By Roger Gordon

Correspondent

The Ravenna boys basketball team’s seven-game winning streak to end the regular season has come at the perfect time.

Tournament time.

The Ravens won 59-47 on Feb. 21 at Rootstown for a 14-8 final regular-season record. It was the program’s best record since going 17-5 in 2022-23 when the team won the Metro Athletic Conference championship. The last two seasons, the Ravens have posted a combined record of 9-37.

“Rootstown hit the first shot of the game to go up 3-0, but then we were able to get out in front a little bit after that,” Ravenna first-year head coach Justin Rahim said. “In the third quarter, we were able to create some separation.”

A little less than a month ago, Ravenna was a game below the .500 mark.

Now, the Ravens are entering sectionals with six of their seven wins to conclude the regular season coming by 11 points or more.

The win streak started with an 82-68 win vs. Mogadore on Feb. 3, then continued with additional victories at Coventry, vs. Springfield, vs. Field, at Garfield, at Cloverleaf and the season finale at Rootstown.

Senior forward CJ Ross had a whale of a game against the Rovers with 25 points (including three 3-pointers).

“I thought C.J. played a well-rounded game,” said Rahim. “These last seven games with us being on this win streak, he hasn’t really been forcing the action too much, he’s just been playing within the flow of the offense. I encourage him to attack the offensive glass, and he did that, got some easy shots, just kind of got in a rhythm from there.”

Senior Sean Jordan scored 12 points (including two 3-pointers) to go with seven assists, while junior center Blake Cutting had 10 points.

“Sean has been phenomenal these last six or seven games,” the coach said. “He does a little bit of everything – he scores, he rebounds, he plays defense. He was able to get downhill, get to the free-throw line. He, along with (senior guard) Ladarion (Askew), are probably our best defenders.

“We put Blake in the starting lineup during this win streak, and it’s paid dividends for us. He’s been able to change the way we play offensively and defensively. If he’s not able to block the shot, I encourage him to alter all shots, make the opposition shoot over the top of him. He’s starting to understand the system a little bit in terms of how we want him to play and how he needs to play for us to be successful, and it’s working out for us right now.”