The Catskill Chronicle

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

In your face defense: Downsville’s Garret D’Addezio squares off against Roscoe’s Adam Hendrix.

DOWNSVILLE – “It wasn’t very pretty, but we came out and did what we had to do,” said Dan Haynes, coach of the Downsville Eagles boy’s varsity basketball team after defeating the Blue Devils of Roscoe 57-45 in the opening round of competition in the 22nd Annual Downsville Central School’s Holiday Tournament on Monday, December 28.

The Blue Devils jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening period, only to have the Eagles fire a ‘three’ from outside the paint, the first of their eight ‘3’s’ in the game.

Roscoe’s Nathan Brock drives to the glass around Downsville’s Sean Abrams.

Let’s do the math. Eight ‘three’s equals 24 points, and your team scores 57 total points, that’s just a whisker over 42% of your squad’s final posting.

Back to outside the arch. Roscoe’s Nate Brock found his range, nailing five ‘three’s’ for 15 points, which represented about 31% of his team’s total tally.

The Eagles flew over the Blue Devils in all four frames, although in the final period they just skimmed the treetops, as they outscored Roscoe by a single point (15-11, 13-10, 12-8, 17-16).

After Downsville leaped into the driver’s seat, there was no looking back in the rearview mirror, except with about a minute left in the first period, Roscoe closed to with one point on a shot from outside the paint. Downsville closed out the first half with a ‘three’, and took a 28-21 half time lead in the locker room.

The Blue Devils fought back late in the game with a steal and bucket, and another ‘three’ by Brock.

Downsville wrapped up the victory with some hustle and foul shots from the free throw line.

Big numbers hoopsters for the Eagles: Joel Shaver (14 points including two ‘3’s), Josh Ahearn (12 points including two 3’s), and with a ‘three’ each, Matt Barnes, Sean Abrams and Keith Baumann.

Top guns for Roscoe: Nate Brock (17 points including five 3’s: one in the first period, two in the second, and one each in the last couple of frames), Adam Hendrix (11 points).

Stats from the free throw line: DCS 11/20 (55%), RCS 10/21 (48%). Fred Ahart, veteran coach of the Blue Devils (1-5), said of the game, “I thought we made a good comeback…I’m very proud of the guys for hanging in there and coming back.”

Downsville’s Sean Abrams takes the ball up court.

“To Downsville’s credit, when we came back they made some key baskets and were able to pull away…it went right down to the end.”

His take on the season?

“We always take one game at a time. We’re encourages, and we have some of the players as last year…they’ve stepped up and improved.”

For the Eagles, (2-4) the win over Roscoe was their first home court victory of the 2009-2010 hoops season.

“It was our first win at home, so they were pumped,” said Downsville’s coach Haynes.

“We struggled offensively, but we played good defense,” he added, noting that Thomas Markert grabbed 14 rebounds, and Sean Abrams snagged 10 rebounds, has 10 assists, 8 steals and a total of 8 points in the game. “In the first half, we had a lot of three-point shots, and in the second half not as many ‘three’s’, but we did a better job of attacking the ball,” said Haynes.

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