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Saturday March 18, 2006
Elmira/Corning, N.Y.
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Late surge by Elkland falls short
Rams' season ends with 59-52 loss to Greenwood.
By AL LOSEY
Star-Gazette
alosey@stargazette.com
March 11, 2006
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Today's games
PIAA Class A girls first round
Mansfield (25-2) vs. Lancaster Country Day (17-8), noon at Williamsport High School
NYSPHSAA Class C girls quarterfinals
Notre Dame (21-2) vs. West Canada Valley (21-2), 3 p.m. at Jamesville-DeWitt High School
NYSPHSAA Class C boys quarterfinals
Notre Dame (17-4) vs. Tully (20-4), 6 p.m. at Cortland State
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WILLIAMSPORT - It hadn't happened all season.
Nobody outhustled the Elkland Rams on the way to 26 wins and the District 4 Class A boys basketball title. But District 3 third-place team Greenwood was quicker to the ball all over the court in a 59-52 win Friday night at Williamsport High School in the opening round of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament.
"They outhustled us," Elkland coach Chris Tibbits said. "They beat us to every loose ball. You can't get outhustled at this level."
Both teams were sloppy in the opening quarter. Close defense caused poor passing on Elkland's part and several ballhandling miscues by Greenwood. The quarter ended with Greenwood leading 10-9.
Elkland junior forward C.J. Huyett kept the Rams close in the second quarter with 10 of his team-high 17 points. Greenwood started to hit from the outside and rode three 3-pointers to a 22-20 halftime lead.
An old-fashioned 3-point play by Huyett gave Elkland a 23-22 lead at the start of the second half.
The teams traded leads until Greenwood went on a 10-4 run over the last three minutes of the third quarter. The Warriors hit three more bombs in the third, including a long buzzer-beater by Tyler Ritzman, and led 39-34 as the last period started.
The intensity level increased over the final eight minutes as Elkland fell behind by nine at 43-34 and fought back to tie the score at 44-44 on a Jonathan Wheeler 3-pointer with 3:40 left.
Elkland was scrambling and senior point guard Jared Patt, who was in foul trouble most of the game, finally got on track offensively. Patt scored 11 of his 13 points in the game's final seven minutes. T.J. Howe added four of his 15 in the last quarter.
"They were aggressive and we didn't shoot well," Howe said. "But we had an amazing run and it was fun while we were winning. One of our goals was the district title, and we got that."
Said Greenwood coach Kent Houser: "We really talked before this game about playing with desire, and I think it showed. We rebounded hard and Elkland is a good rebounding team. I thought it was even until the second half, when I thought we did a better job of moving the ball."
It was Greenwood's sharp passing and ability to find the open man that negated Elkland's usually effective pressure defense. The Warriors used balanced scoring and had three players in double figures. Trey Ritzman led the way with 18 points, including a 6-for-6 effort from the foul line.
Greenwood (23-6)
Trey Ritzman 5 7-7 18, Andrew Burns 0 1-2 1, Will Sagle 2 1-3 6, Tyler Ritzman 5 1-2 14, Dan Johnson 4 4-6 12, Trent Savercool 1 0-0 3, Derek Yohn 2 0-0 5. Totals: 19 14-20 59. 3-point baskets: Trey Ritzman, Tyler Ritzman 3, Savercool, Yohn, Sagle.
Elkland (26-2)
Ben Burket 1 0-0 3, T.J. Howe 6 3-3 15, Jared Patt 5 0-0 13, Mike Kohut 0 1-2 1, C.J. Huyett 8 1-2 17, Jonathan Wheeler 1 0-0 3. Totals: 21 5-7 52. 3-point baskets: Patt 3, Burket, Wheeler.
Greenwood 10-12-17-20-59
Elkland 9-11-14-18-52
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