Somers Can’t Run Back Comeback versus Suffern

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On Friday February 22, the quarterfinal matchup between Somers and Suffern was a game of runs. After Somers went on a 20-4 outburst to go up 20-8, Suffern countered with a 26-4 scoring spree. Leaving the Tuskers trailing 34-24 in the third, the elephants looked on the verge of being stampeding out of the gym. Instead, said Coach James Loughran, “We never quit.” But despite the senior leadership he credited for the team’s resolve, the hole was just a little too deep.

A late game combination of borderline calls, a missed jumper and a crucial turnover meant a crushing 46-44 defeat.

The game began with Somers finding out that they were facing two speedy guards. Cameron Law and Jake Pampolina both put on moves to the hoop and gave the home team an early 4-0 lead.

So Somers showed off their guard play. A stutter step from the key, Violante cut through for the conventional three point play, and Brady Leitner was next.

After Mac Sullivan’s offensive rebound started the ball around the perimeter, Leitner completed the circle. He dribble, faked his defender into the air, and his short jumper was good for a 5-4 lead.

Leitner wasn’t afraid to take the blows either. A drive to the hoop and a solo fast break sent the bodies flying down and the baskets too.

A 9-6 game resulting, Somers was literally ready to run. Following Jaiden Clemente’s two from the line, Leitner was out of the gate first. He blocked Mason Polombo’s jumper, broke ahead and led Violante for the layup.

More larceny on the way, Sullivan picked off a long pass, and back the other way, Cohen went deep to close the quarter at 14-8.

Suffern was not impressed, though. They left Cohen all alone above the arc, and he was in for three.

The quarter change didn’t cool the senior either. Cohen drained an opening three, and next, an all hands on deck possession gave Violante the chance to sizzle.

Sullivan brought the ball up, dropped to Matthew D’Ippolito, and he swung to Leitner. Penetrating inside, Leitner kicked back to Cohen ,who whipped to Violante for three more.

Timeout for Suffern, the discussion didn’t initially have the intended results. The Mounties inbounding under their own basket, a five second violation gave Somers the ball.

Unfortunately, the Tuskers did not take advantage, and it was Suffern’s turn to gallop. Beginning with a Pampolina triple, a Leitner turnover opened the back door. Frank Romeus spotted the cut, and Clemente scored the reverse layup for a 20-13 score.

A low post layup for Sullivan did put a stop to things but not for long. Jeph Joseph shouldered a head fake for two, and after a Cohen miss, Clemente’s foul line jumper made friends with a very kind rim.

The lead cut to five, Somers failed to answer. A couple of misses and a Suffern steal in the Somers paint put the brush in Joseph’s hands. He dropped a three, and the Mounties only trailed 22-20.

Not done, Clemente dizzied the Tuskers to tie and take the lead. Two spin moves inside, he scored a lay up and turnaround jumper.

The crowd out of their seats, Violante did at least sit them down for intermission. The senior side stepped the Suffern interior defense, and his floater deadlocked the game at 24.

Unfortunately, momentum stayed with the Mounties. Opening the third, Pampolina hit a put back and backcourt pressure forced Sullivan to travel. Taking advantage, Pampolina got inside again and turned his layup into a four point lead.

The misses then going both ways, Suffern broke the string and then some. First Joseph bulled his way to the rim for two, and after a Somers turnover, Pampolina doubled his teammate up.

With Cohen’s closeout checking the guard to the floor, his shot fell and so did the subsequent free throw. A four point play, the 26-4 run made it 34-24.

3:55 left in the third, the Somers mindset broke the string. “We don’t go down easy,” said Violante, and his corner three made good on the words.

Still speaking, Violante’s drive right freed Leitner from downtown and then Violante closed the quarter at the line. A manageable four point difference, Somers was on a roll.

Unfortunately the Tusker rim wasn’t. After Violante missed off the steel to open the fourth, Hauser’s half court steal had the forward perfectly lead the break to Leitner. But the senior’s contested layup rolled off and so did Cohen’s follow.

Retaining the ball anyway, Violante forced his inside again. Hitting the front of the rim, there wasn’t enough forward momentum and friendly roll didn’t follow.

Still, Cohen would get to the line at 5:34 and made it a two point game. The chance then to tie, Cohen couldn’t ’get through a baseline double team, and on the next possession, he missed on an open three.

So Joseph doubled down. Another baseline drive, he did a misdirection in midair and went off the glass for a four point lead.

3:36 to go, Sullivan countered with brute force. The center got the ball inside and stood down the triple team. He held onto the ball, got the shot up and completed the three point play with 2:42 remaining.

The one point deficit would not sit, though. Off a Joseph miss, Pampolina was fouled on the put back and made both free throws.

A three point game again, the Tusker guards answered back. Cohen spotted Violante alone underneath and the long connection was an easy layup at 2:01.

Now 43-42, Suffern worked the ball, and out above the arc, Law spotted a lane. He took off and sidestepped Sullivan underneath. Crashing to the floor, contact was questionable.

The whistle blew nonetheless. Law made one, and with 1:25 remaining, it was the Tuskers’ turn. Violante drawing the short straw, he put up a contested jumper and off the rim it went.

Down 44-42, Somers fell to the old foot trick. D’Ippolito’s sneakers getting tangled with Pampolina’s, the foul was called, and with the shot clock resetting, Somers had to put Suffern on the line with 35 seconds remaining.

So D’Ippolito and Cohen both trying to foul, the double team seemed to come up with the ball. That is until the whistle blew. One more from the line for Pampolina, and Somers needed a three to tie. Not to be, Cohen came off a pick, and Leitner sailed it high.

The tale essentially told, Cohen reframed his team’s refusal to give up in Tusker terms. “Our comeback shows that we’re willing to die here, and we’re never going to give up,” the guard said.

Even so, the seniors will be going there separate ways but only in a geographical sense, according to Violante. “The heartbreak is going to make us stronger and going to make us closer,” he assured.

Of course, Coach Loughran will be carrying on, and all the hugs coming his way from parents and players spoke above the final score. “Their support is a credit to this community,” he concluded. “That’s why I’m grateful to be part of it.”