Neuqua Valley survives South Elgin
There’s a popular program on The Weather Channel called Storm Stories in which people detail how they survived natural disasters of all kinds.
The Neuqua Valley boys basketball players could spin their own survival yarn after the Wildcats weathered the Storm 44-42 in an Upstate Eight Valley Division road win in South Elgin Tuesday.
Neuqua Valley (9-6, 2-3) led by 2 points with 8.1 seconds left when South Elgin (7-8, 0-4) inbounded the ball on the side with a chance to tie the game or win it with a 3-pointer.
The Storm wanted to get the ball to point guard Jake Maestranzi for a one-on-one opportunity, but 6-foot-4 Neuqua Valley junior Darien Miskel denied the inbounds pass to Maestranzi, who was forced to retreat into the backcourt.
The ball instead was triggered by guard Eric Stazy to junior Kris Fojas in the frontcout. Fojas pivoted and lost control as he tried to pass. Maestranzi raced from the backcourt to the loose ball ahead of three Wildcats and deftly passed it to open sophomore Darius Wells in the corner with 4 seconds left.
Wells, who had already connected on 4 of his 6 attempts from 3-point range, opted to shoot the 3-pointer rather than drive the baseline, but his potential game-winner caught the back of the rim and bounded away harmlessly at the buzzer.
“I had a wide-open shot, but I just didn’t knock it down,” said Wells, who led all scorers with 18 points.
“You can’t blame Darius; not every shot falls,” said Maestranzi, who scored 15.
Neuqua Valley was in a precarious spot just three minutes earlier. South Elgin had taken a 40-38 lead on an inside basket by Fojas with 3:49 left and regained possession after Miskel spit 2 free throws.
The Storm held the ball from the 3:18 mark with every intention of running clock until they were fouled and sent to the free-throw line.
However, that plan hit a road bump when South Elgin uncharacteristically coughed the ball up for 1 of its 11 turnovers. Neuqua Valley’s Tyler Sutton grabbed the loose ball, raced up court and scored on a tough-angle leaner. It was the fourth and final lead change of the fourth quarter.
“Once I got the ball, coach (Todd Sutton) was yelling ‘attack, attack,’” Tyler Sutton said. “I went to the hoop, threw it up and it went in. It was a funny shot, but it went in.”
The basket off a turnover changed the complexion of the game’s final minutes.
“With a 1-point lead they were going to put it in the deep freeze,” Todd Sutton pointed out, “but instead of panic time now we’re up and trying to defend. They just keep coming at you.”
However, the Storm turned the ball over on their ensuing possession when Neuqua Valley’s Peter Catchings deflected an inbounds pass intended for Fojas. Catchings was fouled and sank 2 free throws for a 43-40 lead with 1:02 left.
“Coach told me during the timeout to step in front of the pass and try to get it,” said Catchings, who scored 10 points.
South Elgin was whistled for traveling on its ensuing possession, its third straight turnover in the clutch.
“Our guys want to know why I harp so much on paying attention to detail on passing drills (in practice)” Taft said. “Well, right there was why. We can’t afford to turn the ball over.”
Neuqua Valley led 26-22 at halftime but scored only 4 points in the third quarter and entered the final period tied 30-30. However, a 28-17 rebounding advantage helped offset 15 turnovers.
“It was just a matter of a play here or there,” Todd Sutton said of the narrow victory. “Every possession (against South Elgin) is just a beat down in there. They do a great job.”