CVCA star Darryn Peterson awes Shaw: 'If you get dunked on, get dunked on by a five star'
LOUISVILLE — Hunter Graham and his East Cleveland Shaw teammates huddled in a hallway near the locker rooms at Louisville High School and couldn't help but joke with each other while watching cellphone footage.
“They're all air-dropping the video,” Graham said.
The clip showed Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy sophomore Darryn Peterson delivering a thunderous slam dunk over Graham with about 16 seconds left in the first quarter Thursday night.
A junior forward, Graham took the play and the reaction to it in stride. He had been posterized after getting caught under the basket on a late defensive switch with his back turned toward the 6-foot-5½ Peterson.
“If you get dunked on, get dunked on by a five star,” Graham said with a laugh.
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One of the nation's top college basketball recruits, Peterson scored a game-high 29 points and compiled nine rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and two steals in fourth-seeded CVCA's 57-49 victory over 22nd-seeded Shaw in a Division II district semifinal.
The dunk gave CVCA a 12-7 lead at the end of the opening quarter and set the tone.
“[It gave us] momentum because we were having some trouble getting the ball in the hole,” Peterson said.
CVCA (18-6) will face seventh-seeded Cleveland Glenville (16-8) in a district final at 7 p.m. Saturday at Louisville.
Last season, CVCA was knocked out of the Ohio High School Athletic Association tournament with a 75-61 loss to Glenville in a district championship game.
“I'm very motivated 'cause last year we lost and got sent home,” Peterson said. “So I'm willing to return the favor to them this year.”
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The extent to which Peterson, 16, has evolved as a player and leader since his freshman season gives him confidence.
Shaw (6-16) is among the teams familiar with his rapid growth.
Last season, CVCA won at Shaw 54-51 on Dec. 30, 2021, with Peterson scoring a team-high 17 points. The teams faced each other again in two exhibition games before this season, and Shaw coach Marv Rashad was a walk-on at the University of Akron when CVCA coach Matt Futch and Royals assistant Darryl Peterson II, Darryn's father, played for the Zips.
Rashad had assigned senior guard Ken Ward to defend the opposing team's top player for most of the season, so it's no surprise Ward matched up primarily against Peterson.
“Best guy I've guarded my whole life,” Ward said. “He's versatile. He's real strong with the ball. He can get to his spot and knock down the shot with a hand in his face. A lot of people can't do that. He can finish in a variety of ways.”
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This is perhaps the most impressive aspect of Peterson's performance against Shaw: Early foul trouble prevented him from being as aggressive as he wanted.
“I had to play it safe,” Peterson said.
With 3:44 left in the first quarter, Peterson picked up the second of his four fouls.
“I thought we were going to keep attacking him downhill because that's what was working for us,” Shaw senior Jeremy Cowans said. “But later on in the game, stuff just didn't work out, and he hit shots on the other end.
“He literally might be in the NBA. So I'm not mad, but I'm just a little disappointed. I think my team could've beat this team.”
Cowans led Shaw with 17 points. He scored 13 of his team's 19 points in the fourth quarter, but the threat to CVCA never became serious because the Royals had built a sizable cushion.
Peterson's 3-pointer at the buzzer from the right wing gave CVCA a 46-30 advantage entering the final quarter. It's notable he ended the first and third quarters with highlight plays.
“We see it a lot,” Futch said. “We know his capability. Those are things that God gave him that he didn't give us.”
CVCA senior guard Jackson Shelby scored 12 points. Royals senior forward Max Winslow added six points as well as several crafty assists and defensive plays.
Peterson's offensive efficiency proved to be the most crucial element for CVCA, though, especially considering he committed his third foul with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter. He shot 10 of 15 from the field and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line.
Peterson experienced a slight scare with 2:04 left in the game when he tweaked his left ankle while dribbling near half court. He went to the bench, retied his shoe and returned with 1:20 remaining. He then slapped the backboard on an attempted block, showing everyone he felt fine.
“I'm all right — 100% now,” he said.
The Royals will need Peterson at full strength to achieve their goal against Glenville.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.
On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: CVCA's Darryn Peterson posterizes Shaw in district semifinal
