Beacon 158 Playoff Squeakers

BAYSIDE, NY - With Long Island Lutheran and Queens H.S of Teaching having already locked up spots in the EYAC Beacon 158 Back to School Tournament Semifinals, Thursday saw the final two semifinal spots up for grabs in games that proved to be exciting and competitive going right down to the wire.

There was a lot on the line at the M.S. 158 gym in Bayside, Queens, and with the final two semifinal spots so highly coveted, let's look at what transpired in the final two quarterfinals on Thursday evening.

Coming in the feeling was Wings was a considerable favorite, and early on they played like the clear favorites as the Bronx power jumped out to a double-digit lead, but Hills East led by guard Savion Lewis '18 didn't quit, and eventually took a second half lead.

Boubacar Kamissoko '17 played great at the lead guard spot though for Wings down the stretch as even with the Thunderbirds playing with fire and intensity while applying a stingy and tough pressure defense, they couldn't come up with the big shot late as Wings was able to fight back and hold off a tough Half Hollow Hills East team, 50-47.

Hills East got off to a good start as they were able to use their pressure defense to trap and create Wings Academy mistakes, but once Kamissoko and Derrick Crothers '19 figured out how to bear the pressure they were able to speed up their play and take control off a 12-2 run, eventually taking a 24-14 lead with 1:22 to go in the opening half.

It did seem as if Wings was in control of the game as the half began to wind down, but Hills East again was pushed the envelope when it came to the pressure and with Wings throwing the ball over the top, the Thunderbird guards could pick off passes and get the ball up court quickly for easy baskets.

In the closing minute of the first half Hills East scored the final 6 points as they gained momentum to close within 24-20 at the break.

The second half started with Wings scoring the first two buckets as Crothers score going down the right wing for a bucket while getting fouled, and the Wings lead was pushed back up to 9 before Half Hollow Hills East once again started to provide Wings trouble.

Wings would rush shots in the half court and settle for long jumpers from bad spots on the floor, and with Hills East big men Kenny Mathurin '17 and Andrew Connell '17 each doing a solid job on the glass, they were able to get out in the open floor quickly, and with Lewis able to score time and time again off the dribble be it going to the basket or pulling up for tough jumpers from the outside they closed the deficit once again, eventually tying the game up at 36 with 11:34 to go in the game.

A runner in the lane by Lewis would give Half Hollow Hills East their first lead of the game soon after they tied it up, and with the constant pressure still giving Wings fits, the Thunderbirds built their lead up to 41-36 with 7 minutes left.

It was at that point with the game slipping away from them that Kamissoko and Jose Perez '17 began to attack the basket, slipping past the Hills East pressure and getting in one on one situations going to the rim where they were able to score going at the defenders.

After being down 5, Wings would go on an 8-0 run to retake a lead at 44-41 with 4:25 to go, and even though Lewis was able to still get his points, Mathurin was seeing his touches get tougher and tougher down low as he struggled late against the contact he was feeling, and even though Wings was back on top, late in the game Hills East still had a chance.

The Wings lead never grew to a point where Hills East was out of it. The Thunderbirds were down 3 and tried to feed the ball inside, but a turnover in the closing seconds saw Wings get the ball back as Perez was fouled with 5 seconds left, setting him up to close the game out with a 1 and 1 opportunity at the FT line.

He missed the front end though and Mathurin got the rebound and Hills East called a timeout. The Thunderbirds set up a solid play to get Lewis a good look to tie but the shot that went up was just inside the three-point line, and if fell off the side of the rim anyway as Wings Academy held off a hard-fought challenge from Half Hollow Hills East, taking the win and advancing to Saturday semifinals, 50-47.

Kamissoko scored a team high 13 points for Wings, with Crothers adding 11 points and Perez adding 10 as well in the victory.

It may have been a defeat but Lewis made a huge statement as he had a game high 24 points in the loss for Hills East, while Mathurin added 9 points as well.

