Somers Can’t Keep up with Mamaroneck in 72-43 Loss

On Wednesday December 27, Somers traveled down county for the Pelham High School Winter Tournament and faced Mamaroneck in the first game. Growing them big down county, the Tigers had height inside, and at the same time, used the advantage to make plenty of space outside. The combination proved too much, and the Mamaroneck Tigers didn’t waste much time to exert dominance.

They jumped out to a 16-2 lead, and Somers was left chasing in a 72-43 defeat.

With Quinn Lawler posted up in deep, Will Plunkett fed the bounce pass and the big center was too much for Mac Sullivan. One dribble and some muscle and Mamaroneck had the lead for good.

Of course, Mamaroneck was quick on their feet too. A swarming defense forced a miss and a steal, and three points at the line by Plunkett and Brandon Burrell followed.

The urgency apparent, Brady Leitner tried to thread a pass inside and Plunkett pounced. He muscled the loose ball, shoveled to Burrell, and the guard airmailed to Cosmo Hardison under the basket.

A 7-0 game, Somers called for time and the pause did briefly pay dividends. Jacob Hauser received a bounce pass from Leitner, saw that he had a step and drove to the rim for two more.

So the Tigers made sure Somers knew who the prey were. Elijah Friedman came around the screen and drained a three pointer.

Then Friedman one upped himself. He took the pass in the corner from Burrell and was fouled on the attempted triple. The free throw made it four, and the score was now 14-2.

A long way to go, Somers next saw Mamaroneck play defense with their feet. Sullivan drove baseline and Burrell got their first for the charge. Back the other way, Hardison got the ball down in the low post and grunted his way to the glass. He hit the square and scored the layup for a 14 point lead.

Somers kept on nonetheless. Hauser hit a put back, Leitner pulled up for a short jump shot and then dropped a reverse layup on the fast break.

On a roll, the Tuskers looked like they were giving the Tigers some of their own medicine on defense. Friedman drove the lane, and Nate Cohen thought he got their first.

Not according to the ref, though, Cohen was also hit with a technical foul. Four free throws on the way, Mamaroneck made three, and the mini Somers run was essentially negated.

And just to make sure, Mamaroneck added six more to end the first quarter. Jared Rabina hit a three, Burrell dribble, spun through the paint for two and then swished a three to open a 25-10 lead.

The advantage would grow to 38-21 by halftime and reach 46-25 on another Burrell triple. But the Tuskers did have one last gasp. Leitner twice penetrated to free up Hauser for layups, and Philip Santore nailed a well defended corner three to make it a 50-37 game.

27 seconds left in the third, Burrell made sure the Tuskers didn’t get any funny ideas. He took the ball up court, kept his dribble and got to the rim at the sound of the buzzer.

No laughing matter yet, Plunkett got the put back to open the fourth and Burrell’s three made it a 20 point lead again. There was no coming back and Somers could only play out the string.

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