The Catskill Chronicle

Reach for the Stars. Monticello’s Chandler Williams and Kenny Fisk of the Wildcats battle for possession.

Story and photos by Ted Waddell

LIBERTY – The consolation game of the First Annual Liberty High School New Year’s Tournament featured the Monticello Panthers (4-4) taking on the Wildcats of Livingston Manor (2-6).

Splitting the Defense. Manor’s Troy Correa goes to the glass between Monticello hoopsters Rob Sereda and Matt Strong.

At the final buzzer on Saturday, January 9, in a game during which the lead alternated between the boy’s varsity basketball teams period-by-period, in the end it was the Panthers who prowled their way to a 66-54 win over the Wildcats.

Monti leaped out to a 19-4 lead in the first frame, but early in the second period  the Wildcats clawed their way back to within seven points (19-12) in the wake of a few free throws and a bit of hustle resulting in an 8-point run to outpace the Panthers 18-14 in the second period.

As a result of their scoring attack led by Jesse Kapito  (a game opening ‘three’ followed up by a ‘two’ from inside the lane) within the first minute of play, Monticello led 33-22 at the half.

The Panthers topped the Wildcats 19-14 in the third period, while in the final frame Manor edged Monticello 18-14.

Four Hands, One Ball. Panthers Kenny Sanders, Jr. and Matt Strong.

With approximately three ticks of the clock left in the game, Manor’s Brandon Smith went up for two to narrow the Panthers lead to six points (57-51), but in the sprint to the finish before a good crowd, Monti’s Kenny Sanders, Jr. posted six back-to-back points by driving down the lane for three rim attacks.

The Panthers top point getters: Kenny Sanders, Jr. (24 points), Jesse Kapito (20 points including five ‘3’s’). Wildcats: Troy Correa (27 points including a ‘3’), Brandon Smith (11 points), and Troy Edwards added a ‘three’.

Stats from the free throw line: MCS 7/17 (41%), LMCE 16/26 (62%). Charlie Hicks, coach of the Wildcats is a man of few words when it comes time for a few post-game comments, and the “consolation” game was no exception to the rules.

“Their size was just too much for us, we got killed on the boards,” he said.

I’ve Got It! Kenny Sanders, Jr. of Monticello.

Panthers coach John Russo called the opposition “a scrappy bunch of kids who play really hard…Troy [Correa] hurt us, he’s really quick and wound up with 27 [points].”

“I tried to do some things to corral him, but it wasn’t enough,” said
Russo, who will take to the floor barefoot during an upcoming game to help raise money for “Barefoot Coaches”, a nationwide fundraising effort kicked off by ESPN’s Dan Dakick and IUPUI’s head basketball coach Ron Hunter, to help put shoes on the bare feet of one million of the world’s 300 million shoeless kids.

Russo singled out Sanders for some words of praise.’ “Kenny has been making good strides becoming a good player…I keep telling him to be confident in the things he can do, keep going hard to the rim and keep rebounding.”

“He’s a great athlete, and he’s starting to shoulder some of the scoring…when he plays with confidence, he’s as good as anybody,” added Russo.

Bucket Bound. Manor’s Brandon Smith soars past Panthers defenders Jesse Kapito and Chandler Williams.

After getting pounded by 30 points by S.S. Seward in Friday’s opening round of the newest tourney on the block (the game was tied 22-22 at halftime until Seward poured it on in the second half  “they got hot at the right time for them and the wrong time for us”), Russo said he talked to his players about “staying focused and finishing” on the bus ride home and in the locker room before Saturday’s consolation matchup.

“I told them that the great thing about basketball is that it gives you opportunities to prove all the things you can do right away, one possession after the next or on the boards in the next game.”

“Play inside the moment, not yesterday, not tomorrow,” said Russo.

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