday night. The Kent State football signee had a monster second half, including a game-high nine points in the fourth quarter. Floriea and Chicone make up one of the top backcourts in the state and that was on full display Friday night.</p> <p>A very selfless guard, Floriea is always open to making the play that'll lead to an open bucket. What worked well was his ability to get to the rim with his quickness and body. He's a bit undersized, but he is one of the toughest guards I've seen play this season. He is a player that's very confident in his outside shot as well, knocking down three 3-pointers, now leading the team with 30 3-pointers for the year. </p> <p>Dante Benjamin<strong> (2020) | 6-3 F | Shaker Heights</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 17 points, 15 rebounds</em></strong></p> <p>A player known to bring the energy to spark the team on a nightly basis, Shaker Heights senior forward Dante Benjamin had himself a night. He collected a game-high 15 rebounds for the Raiders, with most of them resulting in second-chance point opportunities on the offensive side of the ball. Benjamin doesn't take much outside shots, as he is more comfortable creating his own shot when he fights through contact to get to the basket. Not only that, he's a tough, gritty player that has the ability to change the pace of the game on both ends of the floor, as he makes things difficult for the opposing team to get to the basket when he's defending behind the arc. Benjamin is as tough as a player as they come when presented near the rim.</p> <p>Andrew Witte<strong> (2020) | 5-11 PG | Mentor</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 14 points</em></strong></p> <p>One of the main reasons why Mentor was able to head into halftime with a five-point lead was thanks to the outside shooting from Andrew Witte. In fact, he hit three 3-pointers and finished the second quarter scoring 11 points to lead Mentor. All night long he was waiting for his opportunity to knock down deep shots, especially from the corner. He was able to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball as well, using his quick hands to grab a few offensive rebounds and contribute to deflected passes which led to easy layups for the Cardinals. </p> <p>Chad Rogers<strong> (2020) | 6-5 PF | Mentor</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 21 points</em></strong></p> <p>A Penn State baseball signee, Chad Rogers was able to use his big frame to have a big night inside and outside of the paint for the Mentor Cardinals. In fact, Rogers made three 3-pointers when left open beyond the arc. He was also effective inside the paint, collecting a plethora of rebounds and using his long arms to disrupt shots at the rim. He's a very physical player who won't shy away from contact as he's always on the run to chase for the ball.</p> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/shammah-scott/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/shammah-scott/">Shammah Scott</a></a><strong> (2020) | 6-2 PG | Shaker Heights</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 17 points</em></strong></p> <p>The quicksilver point guard made his presence known in the second half of the game. He was able to get to the rim with ease due to his quick first step. He's a crafty guard who can change the game in a matter of minutes as he has developed his mid-range shot more effectively all while developing more ways to finish at the rim. Scott was able to knock down two 3-pointers in the second half, as he was not afraid to trust his jump shot in order for his team to make a second-half comeback. Scott is one of the top unsigned point guards in the area and has developed more to his game throughout the course of the season, helping lead the Raiders as one of the top teams in northeast Ohio. </p> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/">Luke Chicone</a></a><strong> (2021) | 5-10 PG | Mentor</strong><br /> <strong><em>stats: 13 points</em></strong></p> <p>A bit undersized, <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/luke-chicone/">Luke Chicone</a></a> has everything you want from a junior point guard. The Youngstown State commit came into the game averaging 19 points, six assists and two steals per game and it's safe to say he met nearly all those averages during the win against Shaker Friday night. The <span class="s1">unflappable </span>guard can blow past defenders with just a few dribbles and doesn't shy away from making key plays off the ball when the game is on the line. His ball-handling skills are elite and is a very active defender, making it very difficult for the opposing players to get past him. Chicone is a player that impacts the game on both ends and he's always found moving without the ball in order to make a difference for his team. </p>