A Quick 60
The Challenge
MSGVarsity.com Sports Talk
High School SportsDesk
Albertus guts out win over Pearl River
Follow Section 1 basketball on Twitter: @MSGVarsityKDJ
BARDONIA, N.Y. — The sign of a championship team is an ability to win close games in late situations. The great teams, though, don’t need their star players to always do it.
Albertus Magnus showed that in Wednedsay’s 53-50 win at home over Pearl River. Arnelle Dandridge scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half to lead the Falcons’ comeback before Jimmy McEntee came off the bench and made a key free throw to help seal it.
Pearl River had a chance to tie in the final seconds. Joe Clinton found Kevin Degnan at the top of the key but Degnan’s NBA-range 3-pointer at the buzzer bounced in and out of the rim as time expired.
The win upped Albertus’ record to 15-2 on the season and all but secured the reigning Section 1 champs a No. 1 seed in the Class B playoffs.
It was also an encouraging effort for the Falcons, who beat a quality Pearl River squad despite rather quiet nights from their big three in Tyler Sayre, Pat McGuinness and Jack Sullivan.
Sayre, who was honored for breaking the school’s career scoring record before the game, was double-teammed throughout yet still managed 14 points and 11 rebounds. McGuinness and Jack Sullivan each added 10 points and five rebounds.
The Falcons trailed 22-19 at the half before Dandridge got hot in the third. The senior guard scored eight of Albertus Magnus’ 21 third-quarter points as the Falcons took a 40-38 lead into the fourth.
Austin O’Toole (five assists, five rebounds, four steals) tied the game at 46-46 with a couple of free throws before Dandridge made a spectacular up and under to reclaim the lead.
Sean Wilson’s lay-in tied it again for Pearl River before Sayre made a lay-up through traffic to make it 50-48. After a Pearl River miss, McEntee was fouled and made a free throw. Clinton (14 points) made two free throws with 18 seconds to play and Sullivan was fouled on the ensuing possession. He made both before Degnan’s 3-pointer at the buzzer missed.
Degnan had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Pirates, who fell to 11-6.
Email Kevin Devaney Jr. at kdevaney@cablevision.com
Tri-State lacrosse Top 20: Week 7
HV/WE power rankings: Spring sports
All-Metro boys and girls basketball: 2012-13
All-HV/WE teams: Winter 2012-13
