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Madonna Tops Bishop Donahue in Class A Region One, Section One Semifinal

Madonna will play Central on Thursday

Photo by Josh Strope Madonna’s Chase DiBartolomeo (15) drives to the basket against the defense of Bishop Donahue’s Taylor Straughn.

MOUNDSVILLE — No matter what sport it is, playing a team more than two times in a season can be difficult. Even getting a sweep is always up in the air.

For the Madonna Blue Dons, it has had Bishop Donahue’s number this season. For the fourth time, the two teams met, this time at the John Marshall Field House in a sectional semifinal matchup. The result was the same as the previous three outing as the Blue Dons were able to hold off a comeback attempt by the Bishops to get a victory and secure a spot in the sectional championship Thursday in a 62-51 victory.

“I would say it’s hard to beat a team one time,” Madonna coach Chris Blair said. “It’s hard to win any time. You have to have maximum effort, maximum energy. You have to execute and want it more. Playing this team four times is a challenge, especially coming down here in this gym. Both teams fought hard. Taylor Straughn ended a stellar career. I want to wish him the best. It’s good to get the win.”

Tavon Jeter led the way for the Blue Dons with 27 points, including 10 in the opening frame while Joey Ewusiak netted 16.

Jeter hit a 3-pointer with 3:27 to go in the first quarter to the Blue Dons a 9-6 lead that they would not relinquish. Bishop Donahue Senior Koltin Kleeh hit a shot from behind the arc to tie the game at 9-9, but Ewusiak answered that with a bucket followed by another Jeter trey to put the score at 14-9.

Madonna led by as many as 17 in the third quarter after a pair of Jeter free throws, 43-26, but the Bishops did not throw in the towel.

Straughn scored five straight points and the Bishops ended the quarter on an 7-2 run to put the score at 45-33.

The lead was cut to six on two instances in the fourth quarter, the latest being a bucket by Anthony Robbins making it 55-49 with 2:39 left to play. On many occasions, the Bishops had some second-chance opportunities, but the ball did not roll in their favor.

“I’ll tell you what, I thought we had so many good looks during the game,” Bishop Donahue coach Tom Wise said. “I bet when I do our shot chart, the majority is going to be point-blank range. We didn’t convert it (Tuesday). It wasn’t from lack of effort. We hit the glass, we played hard and ran the floor. We did everything necessary and we couldn’t wield that ball in the hoop.”

The Blue Dons ended the game on a 7-2 run to put it out of reach. Madonna will face Wheeling Central, who defeated Cameron 63-44 in the other semifinal game. The two teams have met twice this year and spilt during the regular season.

“You know it’s not going to be your last game,” Blair said about the championship. “You still have to play with an extreme amount of urgency and extreme amount of effort and energy. We want this game and you want to get the momentum going. You want it just as bad, but win, lose or draw, you know you’re getting a regional game, which is a game if you win you go down to states. It’s nice to have that in your back pocket, but certainly we want to win every game we play.”

Robbins led the way for the Bishops as he compiled 18 points while Straughn ended his high-school career with 15. Kleeh also had 11 in his swan song.

“You never want to lose the last game of the year,” Wise said. “When the last game of the year is most likely the last game in the school’s history is even worse. I feel bad for our kids. It’s such a great school. I just wish all of them the best of luck in whatever they do in life. Take what they learned from Donahue and take it to where ever they go.”

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