Tallman sets scoring record in Mohonasen win

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SCHENECTADY — Mohonasen took a step forward, and in another way, Duncan Tallman did, too.

The Mighty Warriors added a little more weight to their playoff seeding, while Tallman moved to the top of the high school’s career scoring chart in a 71-63 non-league win over Schenectady Tuesday at the Pat Riley Sports Center.

The victory was Mohonasen’s third in four games against Class AA Suburban Council competition, and Tallman played a key role in making it so, with 18 of his 21 points coming in the second half, including the record breaker.

That came on a three-point play with 5:14 left when the senior guard delivered his 15th, 16th and 17th points to tie and then move past 1992 grad and former Daily Gazette All-Area star Phil DeCarlo (1,268).

“It’s a big accomplishment. That record has been around for something like 30 years,” said Tallman, whose clinching free throws with 37 seconds to go left him with 1,274 career points. “My goals when I got to high school were to win a sectional championship and getting the record. Now my goal is to have fun and win.”

Mohonasen (11-5) did that often late last season when it claimed the Section II Class A title and advanced to the state final four. Mohonasen was on another hot streak with seven wins in a row before falling to Watervliet 61-47 Friday, when Tallman was held to five points. Tuesday’s bounce-back victory saw Shawn Gillisslee score 10 of his 16 points in the first half, and Chase Monroe deliver nine of his 15 in the second half to complement Tallman.

“Very sweet,” Tallman said of adding Schenectady to Mohonasen’s large-school conquests. “Same city. Class AA team. Big game.”

First-year Mohonasen coach Ray Kearney agreed with that.

“Schenectady cut into our lead in the fourth quarter, but overall, not a bad four quarters. We took care of business, which was good,” Kearney said. “We needed it. This was a quality win, and we’ll need a few more down the stretch.”

Tallman did his best work down the stretch in Tuesday’s contest, notching 13 fourth-quarter points. Eleven of those came in a 15-8 spurt to begin the quarter as Mohonasen opened up a 65-51 advantage.

“I wasn’t hitting in the first half,” said Tallman, whose 21 points came on seven layups and seven free throws said. “At halftime, the guys were positive and telling me to take it to the rack.”

He did, and often.

“Tallman is smart,” Schenectady coach John Miller said. “He understood we were not going to allow him to get an open shot.”

Tallman’s record-breaking three-point play gave Mohonasen a 61-51 lead, and the senior dropped in another layup soon after. A layup by Gillisslee capped the 15-8 run.

“His [Tallman] shot wasn’t falling, and he got it done other ways. That’s a big monkey off his back,” Kearney said. “First, it was 1,000 points [in Mohonasen’s second game], and after that, it was only a matter of time, but I’m sure he’s been thinking about it. Now he can just play.”

Sophomores Elijah Johnsen and Jahsean Haggray led Schenectady with 15 and 13 points, respectively. Haggray had five points in a 12-4 run before Tallman’s clutch free throws.

“My guys will battle you until the buzzer,” said Miller, whose youthful cast includes five sophomores. “I’m pleased with the fact that they don’t stop playing. The key for us is to limit mistakes over the four quarters.”

MOHONASEN

Calkins 1-0-2, Febbie 3-2-9, Gillisslee 7-1-16, Monroe 7-1-15, Reinke 1-0-2, Richmond 3-0-6, Tallman 7-7-21. Totals: 29-11-71.

SCHENECTADY

Fisher 2-1-5, Davis 1-0-3, White 3-0-8, Haggray 4-4-13, Cruz 3-0-6, Clayton 2-1-5, Johnsen 5-1-15, Carrington 1-0-3, Sanders 2-1-5. Totals: 23-8-63.

Mohonasen 14 19 17 21 — 71

Schenectady 18 12 13 20 — 63

Reach Gazette Sportswriter Jim Schiltz at 518-395-3143, [email protected] or @jim_schiltz on Twitter.

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Categories: High School Sports, Sports