“I was calm, actually,” he said. “I had butterflies but I wasn’t trembling.”
BOYS SCHEDULE: Sectional, district, regional
The victory jettisons Ponitz (16-7) into Saturday's sectional final against Carroll (11-13), which upset third-seeded Alter 53-42 also on Wednesday. It'll be the middle game of a tripleheader at UD Arena. Valley View plays top-seeded Trotwood-Madison at 5 p.m., Carroll/Ponitz at 6:30 p.m. and in the 8 p.m. nightcap it's Chaminade Julienne vs. Dunbar.
BOYS SCHEDULE: District, regional
Garrett scored just four points, but delivered when needed most. That puts Ponitz back into a sectional final for the second time in three seasons.
“For Ponitz it means we’re back on top,” Garrett said. “Last year was a down year, but we resurrected the program. We’re back at it.”
Here’s five things to know about Ponitz basketball:
1. The Golden Panthers are a relatively new addition to the Dayton City League, having opened in 2009, and has steadily become a respected boys basketball player. Former coach Shaun O'Connell led Ponitz to a City League co-championship with Dunbar two seasons ago. O'Connell resigned to become Cincinnati Withrow's boys head coach.
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2. No mention of Ponitz is complete without saluting head coach Steve Pittman in his debut season. The former University of Dayton Flyer by way of Beavercreek was a long-time top assistant to Darnell Hoskins, first at Springfield then at Thurgood Marshall. Said Pittman about playing at UD Arena: "There's nothing like going home."
3. There are two high schools that can be seen while driving west on Ohio Route 35 toward the I-75 on ramp: Chaminade Julienne and Ponitz. CJ is the campus with the new stadium. Ponitz is across the Great Miami River, its backside and grass practice field visible.
4. Basketball isn't the only sport that's making quick City League progress. Journeyman Jim Place has been the head football coach the last two seasons, a stabilizing presence following a series of coaches. Ponitz was a program-best 7-3 last fall, which included a club-team win that wasn't recognized by the OHSAA. The Panthers missed qualifying for the D-III, Region 12 playoffs, but with Place and a strong assistant coaching staff that should soon happen.
5. The proper name for Ponitz includes career technology center, although you’ll never see that in a sports headline. Much like Patterson Co-op provided back in the day, Ponitz students can earn career-technical certificates in arts/communication, business/IT, health/education and industrial/engineering systems. The school is the gift of former Sinclair Community College president Dr. David Ponitz (1975-97) to Dayton youth.
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