The last time Warren visited Bradford, Owls coach Dave Fuhrman
had a fever and the only prescription was more rebounding.

Well, Fuhrman is feeling a little warm once again, but this time
the remedy is better free throw shooting.

After three games, the Owls are shooting under 50 percent from
the foul line as a team and that played a key role in Bradford’s
53-51 loss to the Dragons on Wednesday.

While Warren converted 8 of 9 free throw attempts (89 percent),
the Owls were good on only 5 of 11 (45 percent).

“Our foul shooting is really hurting us,” Fuhrman commented. “We
also couldn’t get key stops when we needed them.”

On the positive side, Bradford shot 52 percent (22-for-42) from
the floor, got big points from some different players and limited
its turnovers to 12.

Junior point guard Tom Taylor found his range and finished with
11 points. Randy Confer was able to come in off the bench and
contribute eight tallies.

“Tommy played much better,” Fuhrman remarked. “He played like we
need him to play. He’s got to score some for us.”

Twice in the third quarter the Dragons opened an eight-point
lead, but the Owls stayed in it and battled back.

It was 39-31 with 3:06 remaining in the third period when Confer
canned a picture-perfect turnaround hook shot for a 39-33
score.

Taylor converted a slashing drive to the rim with 28 ticks
showing in the stanza and the Owls trailed by six, 41-35, going
into the final eight minutes.

Just 17 seconds in, Taylor drained a three-pointer with a hand
in his face and Ben Lanich later converted inside to make it
43-40.

The Dragons executed a stalling spread offense to keep the hosts
off the board for the next four minutes.

Then coming out of a Warren timeout with 3:11 to go, Ryan
LaBrozzi sent in a rainbow three for a 47-45 score.

After two freebies by Warren’s Jeff Eaton, Taylor nailed a
pull-up jumper off the dribble to keep it at two, 49-47.

With the score 51-47, Christian Wood called a timeout as he
sailed out of bounds and, after a moment’s indecision, the
officials granted the timeout, allowing the Dragons to maintain
possession.

There was just one minute left when Confer used his body to seal
the defender at the block and convert a basket making it 51-49, but
Stephen Beach made two foul shots to go back up by four, 53-49.

Then with 30 seconds showing, Tommy Morris dribbled through the
paint to find a shot, was fouled and was on his way to the floor
when his shot fell through the net.

His free throw was no good, but Wood missed the front end of a
1-and-1, leaving the door open for the hosts.

The Owls got a good look at the basket, but the attempt caromed
ineffectively off the back of the rim and Warren escaped with the
win.

Fuhrman acknowledged Warren’s strategy in the victory.

“They took time off the clock, broke us down off the dribble and
got key baskets when they needed them. You have to credit them.
They executed when the game was on the line. They got key offensive
rebounds and loose ball recoveries.”

The visiting Dragons shot 7-for-17 (41 percent) from beyond the
arc on the unfamiliar floor.

“It amazes me how teams can come in here and shoot that well
from three,” Fuhrman declared. “Those were extra points that we had
to try to make up somewhere.”

Eaton keyed the Dragons’ offense with 18 points (four threes)
and Ben Paul threw in 14 points.

For Bradford, Lanich turned in his second consecutive
double-double, scoring 13 points and pulling down 14 rebounds in
the game.

LaBrozzi continued his consistent play, scoring 10 points for
the Owls. Morris wound up with nine marks.

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