by Ryan Mosher
The Hoosick Falls boys basketball team ran into one of their toughest games of the year last Friday night against an unlikely opponent. Cambridge has had a less than stellar season thus far, having just one victory over Tamarac to their credit. On Friday the two rival schools faced off and, for almost three quarters, played a game that did not have the feel of the top and bottom teams in the standings.
After an uneventful, slow first quarter, and a 10-10 game, the action picked up in the second quarter. Hoosick Falls center Matt Gormley’s three point play gave the Panthers the lead back after Cambridge’s Will Bromirski scored a basket on the opening possession. Tanner Williams added another
basket, giving the Panthers a three point lead, before Cambridge responded with two baskets, taking the lead back. Gormley once again responded, taking the lead back. Bromirski was not done though, knocking down a very long three-pointer on the next possession and another with under a minute to go in the half, giving the Indians a three point lead. Gormley dropped in another basket with four seconds to go to make it a one point Cambridge game at the half.
This was not what the Panthers had expected, as they had been up by over 15 points at the half of their first meeting. The Indians’ defense was focused on Alex Lilac, playing him very physically to keep him from being a factor for Hoosick Falls. That plan worked well in the first half but hit a snag with the 3:42 left in the third quarter. After a foul on Lilac, a Cambridge player was given a technical foul for saying something, which sent Lilac to the line for two free throws. He connected on the second one, giving the Panthers the lead for good at 31-30. Hoosick Falls then finished the quarter with a 13-5 run, taking a 43-35 lead. Leading the way in the third was Randy Tutunjian who scored 11 points in the quarter.
In the final eight minutes everything seemed to kick into gear for Hoosick Falls. The defense came to life, allowing the Indians just one field goal, and four points in the fourth quarter. The offense came to life, too, as Ryan Hyde and Williams buried three-pointers in the first two minutes of the half, kicking off a 10-0 run en route to the final 63-39 score.
While Bromirski led all scorers with 26 points, it was the balanced attack that prevailed. The Panthers had four players in double figures. Williams and Gormley each had 14 points while Tutunjian had 13 and Lilac had 11 points.