Somers Dominates at John Jay, Defeats Croton on Senior Night

Scroll down for freshman basketball pics and varsity vs John Jay, Panas and Put Valley

After beating Croton-Harmon to open the season, Somers traveled to John Jay on Saturday, December 6 with a long memory. “They beat us up pretty bad last year,” said Leo Keimig. But going up 18 half way through the third certainly seemed to alleviate old wounds. That is until John Jay cut the lead to ten. So an answer was needed, and Keimig made the grade, according to Coach Loughlan.

“They’re coming back on their home court, he stepped up,” said the coach, and the momentum shift led the way to a 73-59 victory.

The game began on the grind, though. Alex Palacio put back Marc Fein’s free throw miss for a 3-0 lead, Nico Quinones and Ben O’Brien buried long range from the corner to take a 5-3 lead, and Nate Summer answered right back to regain a one point lead for John Jay.

In a 5:30, the back and forth came to an end for good on Arman Rao’s shot from the corner. He drained a triple. and Somers led the rest of the way.

Of course, John Jay remained and then maintained the two point margin on the inside. After receiving the ball in the paint, Palacio took the ball to the rack for two, and Summer made an acrobatic put back for a 12-10 score.

1:10 left in the quarter and Somers played inside out. Rao hit trey number two, and Matt Decker and Troy Rossi got in the paint to close the quarter at 19-10.

Seth Denker did open with a triple, but the inside was still where the money was for the Tuskers. Twice Decker drove the paint to extend the to ten and next O’Brien set up his fellow big for a hat trick. He blocked Jake Knopke inside, and back the other way, Decker followed the fast break miss for a 27-13 lead.

The interior could pass too. Above the arc, Rossi hit a cutting David Hauser underneath, and the connection was good for one at the line.

31-15, Rossi kept the pressure on by again looking like a little guy. He dribbled and spun his way through the paint, and two more went down from the line.

So Keimig did his part by playing big. He hauled down a long rebound, and the guard made two from the line with 1:44 left in the half.

A 17 point advantage, O’Brien and Rossi double teamed the interior next. O’Brien pulled down Rao’s miss, and Rossi was there to follow up when O’Brien was blocked by Palacio.

Somers wasn’t done on the inside either. Hauser took contact on the offensive rebound and increased the lead to 39-22 on the foul line.

Two more at the line on the way, O’Brien was fouled above the arc, and he drained both for a 19 point halftime lead.

Intermission put a pause, but there was no cool down for the bigs. O’Brien drove baseline for a 43-24 lead, and Decker targeted O’Brien for a deuce underneath. Not done, Decker converted two from the line on a drive through the paint and sunk a post up for a 48-30 lead.

The center maintained at 18 for Somers with a spin move to the interior, and with only four and a half minutes left in the third, Route 35 looked ready to take the elephants home.

But John Jay jammed the Tuskers GPS. Patrick Ryan hit a turnaround jumper, Denker made a conventional three point play on a drive, and Dion Prelvukaj brought the house down with a long three.

Suddenly a ten point game, Keimig still gave credit to the big guys after his clutch long ball. “They open up things for the rest of us,” clarified the guard.

Still, Summer brought the heat. After Palacio rejected one inside, Summer scored on the ensuing break, and moments later, the freshman’s triple made for a 54-45 game. A crossover dribble penetration then put Ryan on the line, and the eight point lead had Somers in search of another hero.

So Rossi stepped into the passing lanes, and his fast break basket did more than get the lead back up to ten. “He did some really good stuff for us tonight, that’s why he saw a lot of minutes,” said Loughlin.

Onto the fourth, the teams traded the first two baskets but equal time was over. Rao got to the line for two, Rossi hit from downtown, and two more foul shots by Rao essentially put a cap on the evening.

Somers Wins Big on Senior Night

Click Image for Photos

Click for Video

On Tuesday January 21 versus Croton-Harmon, Somers celebrated Senior Night at the high school, and while the celebration persisted, the drama didn’t last long. Scoring the first nine points and jumping out to a 22-6 lead, all the Tuskers got to take part.

“We got everyone in and everyone incorporated, it was really fun,” said Arman Rao after the 70-32 win.

Long before, Chris Decker came out like he meant business. After Leo Keimig buried a three to start the game, the center angled a tip in, took Julian Rosa’s long outlet for a fast break basket and drove hard off glass.

A 9-0 score, no game is taken lightly - especially by Decker. “We don’t look past anyone,” said Rao. “It’s good to see him play hard.”

Decker was far from done too. The senior muscled a put back and got ahead of the break for another layup.

The team and the crowd getting up in arms, the real noise came on a put back by James Brinn. Always off the bench with energy, less playing time does not diminish the enthusiasm that Somers has for the reserve. “Everyone cheers for him. He’s a loud guy. He’s everyone’s friend, and it’s nice to see him get a bucket,” beamed Rao.

Two straight buckets for the Tigers, no one was worried, and the guards were the face of unconcern. Kareef Martin and Keimig both drained threes, and Somers led 22-6.

Martin then added a baseline pull up, and after Decker muscled another put back, Rao got to speak up with the ball. He launched a three, and Somers led 32-8.

All things mostly settled, Decker held the last piece of drama. Rushing down court with no one in front, the arena awaited the boom. “I was too far under,” he admitted, and the throw down was not to be.

He was back moments later with another basketball, but the miss certainly provides a little fodder for the next practice. “For sure,” joked Rosa, “we’re hassle him a bit.”

Of course, Rosa’s real focus was elsewhere. “All the boys had a great fun senior night, and we’re definitely going to remember this for a long time,” he concluded.

Freshman Basketball Photos

Click Image for photos v Panas

Photos v Put Valley

Click image for photos