BROADALBIN — With coach Ed Collar and leading scorer James Collar missing from the sidelines, the Gloversville Dragons found away to stay focused against a hungry Broadalbin-Perth squad.
The Patriots chipped away at a 10-Gloversville lead to make it a one-point game with 3:05 left to play.
The Dragons battled back, making 6 of 8 free throws in a 10-2 run to hold off Broadalbin-Perth for a 64-55 victory in Foothills Council boys’ basketball action Tuesday night at Broadalbin-Perth High School.
Coach Collar was called away on a family emergency as the teams warmed up, putting junior varsity coach Justin Leo in charge.
“We talked about it every day during practice in case something like this happened,” Leo said. “I know the offenses and I know the defenses since I prepare with them during the week. He told me yesterday that something might happen so we prepared for it.”
With the help of a pair of 3-pointers and a basket from Landon Russom, the Patriots broke out to a 12-8 first-quarter lead.
However, the Dragons got a 3-pointer from Mariano DiCaterino and a field goal from Leo Perez in the final minute to hold a 13-12 advantage at the end of the opening period.
Gloversville stretched its lead to 29-23 at the break with DiCaterino netting 11 first-half points and Russom hitting 13 for the Patriots.
The teams traded baskets in the third quarter with B-P hitting 18 points in the quarter, all from behind the 3-point arc with Savoie hitting four 3-pointers in the run.
The Dragons also found success from behind the arc in the third quarter, hitting three 3-pointers in the quarter, with DiCaterino delivering 13 of Gloversville’s 20 points for a 49-41 lead heading into the final stanza.
The Patriots chipped away at Gloversville’s lead, converting of 4 of 6 free throws and getting a basket from Savoie to cut the lead to four. 51-47.
Cal Porter delivered a 3-pointer for the Dragons before Lorenzo Tambasco and Russom hit back-to-back threes, cutting the Gloversville lead to a single point, 54-53.
Again Porter got the Dragons going with a three-point play and Gloversville made 6 of 8 free throws in the 10-2 run to close out the game.
“This team is a tough group,” Broadalbin-Perth coach Jonathan Randolph said. “Right now I am working on getting them to play hard for a full 32 minutes and I think we are getting closer and closer to that. We just couldn’t close it out tonight.”
Savoie led the Patriots with 24 points including four 3-pointers, while Russom hit four threes in his 17-point effort.
DiCaterino paced Gloversville with his 24-point effort that also included four 3-pointers, while Porter finished with 12 points and Rocco Insonia and Dom Dorman added nine points apiece.
“Mano [DiCaterino] was hitting in the first quarter and I think he had a chip on his shoulder playing here in Broadalbin,” Leo said. “The third quarter we began giving up the 3s. It was weird especially with this team with so much leadership. Usually that doesn’t happen. I had to call a timeout to remind them to calm down and slow it down a little bit. A couple of times at the end we were going with a pick and roll with Cal and Rocco and they were attacking.”
Gloversville 13 16 20 15 — 64
Broadalbin-Perth 12 11 18 14 — 55
Gloversville scoring: Dorman 2-3-9, Perez 3-0-7, DiCaterino 9-2-24, Insonia 2-4-9, Porter 4-3-12, Jo. Collar 1-0-3. Broadalbin-Perth scoring: Robles 1-0-3, Savoie 7-6-24, Carey 1-0-3, Hotaling 1-1-3, Tambasco 2-0-5, Russom 6-1-17. Team scoring: Gloversville 21-12-64. Broadalbin-Perth 18-8-55.
Categories: -Sports-, High School Sports
