by Ryan Mosher
Last year the Berlin and Germantown boys basketball teams had to share the Central Hudson Valley League Championship. The Clippers got the last laugh however when they knocked off the Mountaineers in the sectional quarterfinals. This season Germantown has picked up right where they left off. They cruised to victories in their first five league games, before losing a close game to Loudonville 64-60. That loss puts them in a first place tie with Loudonville, while Berlin, Waterford and Heatly are just a game behind knocking on the door. On Friday the Clippers traveled to Berlin to try to rebound from that loss, playing against the Mountaineers, who had won just one of their last five games.
While Berlin has one of the top scorers in Chris Zema on the roster, the Clippers boast a roster of three players all averaging around 16 points per game. For Berlin to win, they would have to step their defense up. In the first quarter, the Clippers looked to be in charge as they jumped out to a 15-5 lead. The Mountaineers would not back down though and went on a 10-2 run, started by a Zema three-pointer. Zema hit another three-pointer at the buzzer to bring the Mountaineers within two points at 17-15.
In the second quarter Berlin fought back and for the first time tied the game with a put back by
Zema. Germantown responded by scoring the next eight points before Berlin’s Casey Gilbert put in two quick baskets before the quarter ended. At halftime, Germantown led 28-24.
As the Mountaineers worked hard to stop the three scoring threats from Germantown, they also worked hard on offense, trying not to settle for bad shots, and just waiting for their chance to catch and pass the Clippers. That chance came with around four minutes left in the quarter when Drew Webster knocked down a three-pointer from the side, and Brent Demick put in a layup to take a 34-33 lead. Zema helped widen the lead with a three-pointer on the next possession, and Berlin led 37-33. Germantown charged back, though, and scored just before the buzzer to make it a one point game at 43-42 entering the last quarter.
Germantown scored on the first play of the fourth quarter to take back the lead 44-43. Once again Zema would step up, taking a pass by the sideline and blowing by two defenders for a layup to give Berlin the lead back for good. He then added another basket, followed by a basket by Gilbert to put them up 49-44. The Mountaineers would maintain at least a three point lead, until the they finally exploded on a 16-3 run to end the game. In the last 1:08 of the game Zema would add eight free throws to give Berlin a 70-54 win.
Zema’s 18 fourth quarter points helped him to a season high 33 points, including 5 three-pointers. Casey Gilbert added 15 points and 5 steals, and Brent Demick scored 14 points and grabbed 7 rebounds.