August 2, 2021
By David Lee Morgan Jr
Special to Dawg Days Basketball

Junior Division Championship Game

Clutch 30
Perry Panthers 23

Clutch had the perfect mix in their division to make a run for the championship. They had two “big fellas” in Deacon Boreman and brother Porter Boreman, and two frisky guards in Brady Sidle and Lowen Ferguson. And Ferguson was the smallest of the bunch, but played much bigger, which was coach Ben Ferguson's son.

Clutch faced the Perry Panthers, a team that cruised through pool play to reach the title game. Clutch was up 10-4 until Xavier Wohlheter hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 10-7. Clutch’s Brady Sidle had a strong layup for a basket and was fouled giving his team a 14-7 lead. Clutch stretched the lead to 22-10 before Joey Luchitz’s short jumper cut the lead to 22-12. Clutch stretched the lead to 28-18 before Perry fought back and got as close at 28-23 before falling 30-23.

I grew up playing playground ball,” Ben Ferguson said. “Kids don’t play in the park now like they used to. I love this. It is physical but it’s competitive and it teaches you how to be tough. There’s no complaining. You check the ball, and you get right back at it.”

(Porter Boreman, Brady Sidle, Lowen Ferguson, Deacon Boreman, Junior Division Boys Champs.)

David Lee Morgan Jr was a longtime Cleveland Cavaliers beat writer for the Akron Beacon Journal. His 2003 book, The Rise of a Star: LeBron James, won him critical acclaim (American Library Association, Cleveland Magazine, School Library Journal) as an author.

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