THE NIGHTMARE ENDS IN HOWLAND

HOWLAND CENTER, OH – It had been a rough six-game losing streak for the Howland Tigers going into their game Tuesday with Youngstown East. In four of those games, they lost by five points or less. There was a totally different story against the Golden Bears. The Tigers would charge up for an 18-point halftime lead and would never look back as they picked up the 57-31 victory.

Despite a slow 6-6 start, Howland would pick up momentum and end the first quarter on a 10-0 run to end the period with a 16-6 edge. This would continue into the second quarter, with the Tigers scoring another 16 points, while holding East to just 8 points en route to a 32-14 halftime advantage. East would play in the Tigers in the third, making the period even with a score of 10-10, but Howland would pull away with a 14-7 advantage in the fourth, leading by as much as 29.

Nine players scored for the Tigers on the night, but what stood out for coach Dan Bubon and his team was the play of JV players TJ Douglas and Anthony Chieffo, who both played key minutes in the final three quarters. Douglas excelled on the floor, as he would actually lead all scorers with 11 on the night. Chieffo would cash in on his end, as in the first few moments of action, he drained a corner three to give him a spark, and he would end the night with 7 marks. Other scorers chipping the way for Howland were John Perry and Connor Durig, who would both finish with 8. Jose Castro led East with 7 points.

Howland (7-8) snaps a six-game losing streak dating back to January 2nd as they pick up their first victory of the 2023 calendar year. They will now get ready for an AAC rematch with Boardman at home this Friday night. The Tigers will look to split with the Spartans as they fell short in Boardman 60-46 back on January 14th. East (8-6) will stay on the road on Friday when they travel out to Warren Harding. The Bears were defeated by the Raiders last year by a score of 65-49. 

YSN’s Noah Ricks got a chance to speak with Howland coach Dan Bubon following the game. You can watch the full interview below.

*Contributed By YSN’s Noah Ricks