On a chilly Friday night in Youngstown, the Chaney Cowboys wasted no time making their intentions clear against the Poland Bulldogs, seizing control from the opening tip and never looking back. In front of an eager crowd and a regional television audience tuning in for the WKBN High School Basketball Game of the Week, Chaney’s relentless energy and tactical discipline resulted in a decisive 70-46 victory over Poland, further cementing their status as a force in Ohio high school basketball.
From the get-go, the Cowboys were determined to set the tone. Coach Marlon McGaughy, well aware of Poland’s sharpshooting prowess, emphasized the importance of a fast start. "We always try to set the tone," McGaughy explained after the game. "But tonight was more important because they got a lot of shooters over there, so we couldn’t let the game get close."
Chaney’s game plan was evident from the first possession. A crisp layup opened the scoring, immediately followed by a highlight-reel alley-oop dunk from Allen Hill off a steal. That early exclamation point sent the crowd into a frenzy and signaled that the Cowboys were playing for keeps. Poland, for their part, managed to connect on two of their first three shots in the opening 90 seconds, but then fell into a scoring drought that lasted until nearly halfway through the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Chaney’s offense was firing on all cylinders. Austin Brown, a dynamic presence on the perimeter, drained three 3-pointers in the opening frame, helping the Cowboys race out to a commanding 23-5 lead by the end of the first quarter. The defensive pressure was stifling, with Chaney trapping and forcing turnovers, converting them into easy transition baskets. The Bulldogs, shellshocked by the Cowboys’ intensity, struggled to find their rhythm.
"They’re a really good team," Poland coach Eric Fender admitted. "They’re quick, and one thing we knew going in was we had to try and take care of the basketball and limit transition points. We didn’t do that early on, and they got some easy buckets. I think their second bucket of the game was a dunk for one of the Hill kids. Those are things we just can’t have happen."
The Hill brothers, Allen and Allex, both standing at 6-foot-5, proved to be a matchup nightmare for Poland. On the defensive end, the twins patrolled the paint, blocking shots and altering layups, while offensively, they finished strong at the rim. Allen Hill, in particular, was a dominant force, leading Chaney with 21 points and pulling down an impressive 13 rebounds. Allex Hill chipped in with nine points, and together the siblings accounted for 30 points, showcasing their chemistry and physicality in the post.
Coach McGaughy praised his big men but also hinted at untapped potential. "They did really well," he said. "But as a team, we gotta start dumping it in a little bit more to those big guys because I don’t think they get enough touches."
Poland, trailing by double digits for the majority of the contest, desperately needed someone to step up. That someone was Carmine Tukalo. The senior guard caught fire in the third quarter, drilling four 3-pointers and finishing the night with six triples en route to a game-high 23 points. Tukalo’s shooting provided a much-needed spark for the Bulldogs, briefly narrowing the gap and injecting some life into their offense.
"He’s a real good shooter," McGaughy acknowledged. "He comes off screens and he shoots it well. He can shoot it from deep anywhere. So our gameplan was to not let him shoot, but our gameplan wasn’t as good as I thought it turned out to be."
Despite Tukalo’s heroics, the rest of the Bulldogs struggled to produce. Poland shot just 25.5% from the floor, with no other player scoring more than eight points. The lack of offensive balance proved costly, as Chaney’s defense continued to clamp down, forcing contested shots and limiting second-chance opportunities.
Coach Fender reflected on his team’s difficulties after the lopsided first quarter. "After the first quarter, we were a little bit shellshocked," he said. "We took a hit, and it took us a little while to get recalibrated. Carmine is the leader. They know that. We know that. And when we start seeing some of his shots fall, it sort of gains some confidence for some of those other guys."
For Chaney, the win marked their fifth consecutive victory over Poland, a streak that underscores the Cowboys’ recent dominance in this budding regional rivalry. With the result, Chaney improved to 13-3 on the season, while Poland fell to 13-4. The victory also served as a statement to the rest of the league: the Cowboys are not just tough—they’re talented, deep, and hungry for more.
Austin Brown’s 15 points provided a valuable complement to the Hill brothers’ inside presence, as Chaney’s balanced attack kept Poland’s defense guessing. The Cowboys’ ability to mix perimeter shooting with post play has become a hallmark of their success this season.
The atmosphere inside Chaney High School was electric, with fans and students rallying behind their team from start to finish. The live television broadcast added an extra layer of excitement, giving the players a platform to showcase their skills to a wider audience. For the Cowboys, it was a night when everything seemed to click—offense, defense, and energy all working in harmony.
Looking ahead, both teams face quick turnarounds. Poland is set to travel to Streetsboro for a Saturday evening matchup, hoping to bounce back and regain their winning form. Chaney, meanwhile, will make a short trip across town to take on City Series rival East on Tuesday night, a contest that promises to carry significant implications for the league standings.
With the regular season entering its crucial stretch, every game takes on added importance. For Chaney, the challenge will be to maintain their momentum and continue refining their inside-out game. For Poland, the focus shifts to regrouping, shoring up their defense, and finding ways to generate more consistent scoring beyond their star shooter.
As the final buzzer sounded in Youngstown, the message was clear: Chaney is a team on the rise, and they’re not content to rest on their laurels. With a blend of size, skill, and swagger, the Cowboys have set their sights on bigger goals—and if Friday night’s performance is any indication, they just might have what it takes to make a deep postseason run.