Italy’s JV Boys, varsity girls and varsity boys raised their level of play Friday night when hosting the Dallas Gateway Gators. With the Gateway program demoralized from a recent U.I.L. ruling of ineligibility declared with the two of it’s varsity boys players, “Gladiator Nation” seized the moment and went hunting for Gators.

The two Gateway players, found guilty of falsifying transcripts, were removed from their Gateway varsity roster but allowed to compete with the Gateway JV team against the Italy JV team. Also, Gateway’s varsity team has been required to forfeit all their wins thus far this season.

Italy JV Gladiators:
Needless to say, Italy’s JV was in for battle against the JV Gators (plus 2) who were looking to stay afloat in murky waters.

Baskets by Bubba Itson and Jase Holden gave Italy’s JV team a quick 4-0 lead. At the 4:04 mark of the 1st quarter, a spinning catch and layup by Kyle Jackson kept Italy’s JV ahead 8-3. Brandon Souder made it a 10-3 game but a 3-point bucket by the Gators kept Gateway close, 10-6. Jackson answered with a 3-pointer of his own and Italy’s JV was up 13-6 with 3:20 left in the opening quarter.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from newcomer Marcus Cox staggered the Gators as Italy’s JV was making it look easy with a 20-10 lead. The Gators added a bucket to close out the quarter and the score became 20-12 as the game moved into the next quarter.

In the 2nd, 5 straight points by Jase Holden including a 3-point play the old fashion way kept Italy’s JV in front 25-18. Itson followed with another 3-point bomb to put the JV Gladiators up 28-18, 4:20 left in the quarter.

Gateway ran off 9 unanswered points to pull within 1-point, 28-27, with just under 3:00 left. Italy’s Aaron Thomas made 1-of-2 free shots and then scored inside to give Italy’s JV a 31-28 halftime advantage.

The Gators exploded in the 3rd quarter and began scoring at a frantic pace. By the 4:30 mark of the 4th, Gateway had built a 64-50 lead. Italy’s JV then outscored the gators 12-4, highlighted by an Itson 3-pointer, to close the gap 68-62, with 3:00 left in the 4th.

The Gators outscored Italy’s JV 8-3 in the final minutes to hold on for the win, 76-66. However, even in defeat, Italy’s JV Gladiators played impressively. Their only losses this season have been to Varsity squads or, as in this case, a JV team with Varsity players. Keep up the hard work guys!

Italy Lady Gladiators:
The Lady Gladiators were staring at a 7-0 deficit until Kyonne Birdsong knocked down a 3-pointer for Italy to make the game 7-3. Gateway stretched their lead 12-3 but a score by Italy’s Jimesha Reed pumped up the Lady Gladiators and then Kaitlyn Rossa made the score 12-7. Jameka Copeland was unable to beat the buzzer on the fast break and the score after the first 8:00 was 12-7.

At the 7:10 mark of the 2nd, Rossa grabbed an offensive board and banked it off the glass to shrink Gateway’s lead 12-9. Gateway responded with 4 straight and pushed their advantage to 16-9.

The speedy Gateway defense disrupted Italy’s passing lanes all game and raced to a 25-16 lead by the end of the 2nd quarter.

Italy’s Brianna Burkhalter scored inside to make the game 25-18, 7:20 left in the game. Copeland started to pressure on the Gateway defense from her point guard position and earned two straight trips to the free throw line. Copeland hit 2-of-4 to help Italy stay close 25-16, 6:43 left in the 3rd. Rossa battled on the offensive boards to keep the ball alive and Copeland put in a bank shot off the effort, Gateway leads 25-18.

Rossa added 2 free throws to make the game 27-20 with 6:00 left. Burkhalter finished the fast break with a layup but Gateway was still in control 29-22. Italy’s Jaleecia Fleming took over and popped a jumper from the left elbow of the lane and then hit a deep shot to pull Italy within 4, 30-26.

Chante Birdsong stole the ball for the Lady Gladiators but Italy couldn’t get any points out of it. Gateway hit 1-of-2 from the line, on their next trip down court, to stay in front by 5-points, 31-26. Italy then executed a fast break to close in on the Lady Gators 31-28, 3:12 remaining in the 3rd.

It looked as they Gateway might pull away again, but K. Birdsong hit 1-of-3 from the line after being fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. Then Rossa fought for another offensive board and was fouled on the put back. The and-1 counted as well and Italy was hanging in there, trailing only 36-31 with 2:06 to go in the 3rd.

Gateway’s Lady Gators tried to death roll the Lady Gladiators at the end of the 3rd and into the 4th. Gateway ran up a 43-32 lead with 6:37 left in the game. However, a Copeland 3-pointer and a field goal, worth 2-points, capped off a mini-run by the Lady Gladiators and put the pressure back on Gateway 43-40.

Gateway answered the challenge and rebuilt their lead 51-41 with 2:32 left in the game. The Lady Gladiators rallied one more time after a Copeland fast break layup made the score 51-43. An offensive rebound by Jimesha Reed and a banker made the score 51-45. Both teams traded baskets and then Copeland nailed a baseline jumper to make the score 53-47, but with only 0:51 left, time was ticking away.

Both teams added a free throw in the final seconds and Gateway held on for the win, 54-48. However, there is a silver lining for the Lady Gladiators. Gateway was leaps and bounds ahead of the Lady Gladiators last season but what a difference a year makes. Even though the final score wasn’t in Italy’s favor, Coach Stacy McDonald’s Lady Gladiator team made a statement in this one.

There’s no doubt Gateway’s girls will not look forward to playing the Lady Gladiators again.

Lady Gladiator scoring stats:

Italy Gladiators
Despite losing two of their starters to the U.I.L ruling of ineligibility, Gateway played the 1st quarter surprisingly well against the Gladiators. Italy only lead 17-14 as the game moved into the 2nd quarter.

Italy’s John Isaac got the scoring started in the 2nd to put the Gladiators up 19-14. Moments later, a Heath Clemons jumper made the score 27-14. With 2:45 left in the 2nd, Jasenio Anderson made 1-of-2 free throws to keep Italy on track 32-18.

Italy’s Colton Campbell hit 1-of-2 charity shots to make the score 35-21 with 1:30 left before halftime. A 2-pointer by Campbell made the score 40-25 and then a no look tip in by Campbell at the buzzer sent an early message to Gateway fans as Italy lead 42-25 at the break.

Sensing a chance to end the contest early, Italy clamped down on the Gators and outscored Gateway 27-15 in the 3rd. Sophomore Larry Mayberry gives the Gladiators a dimension the team lacked last season, size and strength inside. Therefore, Mayberry was able to keep Gateway’s 6’ 5" Center, #24 Jimmy Sykes, occupied allowing Desmond Anderson, Kyle Wilkins, Aaron Thomas and Oscar Gonzalez to pick their shots.

Italy lead 78-48, with 4:42 remaining. Dan Crownover, Clemons, Isaac and J. Anderson where just too strong for Gateway defensively as the Gladiators won easily 88-59, turning the Gators belly up.

Gladiator scoring stats:

Game Results – Tuesday, January 19

The Italy Lady Gladiators had an easy night against Grand Prairie Advantage Academy as they breezed past the Eagles 52-15.

Coach Kyle Holly’s Gladiators looked impressive as well with a solid performance against the Grand Prairie Advantage Academy Eagles, 75-15.