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Wildcats survive frantic finish in OT thriller win over Flyers
By Steven Dlugosz Times
 | | MR. CLUTCH...All eyes are on Depew guard Greg Osika as he attempts a free throw during the second quarter of the Wildcats' game at Maryvale Friday. Osika led all scorers with 27 points in the ECIC-III opener for both teams, as the senior had an excellent all-around performance. (Times photo) |
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After blowing a seven-point lead late in regulation and then another advantage in the first overtime period Friday, it looked like the Depew boys basketball team might have wasted a golden opportunity to finish off rival Maryvale in a hard-fought road effort. Then- after the Wildcats took a one-point lead with three seconds left in double-OT- a desperation heave by the Flyers' Bryce Shepard soared toward the basket.
"All I could think was 'please don't go in the basket,'" said Depew senior guard Greg Osika, who admitted his heart was in his throat in the final seconds. "We had just worked too hard to lose."
Luckily for the Wildcats, Shepard's three-quarters court shot grazed off the front of the rim, giving Depew a heart-stopping, 76-75 win. The last time the two teams faced one another, Maryvale knocked off Depew in Section VI Class A-2 finals at Buffalo State College in March.
In a blazing hot gymnasium with a standing-room only crowd Friday, Osika helped carry much of the offensive load for the 'Cats down the stretch, scoring 16 of his game-high 27 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. His effort offset the fine performance of Maryvale sophomore forward Andre Davis, who contributed 24 points to lead the Flyers.
However, with Maryvale leading by two in the second OT, Davis was whistled for his fifth foul in the offensive post. Then, Osika fed Wildcats backup center Dan Strebel with a perfect pass along the baseline, and Strebel layed the ball in the hoop with 50 seconds left. After a Flyers' turnover, Depew guard Tyler Stevens was fouled on a running jumper with three seconds left.
With Maryvale's fan section screaming in distraction, Stevens nailed one of two attempts from the charity stripe before Shepard's desperation attempt was off the mark. Fans of Depew yelled their approval as the final buzzer sounded.
It appeared late in regulation that Depew wouldn't need to work overtime to earn a win in the Erie County Interscholastic Conference-III opener for both teams. However, swarming defense by Maryvale forced the Wildcats into two huge turnovers on in-bounds passes. Flyers senior Matt Bunting converted the first turnover into two made free throws, cutting Depew's lead to 61- 59.
Then, after senior Jake Nowak drilled a three-pointer to cut the 'Cats' lead to 63-62 with 15 seconds remaining, Depew was forced into another poor in-bounds pass, which was intercepted by Shepard. The sophomore guard was fouled and sank one of two free throws to send the game into OT.
Osika scored eight points in the first extra session, the last three of which came on a put-back where the wiry, fearless guard was hammered underneath. He sank the ensuing free throw, and the Wildcats had a 73-70 lead with 25 seconds remaining.
However, after working the ball around the perimeter for a while, Maryvale got the ball in deep to Davis, who converted a drive on which he was fouled. He then calmly swished the free throw, and Stevens missed a potential game-winning three-pointer to send the game into another overtime.
Depew head coach Larry Jones said the game's outcome was his biggest sense of relief.
"I was disappointed because I felt we had a chance to put (Maryvale) away in regulation," Jones told the Times. "I thought we had a great fourth quarter, but give Maryvale credit. They did a great job defensively, forced turnovers and made their free throws."
Jones and Flyers coach Mark Kensy both raved about Osika's performance, saying that it was one given by a player probably worthy of designation as ECIC-III's top player. The guard, who is the lone returning starter from Depew's 21- 2 season of 2006-07, said the Wildcats Flyers rivalry is quite intense.
"Every year it gets bigger and bigger," said a grinning Osika. "They knocked us out of the playoffs a year ago, so it absolutely gave us motivation to come back and play well tonight."
Senior forward Pat Vanini contributed 13 points for Depew, including three three-pointers, while Stevens added 10, also canning three treys. The Wildcats made 10 three-pointers for the game.
Junior guard Brooks Estarfaa recorded 17 points for the Flyers, while Bunting added 11 and Nowak, eight. Davis grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.
Depew converted 20 of 25 free throw attempts, while Maryvale went 25-31 at the charity stripe. Kensy, whose team dropped to 0-3 overall, said his team's help defense suffered.
"I wish, when we had three guys in the paint, we could stop a layup," said Kensy. "They drove to the basket and got easy shots, and we couldn't defend it. "We started slow on offense and took too many stupid shots. We turned it over too many times."
The first quarters of the contest were nip-and-tuck, as Maryvale came back from an early 10-point deficit to take a 25-24 lead with 1:30 remaining in the second quarter. A three-pointer by Depew's Anthony Battaglia, however, gave the Wildcats a 32-29 lead at halftime. In the third quarter, the Flyers went on a 9- 0 run to take a 43-40 lead, as Estarfaa drained a trey from the top of the key to get Maryvale's fans out of their seats. Battaglia nailed a jumper to give the 'Cats a 45-44 lead heading into the fourth.
Depew tried to swat Maryvale away again in the final quarter, as a trey by Vanini and drive by Osika gave the Wildcats a 59-52 lead with just over three minutes remaining. A minute later, sophomore guard Jake Maryniewski fed Osika with a terrific full-court pass for a layup to give Depew a 61-54 lead.
That's when Maryvale treated its fans to some of its traditional lategame magic, as the Flyers' fan section got louder and louder and the heat Depew felt became warmer and warmer.
Depew (3-0) will host ECIC-III foe Springville tonight at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats faced non-league opponent Cardinal O'Hara Wednesday at the ECIC-Monsignor Martin Challenge, with results coming too late for press time. Maryvale will face league opponent Starpoint on the road tonight for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
In boys' junior varsity action Friday, Chris Kensy's Flyers defeated Dan Seelig's Wildcats, 56-46, as Maryvale outscored Depew 18-6 in the decisive fourth quarter. The following Flyers helped contribute to the win: Mike Cattalano (nine points, 11 rebounds), Alex Wendling (14 points, seven assists) and Tyler Buczkowski (eight points, 10 rebounds..
"We were a lot more patient in the second half and had some great boxing out," Chris Kensy stated.
Central's McCullough
makes shot when it counts
After Cheektowaga Central endured a horrendous shooting night on three-pointers- connecting on just one of its first 36 attempts from long range last Thursday against ECICIII opponent Tonawanda- Warriors guard Terrence McCullough found himself open from the right elbow of three-point land late in overtime on a potential game-winning try.
"The first thing I thought to myself was, 'Set your feet,'" said McCullough, who had missed his first nine three-point attempts. "I hadn't been doing that all game."
But on this shot, the ball perfectly arched and ripped the twine with two seconds remaining, setting off a celebration in the bleachers and on Central's bench and sending the Warriors to a 53-50 win against Tonawanda.
Senior guard Dante Parker led Central with 14 points and six rebounds, while junior Damond Rainey added 11 points and six steals.
Central (2-3 overall) missed shots early and often, as Tonawanda led by as much as nine in the first half. Central trailed 13-4 after one quarter and 21-19 at halftime.
The Warriors, however, went on a 12-2 run in the third quarter, as a layup by Parker gave Central its biggest lead of the game at 33-25. Tonawanda rallied late in regulation to tie the contest.
Central split a pair of games in the Bennett Tournament Monday and Tuesday, losing big to Bennett, 75- 46, before edging South Park in double overtime, 87-83. Parker exploded for a game-high 37 points against South Park.
The Warriors will travel to league opponent Pioneer tonight at 7:30 p.m.
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