After breaking out to a quick 12-0 lead to start the game Eagle Academy looked to be in firm control, holding the double-digit lead into the half and into the early part of the second half as well.

It wasn't until the midway part of the second half when things started to turn around for Law and Tech as big man Victor Ogbo '18 began to assert himself and take control of the game in the paint, and while they may have fallen into a big hole late, the Jets rallied and held off the Eagles late for the 1 point win.

DeMarley Smith '17 got Eagle off to the great start as he knocked down a pair of three balls to open things up, and along with making a couple of nice passes in transition in fast break opportunities, the Eagles quickly took change of the game.

It wasn't until 5 minutes into the game that Javell Garnes '17 drained a three of his own that Law and Tech got on the board, and even though they had finally broken the scoring drought, they were turning the ball over at a high clip, and even though Eagle Academy didn't take advantage of every opportunity, they took advantage enough to hold a 27-15 lead at the half.

The issues for Brooklyn Law and Tech were deep in the opening half. They had double digit turnovers and were struggling against the all-out press of Eagle Academy, and with the backcourt duo of Mikko Johnson '17 and Larry Moreno '18 combining to go scoreless in the opening half, while Ogbo only had 2 points, something needed to change for the Jets to claw back into this one.

Law and Tech needed someone to step up and take control, and that someone proved to be Ogbo as right at the start of the second half, after sitting for a long stretch late in the opening half, he started to dominate the offensive glass and score with ease around the rim.

Tyrese Crosdale '17 was the long-range weapon for Eagle Academy that was keeping them in the lead though as his quick release from the corners was not allowing the Jets to take momentum, with the Eagles still up 40-28 just past the midway point of the 2nd half.

Ogbo though was able to put back another offensive board while getting fouled to get the deficit back to single digits for Law and Tech as he would go on to score 11 straight points for the Jets, cutting a 12-point lead down to 45-44 with 3:40 to play.

Smith, who had a hot hand early on for Eagle Academy, was struggling to find his rhythm in the second half, and while Crosdale was getting good looks at the rim from long range early in the second half, those looks were becoming fewer and further between due to the Law and Tech aggressive defense, and when Moreno stole an Eagle cross court pass with just under 3 minutes to go, Brooklyn Law and Tech had their first lead of the game at 46-45.

The lead went right back to Eagle as Crosdale was able to get himself free and knock down his 3rd three ball of the game, but that was countered right back when Davonta Cook '19 drilled a big three from the corner to give Law and Tech the lead quickly back.

It was 49-48 with under a minute to play with Brooklyn Law and Tech in the lead, and while each team had their chances to score down the stretch, neither handled the other teams pressure that well committing turnovers and losing the ball in big spots.

Ultimately the game came down to the final shot as Eagle had the ball with 6 seconds left and looked to set up one last shot for the win, and when Crosdale was doubled, the ball went into the hands of Basheeru Camara '17 who got off a pretty good look from behind the arc just as the buzzer sounded, but the shot was no good and Brooklyn Law and Tech had come all the way back from a 12-0 deficit to start to take down Eagle Academy, 49-48.

Ogbo was a force to be reckoned with in the second half as he had 17 of his game high 19 points in the final 20 minutes to lead the way for Law and Tech while Moreno and Cook each added 6 points apiece as well for the winners.

In a very tough defeat it was Crosdale who had 3 threes and had a team high 16 points for Eagle Academy, with Smith pouring in 4 threes of his own and adding 15 points in the loss.

The semifinals for the Beacon 158 Back to School Tournament are now set. The games will be played this Saturday at M.S. 158 in Bayside with Game 1 taking place at 9:30am and pitting Long Island Lutheran against Brooklyn Law and Tech, while semifinal number two will hit the court right after at 10:30am with Queens H.S. of Teaching taking on Wings Academy in what are sure to be a pair of outstanding contests leading up to Tuesday's championship.