Hot Basketball Rivalry Sees Avon Top Bay

Bay’s Brandon Morriss (12) and Rex Sunahara (24) battle for the ball with Avon’s Zack Torbert.

There’s nothing like a red-hot basketball rivalry to warm things up on a cold winter’s night! Bay and Avon did just that last Friday as the host Eagles staged a fourth-quarter comeback to top the Rockets, 58-56, in a controversial outcome.

Bay’s 6-6 center Rex Sunahara was ejected from the game after riding home a slam dunk with six minutes left in the fourth quarter to give Bay a 49-45 lead. But he was whistled for a technical after hanging on the rim and then sent to bench with his fifth foul after making objections to the official.

He took his 20 points to the locker room, leaving the door open for Avon to rule the paint behind 6-7 Will Yabarra, who ended the night with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

The outcome had important West Shore Conference implications. Bay, now 13-6 overall, was kept close to the pack with a 9-4 league mark. Avon went to 8-5 in the league and 12-8 overall. Bay leads the WSC at 9-4, followed by Midview at 8-4, Avon and Elyria Catholic at 8-5 and North Ridgeville at 4-7. Rocky River and Vermilion each have three league wins.

: John Koz of Bay drives the lane against Avon.

: Bay’s Brandon Morriss makes a play on Avon’s Jeff Laraway.

: Baton twirler Grace Wenneberg of Avon Lake had the crowd cheering with her stunning solo halftime performance Friday night at Avon High.

: Colleen Eschweiler (front) and Maddy Caroscio (back) lifted Avon spirits as part of the basketball game halftime show Dance Team. Avon Schools do a great job of involving all elements of student activities into the sports spotlight.

: An official who ruled interference against Bay’s Rex Sunahara is caught in the middle as the 6-6 center and the Bay bench protest the call in Friday’s game at Avon.