The Catskill Chronicle

In Your Face Hoops. Chester’s Shawn Thomas and Roscoe’s Nate Brock.

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

Roscoe’s Nate Brock and his team mates wore pink socks during the game, but Brock took a step farther by adding pink bands to his hair.

ROSCOE – In Friday night’s second game of a “Coaches vs. Cancer” basketball double header, the visiting Hambletonians of Chester Academy (7-7 overall, 1-3 division) pulled a rabbit out of a hat victory over the Roscoe Blue Devils (1-13 overall, 0-4 division) as they defeated the home team 65-57 despite a surge by the local ‘devils’ in the second half.

Chester dominated the game in the first two periods, outgunning the Blue Devils 21-11 and 23-13 to take a commanding 20-point lead (44-24) in the locker room at halftime.

In the third period, Roscoe edged the Hambletonians 16-14 and in the final frame outgunned them 17-7, due in large part by Chester’s coach sending in a squad of juniors to get some experience under fire in a close game.

Chester’s Shawn Thomas.

Since its inception, “Coaches vs. Cancer”, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has raised nearly $50 million in support of the ACS’s mission to increase public awareness about the devastating disease and raise funds “in support of the society’s lifesaving cancer research, education, advocacy, and community service efforts.”

In the wake of the back-to-back girl’s and boy’s varsity games of hoops, the event raised almost $1,000 which was donated to the ACS.

Roscoe’s double digit players: Adam Hendrix (20 points including a ‘3’), Nate Brock (18 points including two ‘3’s’).

Offense vs. Defense. Roscoe’s Mike Failla looses the ball under pressure.

Chester: Ryan Bovain (15 points including a ‘3’), Josh Feldman (10 points including two ‘3’s’).

Stats from the free throw line: RCS 11/17 (65%), CA 8/17 (47%).

“In the first half, Chester definitely beat us a lot on the boards and controlled the pace, but I was very pleased with us in the second half,” said Fred Ahart, coach of the Blue Devils. “At halftime we talked about playing a faster paced game and getting the ball up the court, and defensively we needed box out and control their inside game.”

Ahart credited the efforts of event organizers Jackie France and Becky Ahart, Roscoe’s girl’s varsity basketball coach, with making the “Coaches vs. Cancer” fundraiser a success.

Jon Marsilio, coach of the Hambletonians, said of the opposition, “Roscoe is a great team, they don’t give up. They have great outside shooting and coach Ahart does a great job getting his team prepared.”

Jumper. Roscoe’s Adam Hendrix goes up for ‘two’ inside the lane.

“It’s great team, a great coach, and a great program…it was definitely nice to be part of their ‘Coaches vs. Cancer’.”

Marsilio said a high point for his team – other than winning – was that Alex Benedict scored his first basket in varsity hoops.

His take on the game after sending in a few subs to get some minutes?

“Things got a little sloppy, and we allowed the Blue Devils back in, but I wanted to give them some experience under a little bit of pressure.”

To find out more about the nationwide “Coaches vs. Cancer” program, call 1-888-ACS-2345, call Jim Satalin (national program director) at 1-315-433-5600 or email Loren,Deal@cancer.org.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from Hambletonians Ramble Over Blue Devils visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.