UPSET AT BEEKMAN-TORNADOES END MARAUDERS WIN STREAK 53-51-ESPN REPLAY READY
Loud…proud…Mills crowd!
Jeff Pexton-MHTS/PGI Photo
2/6
MHTS instant replay!
The New York Mills Marauders boy’s basketball team did something they haven’t done in more than three seasons, they lost a game on their home floor. For the first time in 34 home outings.
Stranger still, tonight’s nail-biting 53-51 loss to the Poland Tornadoes was the first time in 51 starts that the Marauders lost a league game on any court.
How rare was tonight’s win for Poland? Well, the last time the Tornadoes defeated New York Mills in boy’s basketball the year was 2004 and the seniors on the floor tonight were in the 3rd grade.
Mills forward Terry Nichols (20) wrestles Poland’s Dustin DuBrule (15) for a loose ball on the floor.
Dustin DuBrule and Trevor Pillmore scored 14 points each for Poland, which avenged an 83-38 loss to the Marauders back on January 3rd.
That game marked the 21st straight time Mills had defeated Poland in boy’s hoops.
Jon Ross, one of six Marauders honored in tonight’s senior night pre-game festivities, netted the first two points of the game, giving the home team the only lead it would hold until they took a 51-50 lead with 1:45 remaining in the final quarter.
The loss to Poland tonight was the first time that Ross and his fellow seniors had ever lost a game in Beekman Gym.
Poland’s Austin Dexter came off the bench in the opening quarter and nailed three 3 pointers to give the visitors an 18-10 lead after one period of play.
Cody Mariotti led New York Mills with 5 points in quarter number one to keep the Marauders within striking distance,
New York Mills was playing tonight without injured junior sharp shooter NIck Comenale, who continues to nurse an ankle injury.
Comenale, who entered tonight as the Marauders clear leader in points per game with 20.7, was missed from the get go, despite a strong effort by freshman Terry Nichols, who was charged with filling Comenale’s Chuck Taylor’s most of the night.
The home club struck back in the second quarter as Cody Mariotti scored 10 of his game high 21 points in the second frame to bring NY Mills to within 31-27 at the half.
New York Mills senior guard Jon Ross (3) rises for three pointer.
Dustin DuBrule had 6 points in the second to lead Poland to the halftime advantage.
At the half, Poland Head Coach Dave Tabor told My Hometown Sports – ESPN Radio 99.1 FM that his biggest concern to that point of the game was the fact that his junior big man, Ross Agen, collected his 3rd personal foul just before the half.
Tabor said that it was obvious that New York Mills was doing their level best to pound the ball down low to their big guys, Marriotti and Jake Kerhli and that the Tornadoes would need to step up their defensive efforts in the second half to deny the Mills low post players the ball.
New York Mills Head Coach Mike Adey told ESPN 99.1 FM – My Hometown Sports that his nine time CSC IV champs needed to one thing better in the second half, shoot the ball.
New York Mills closed the gap to two points in the third stanza, as Marriotti scored 5 more in the paint.
Marriotti also coaxed Ross Agen to commit his fourth personal midway through the third period, sending the Poland forward to the bench.
Dustin DuBrule scored 6 more in the third period to help Poland to maintain a 41-39 lead after three.
The fourth quarter of this basketball game was easily one of the most entertaining of the season, showcasing both teams skills as well as a whole bunch of spills.
Each team lost a key player to the foul bug. Jon Ross fouled out for the Marauders and Ross Agen reached the limit for the Tornadoes midway through the final period.
Poland’s Mark Hennings (10) leads a fast break during second half play.
Terry Nichols hit a pair of free throws with 2:16 remaining in the ball game, capping a 6-0 Mills run to give the Marauders just its second lead of the game, at 51-50.
Poland’s Mark Shelhamer came off the bench to replace Ross Agen and the junior calmly hit a ten foot jumper with 1:15 remaining to give Poland back the lead at 52-51.
After the two teams traded turnovers, New York Mills’ next possession was a deliberate one, which resulted in an inside look for Marriotti, who was unable to find the basket.
Poland’s Austin Dexter ripped down the rebound and Trevor Pilmore was fouled almost immediately with 2.6 seconds remaining.
After Pillmore hit 1 of 2 free throws to give Poland a 53-51 lead, New York Mills had one last shot to tie or win this one.
Sophomore guard Andrew Suprenant almost won it at the buzzer with a shot from just inside half court, but the ball banged off the iron, sending the big Poland fan contingent into a frenzy.
In the midst of the crowd of Poland fans on the court after the game, the Monster Energy Drink Player of the Game, Dustin DuBrule told My Hometown Sports that he was thrilled to be a part of the big win over New York Mills, adding “I can’t even remember the last time our school beat Mills in basketball, this is just incredible, I can’t believe we did this”.
The loss was just the second of the season for New York Mills, the State’s second ranked team in Class “D”, which dropped to (14-2) overall and (9-1) in the CSC IV.
The six seniors honored tonight at Beekman include: Dan Bruce, DJ Kirilko, Ali Hassan,Jake Kehrli,Cody Mariotti and Jon Ross.
Poland meanwhile improved to (6-7) overall and (4-3) in the conference.
Monster Energy Drink Player of the Game – Poland’s Dustin DuBrule.
Poland 53 New York Mills 51
Box Score
1 2 3 4 Total
Poland 18 13 10 12 53
NY Mills 10 17 12 12 51
MHTS Scoring Summary:
Poland:
Dustin DeBurle-14
Trevor Pillmore-14
Austin Dexter-13
Ross Agen 5
Mark Hennings 5
Mark Shelhamer-2
NY Mills:
Cody Mariotti-21
DJ Kirilko-10
Terry Nichols-8
Andrew Superenant-6
Jon Ross -4
Jake Kerhli-2
