The Mogadore alumni boys basketball team poses with the tournament bracket after winning Saturday’s 11th annual Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament. The Wildcats’ team included (left to right): Kody Jaber, Zeddie Pollock, Nick Stephenson, Stephen Stott, Kole Jaber, David Wolverton and Lukas Swartz.

By Tom Nader

Publisher and Editor

Make it back-to-back for the Wildcats.

Mogadore’s Zeddie Pollock goes up for a 3-pointer over the defense of Crestwood’s Mason Jakacki during a semifinal matchup. In the title game, Pollock scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

Mogadore defended its championship title at the 11th annual Bailey Simons Memorial Alumni Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Rootstown High School.

To win the team’s second crown in as many years, the Cats topped Kent Roosevelt, 68-49.

Mogadore’s winning team included a roster of Lukas Swartz, Kole Jaber, Zeddie Pollock, Nick Stephenson, David Wolverton, Kody Jaber and Stephen Stott.

The championship game was tight throughout the first half, with Mogadore holding a narrow 32-27 lead at halftime.

A pair of 3-pointers by Eddie Calhoun kept the Rough Riders’ offense close in the early parts of the second half, but the Cats withstood the rally and followed the lead of Pollock, who scored 18 of his 21 points in the second half.

Stott added 16 points and Swartz had 15 points for the Wildcats, who buried 14 3-pointers in the title game — and 34 over the course of its three games on Saturday.

Kent Roosevelt’s leading scorer in the championship game was Marcus Wright, who had 10 points.

To get to the title game, Mogadore advanced with wins over Rootstown (62-55) and Crestwood (56-45).

Kent Roosevelt, which participated in the tournament for the first time ever, rolled into the title game with dominant wins over Waterloo (93-36) and Streetsboro (79-49).

11th ANNUAL BAILEY SIMONS ALUMNI BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

BOX SCORES

Kent Roosevelt’s Ernie Corbin goes up for a layup over Waterloo defender Dale Miller. Roosevelt’s Jaden Dennison trails the play.
Robin Golden/Special to Portage Sports

FIRST ROUND

KENT ROOSEVELT 93, WATERLOO 36

KENT ROOSEVELT (93) — Eddie Calhoun 7 0-0 19; Kevin Ina 8 0-0 21; Jaden Dennison 4 2 11; Nero Bryant 0 0-0 0; Marcus Wright 6 0-0 12; Ryan Slocum 2 1 5; Ernie Cobbin 8 3 21; Carter Foreman 1 0-0 2. Totals 36 6 93.

WATERLOO (36) — Jackson Eichler 2 0-0 6; Caleb Francis 1 4 6; Gavin Englis 1 2 4; Andy Snyder 4 0-0 11; Navarre Alhassa 2 0-0 4; Luke Simons 2 0-0 5. Totals 12 6 36.

CRESTWOOD 75, GARFIELD 49

CRESTWOOD (75) — Trent Jakacki 7 1-1 16; Dekota Johnson 5 3-4 16; Austin Johnson 0 0-0 0 Mason Angle 0 0-0 0; Aaron Czerny 2 0-0 4; Mason Jakacki 3 0-0 8; Blaze Angle 0 0-0 0; Steven Lincoln 4 0-0 12; James Durham 4 0-0 8; Josh Jakacki 4 0-0 11. Totals 29 4-5 75.

GARFIELD (49) — Aidan Hill 2 2-4 4; Trystan Gedeon 6 0-0 12; Evan Janic 3 0-0 9; Bill Festko 0 0-0 0; Nick Edic 3 0-0 7; Preston Gedeon 4 0-3 11; Isaiah Patton 3 0-0 6. Totals 20 2-7 49.

Crestwood’s Steven Lincoln goes up for a reverse layup against Mogadore’s David Wolverton.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

MOGADORE 62, ROOTSTOWN 55

MOGADORE (62) — Lukas Swartz 5 0-1 11; Kole Jaber 2 0-0 5; Zeddie Pollock 5 4-4 17; Nick Stephenson 0 1-2 1; David Wolverton 4 0-0 9; Kody Jaber 0 1-2 1; Stephen Stott 6 2-3 18. Totals 22 8-11 62.

