South Side holds off Carey

At full strength for the first time since December, Carey matched South Side’s energy and intensity in last Friday’s Conference A-II boys’ basketball game but not its precision shooting from long distance.

The visiting Cyclones nailed 10 three-pointers, including six from junior Alex Sorensen, built an 11-point lead in the final minute of the third quarter and held off the Seahawks for a 59-52 victory in front of a standing-room-only crowd. 

“It was the type of game we expected,” South Side head coach Jerry D’Angelo said. “Carey always has a great crowd and they play a physical and aggressive style of basketball. We had some lapses where we weren’t at our best, but we hit a lot of key shots.”

Sorensen, who fouled out in the final minute, poured in a game-high 25 points to help the Cyclones (12-2 overall) stay undefeated in conference play at 7-0. Senior Jon Cheslock added 13, senior Kevin Spadaford scored all nine of his points in the second half, and junior Tim Awosika added 10 rebounds and seven blocks. Carey (5-9 overall, 4-3 in A-II) was led by senior Kieran Murchie’s 18 points. In their first game back from injuries, senior Thomas Gallant (12) and junior Mike Catanese (10) both scored in double figures. 

“It’s almost like we’re starting the season all over again getting those two guys back,” Carey head coach Marty Kelly said of Gallant and Catanese. “I think we’re going to be OK. We just have to get a little bit tighter and play a little bit smarter. Outside shooting was the difference in today’s game.”

South Side set the tone early, getting a pair of treys from both Sorensen and Cheslock, in winning its ninth consecutive game dating back to the beginning of January. “When we shoot like that and teams have to guard us at the three-line, it gives us our driving lanes and better post-up positions,” D’Angelo said. “We’re versatile enough to take advantage of what a defense gives us.”

The Cyclones led 31-24 at the half, getting two more treys from Sorensen, including a buzzer-beater, and another from Cheslock. Murchie, who scored 10 first-half points, and junior Anthony Catapano, who drained a pair of shots from behind the arc, helped Carey stay within striking distance. 

“I don’t think there was any point where we felt we were out of it,” Kelly said. “We got close a bunch of times, but it seemed like every time we did they’d hit a three. Probably half the threes they hit were right off the dribble.”

The Seahawks faced their largest deficit, 45-34, late in the third before baskets by Catanese and Murchie trimmed the margin to seven. They were within 52-50 after a Gallant put-back with 2:29 remaining, but Spadaford nailed a clutch trey with 55 seconds to go to provide just enough breathing room. 

“We feel pretty good about where we’re at,” Sorensen said. “We’ve just got to keep working.”