A seemingly comfortable early lead eventually eroded for the Joel Barlow High boys varsity basketball team in the season finale last week.
The host Falcons led by as many as nine points against Masuk in the first quarter last Thursday, Feb. 15. But between some key transition points and some strong rebounding the Panthers clawed their way back to take the lead and hold it as Barlow wound up on the short side of a 67-53 score.
Barlow benefitted from a 10-0 scoring run to pull ahead early in the first quarter. Down 3-2, it had help from Grayson Vanderburg’s seven points, including a three pointer. Ryan Kelly added a field goal and Sean Gabriel sank a free throw as the Falcons were on top 12.
While the Falcons may have been the taller team, the Panthers made use of their quickness as well as shooting ability. A five-point effort by Ethan Palma helped spark his team’s eventual comeback.
“He was the one kid we knew would be tough,” said Barlow head coach Pat Yerina. “And he hurt us too.”
Free throws by Gabriel and Ben Noome helped Barlow keep a step ahead before Tyler Newson’s fade way shot at the buzzer brought Masuk to within two (18-16) at the end of the first quarter.
A seesaw, battle, the next frame featured eight lead changes and two ties. Three-pointers by Vanderburg and Erik Kiernan helped give Barlow a slim 26-25 lead but the Panthers came up with several steals, which they turned into transition points.
Jack Lippoth’s field goal in the last minute put the Falcons on top 31-30, which would be their last lead of the night. Mitch DiBernardo’s two free throws with 34.seconds left put the Panthers on top for good and Newson closed out the half with a buzzer-beating shot to make it 35-30.
“We played a great first half, I thought,” said Yerina. “We had six turnovers in the first half, not a problem, not that bad. But they scored on five of them. That’s the difference in that.”
When play resumed the Panthers opened up the second half with a 6-0 run. They continued to use strong rebounding and putback shots to maintain their lead as the Falcons fought to keep pace.
A late field goal and a three-pointer by Vanderburg got his team to within five (48-43) but Colin Francisco’s three-pointer made it an eight-point game (51-43) at the end of three frames.
Vanderburg’s jumper started the fourth quarter but Masuk responded with six straight to pull even further ahead. As the final few minutes approached the Falcons were forced to foul to stop the clock but the Panthers sank five of six shops to all but seal the win.
Grayson led Barlow with 20 points in his final high school game, including two three-pointers. Lippoth also scored in double digits with 11 (one three-pointer) and Noome finished with ten.
Kiernan sank five points (one three-pointer) and Gabriel scored three, all on free throws. Will Gregor and Kelly each finished with two.
Barlow finishes the season at 3-17 overall.
“We were pretty young,” said Yerina, whose team had only two seniors. “There was a lot of inexperience out there and it definitely showed.”