ROOTSTOWN (55) — Donny Birkett 0 3-4 3; Aiden Rodstrom 3 0-0 6; Adam Whitacre 5 0-0 9; Joe Weaver 1 0-0 3; Tom Nader 1 0-0 2; TJ Riggie 0 0-0 0; Shawn Finch 1 0-0 3; Adam Bailey 1 0-0 2; Xavier Birkett 5 1-1 11; Nick Wancik 4 2-2 14. Totals 21 4-5 55.

STREETSBORO 69, FIELD 56

STREETSBORO (69) — Trevor Murray 4 0-0 10; Charles Ivory 4 0-0 9; Jashaun Lawrence 3 0-0 9; Jerry Judd 3 0-0 6; Preston Laryea 2 0-0 4; Tommy Stockard 1 0-0 3; Ty Butler 6 0-0 17; Jack Batten 3 1 8; Avery Van Reeth 1 0-0 3. Totals 28 1 69.

FIELD (56) — Caleb Wohlwend 3 0-0 6; Jacob Gartner 4 1 12; Caleb Gartner 2 2 8; Bryson Silveus 5 1 14; Jake Lupardus 4 0-0 9; Jaheim James 2 0-0 5; Nick Papiska 1 0-0 2. Totals 21 4 56.

Rootstown’s Aiden Rodstrom splits Mogadore defenders Stephen Stott (left) and Nick Stephenson.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

SEMIFINALS

KENT ROOSEVELT 79, STREETSBORO 49

KENT ROOSEVELT (79) — Eddie Calhoun 6 0-0 18; Kevin Ina 7 0-0 19; Jaden Dennison 0 0-0 0; Nero Bryant 2 0-0 5; Marcus Wright 5 2 12; Ryan Slocum 2 0-0 4; Ernie Cobain 9 2 21; Carter Foreman 0 0-0 0. Totals 31 4 79.

STREETSBORO (49) — Trevor Murray 5 2 11; Charles Ivory 4 0-0 8; Jashaun Lawrence 1 0-0 2; Jerry Judd 1 1 3; Preston Laryea 3 0-0 6; Tommy Stockard 2 0-0 6; Ty Butler 0 0-0 0; Jack Batten 2 0-0 6; Avery Van Reeth 3 0-0 7. Totals 21 3 49.

MOGADORE 56, CRESTWOOD 45

MOGADORE (56) — Lukas Swartz 2 1-2 7; Kole Jaber 5 0-0 13; Zeddie Pollock 1 0-0 3; Nick Stephenson 2 1-2 5; David Wolverton 3 1-1 7; Kody Jaber 1 0-0 2; Stephen Stott 7 1-2 19. Totals 21 4-7 56.

CRESTWOOD (45) — Trent Jakacki 4 4-8 13; Dekota Johnson 3 5-8 12; Austin Johnson 0 0-0 0; Mason Angle 0 0-0 0; Aaron Czerny 0 0-0 0; Cole Fannin 0 0-0 0; Mason Jakacki 3 1-3 9; Blaze Angle 0 0-0 0; Steven Lincoln 0 0-0 0; James Durham 4 3-5 11; Josh Jakacki 1 0-0 3. Totals 15 13-24 45.

Mogadore guard Lukas Swartz (1) finishes at the rim for a layup in the Cats’ first-round win over Rootstown.
Paisley Nader/Portage Sports

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

MOGADORE 68, KENT ROOSEVELT 49

MOGADORE (68) — Lukas Swartz 5 0-0 15; Kole Jaber 3 0-0 9; Zeddie Pollock 9 1-2 21; Nick Stephenson 0 1-2 1; David Wolverton 2 2-2 6; Kody Jaber 0 0-0 0; Stephen Stott 5 2-4 16. Totals 24 6-10 68.

KENT ROOSEVELT (49) — Eddie Calhoun 3 1-2 9; Kevin Ina 4 0-1 8; Jaden Dennison 3 2-2 8; Nero Bryant 3 0-0 6; Marcus Wright 5 0-5 10; Ryan Slocum 1 1-1 3; Ernie Cobain 2 0-0 5; Carter Foreman 0 0-0 0. Totals 21 4-11 49.