Gaucho Squeak out a Win
As the Rumble in the Bronx got underway at Fordham University, the NY Gauchos started their crusade towards the championship against the NJ Panthers.
In classic Gaucho fashion, the Bronx team wore down the game New Jersey team with superior athleticism but barely overtaking them by the score of 62-60 off of a buzzer beater.
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The NJ Panthers would go to an 7-0 until 6'4" sophomore guard Doron Lamb finally scored for the Gauchos
Travis Warech from Montville H.S. would score consistently from beyond the arc for the Panthers. However, Taaj Ridley, a new addition to the Gauchos, had an inside presence that helped to close the gap to 4pts with 11 minutes left in the half.
While the NJ Panthers displayed more fundamental basketball the Gauchos relied early on their superior athleticism to keep the game close.
At the 7:29 mark the Gauchos would fall back down by 11points as the NJ Panthers spread the floor and knocked down the open shot.
At the 3:41 mark the Gauchos put in big man Dan Jennings from Oak Hill Academy as a shot blocker. As a result, the Gauchos pulled to within 6 points as Durand Scott and Russ Smith go on a scoring frenzy.
John Kalin would nail a three pointer after a foul shot by Mark Cisco to push the NJ Panthers lead back to 10 points but relentless Gaucho pressure and big time shots by Scott and Jennings would end the half with the Gaucho down 30-25
The second half started with the Gauchos applying full court pressure but the Panthers would respond, jumping out to 8 point lead early as Justin Wilson got hot with Sean Russi running the point.
Jennings, however, could not be stopped inside and soon the Gauchos were back to within 1 point.
At the 11:14 mark the New Jersey seemed to run out of steam as the Gauchos took the lead off a Scott lay-up.
Kyle Mascilak came off the bench at the 10 minute mark to score two threes as the Panther retook the lead.
The Panthers seemed to catch a second wind as bench players stepped it up as the lead bantered back and forth.
At the 1:13 mark the score was tied at 56 apiece but Jennings put the Gauchos by 2 at the line.
Smith got trapped in the left corner and called an illegal timeout which allowed the Panthers to tie the score off of technical foul shots with 33 seconds left in regulation but a turnover gave the Gauchos the ball with 20 seconds left.
Off the inbound pass, Tyreak Johnson, of St. Rays would hit a buzzer beater to win the game fro the Gauchos, 62-60.
High scorer for the Gauchos was Russ Smith with 18pts but it would be Johnson buzzer beater than would win the game.
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