D-II Regional Boys Basketball: Avon not satisfied with second straight trip to Sweet 16, wants to extend run

In the composition of music and literature it's often said that "everything is better the second time around." Avon hopes that also applies to basketball. The Eagles (18-6) are headed to the College of Wooster for the second year in a row to play in a Division II regional semifinal. Avon will face Massillon Washington on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Last year the Eagles' season ended with a 53-37 regional semifinal loss to New Albany. This year Avon hopes that experience can guide it to a deeper postseason run. "It was a goal for us at the start of the year to get back to this point," senior captain Caden Clapham said. "Everyone has been locked in mentally and physically to get here over the season, to win a district championship and get back here." The Tigers come into the game with an impressive 23-1 record, but it's Massillon's first regional appearance since 2003. Avon would love to use the Tigers' inexperience against them. "Being able to play in a place you played before is an advantage," said Clapham, one of three seniors on the Avon roster. "I always feel like lighting is important. Sometimes it's the little things that matter." Avon enters the matchup battle-tested after playing in the Southwestern Conference, which produced three district champions. Including the 49-42 win over Highland in the district final, Avon is 9-0 this season against teams from outside the SWC. "Every game you take away and learn something and the close games we've had recently are really going to help us," Avon junior Joey Ziegler said. "We've experienced a lot of different late-game situations, having ups and downs during a game. Every basketball game has that so it's helped us be ready for the postseason." After a three-game midseason losing streak, Avon turned around its season, winning nine of its last 10. No team comes into regionals as hot as Massillon. The Tigers have won 20 in a row, with the only loss against North Canton Hoover on Dec 23. It's averaging 80.8 points a game. "We believe we can win this basketball game," Eagles coach Mike Fitch said. It remains to be seen if Avon can find a way to stop a potent Massillon offense that includes four starters averaging over 14 points. But one thing is certain: The Eagles are ready for the moment and the bigger stage. "We always talk about mental focus and convincing yourself you can do something," Fitch said. "Last year we were excited to get there and I'm not sure if we were convinced we could win. This year we're here to win, we want to keep going. We're not happy just to get there." The Eagles have held eight opponents under 50 points this season and scored 67 or more in each of their final six regular-season games. "We're so far into the season that we're comfortable with the things we do," Ziegler said. "So we focused this week on scouting Massillon and learning what they do on offense and defense so that when we get into the game we know how to counter whatever they show us." Clapham thinks the team has a quiet confidence. "Massillon is a tough team with a very good record," Clapham said. "But we had two good practices and some film sessions to focus on what they do, so I think we'll have a good chance of going to the regional championship. "You want to keep the ride going, you don't ever really want it to end. That's our mentality and it's very important to us. If I want it for myself and my teammates and my teammates want it for themselves and each other, it creates a very powerful force to move us forward." Fitch calls that force "elite effort" and he said it's something everyone on the roster has shown since offseason practices started in the summer. "These guys play with elite effort every day in practice and they have the ability to do it in every game," Fitch said. "We had one or two games where we didn't show that and it was good for the guys to see it doesn't work if you don't give elite effort. We have a lot of basketball-only guys who have bought in and they are holding each other accountable in practice." While Ziegler was Avon's leading scorer in last year's regional semifinal loss with 17 points, he is the only player on the roster who scored in that game. Ziegler has advice for his teammates who will have a large role on that stage for the first time. "Stay level-headed. There's going to be runs, we're going to go on runs, they're going to go on runs," Ziegler said. "It's a big game but you have to stay within your team. You can't worry about what other people are thinking about you." All season Fitch has preached to his team to focus on one game at a time. Although it's the biggest game and possibly the toughest opponent of the season, the message hasn't changed. "It's just a game and we're taking it one game at a time," Fitch said. Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.