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Wildcats, Flyers lose in finals of holiday hoops tournaments
By Steven Dlugosz Times
 | | CONVERGING...Depew guard Greg Osika, left, and forward Anthony Battaglia, right, defend against City Honors' Devon Ivey during last Thursday's game. (Times photo) |
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It's been a while since either team has lost in Christmas tournaments, but that time finally came last weekend for the Depew and Maryvale boys varsity basketball teams.
After pounding John F. Kennedy in the opening game of the Depew Tourney, the Wildcats stumbled late last Thursday against Buffalo Harvard Cup team City Honors, as the Centaurs ended the contest on a 12-2 run to overtake Depew, 62-57.
It was the first loss of the season for the Wildcats, who fell to 7-1. Depew, which was outscored in the fourth quarter 21-12, could not box out City Honors' post players, as the Centaurs enjoyed a rebounding ratio margin of 2-1.
"If we had anybody who rebounded, we could have won," said Depew head coach Larry Jones, who also listed untimely turnovers and missed open shots as reasons for his team's loss. "It was as poor as I've seen (senior forward Steve) Karnyski and (senior center Kevin) Dudkowski play all year."  | | IN CHECK...Depew forward Zach Zmich keeps tabs on a City Honors forward in the post during last Thursday's 62-57 Wildcats loss. (Times photo) |
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City Honors scored 10 secondchance points in the fourth quarter, as senior guard and tournament Most Valuable Player Erik Prophet often found open forwards in the post. Prophet led all scorers with 26 points, while Depew senior guard Greg Osika led the Wildcats with 23 points.
After junior Anthony Battaglia nailed a jumper to give Depew a 52- 46 advantage with 3:40 remaining, City Honors responded with a 5-0 run. Then, after Osika hit a twirling shot along the baseline to give the
Cats a 54-51 lead, a Centaurs forward converted a drive on which he was fouled. Prophet followed with a layup, and City Honors went 4-6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to seal the win.
"We just did a terrible job of ballhandling and getting layup chances on offense," Jones said. "We have to get better in a lot of areas."
After a close first half in which Depew held a 28-25 advantage, the Wildcats ended the third quarter on a 9-3 run, highlighted by consecutive steals and layups by Osika. Junior Dan Strebel also made a terrific save along the baseline and fed Osika on a layup attempt, resulting in a foul and two free throws. Osika scored 10 points in the third quarter.
 | | CONCENTRATION...Flyers forward Josh Thomas takes a minute to think before shooting a free throw during Friday's Maryvale Christmas Tournament game against Hamburg. The Bulldogs' Dorian Myles looks to box out Thomas on the block. (Times photo) |
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Battaglia swished a three-pointer at the beginning of the fourth quarter to give the 'Cats their largest lead of the game at 48-41, but City Honors responded with its big finish. Junior Tyler Stevens and sophomore Jake Maryniewski missed several wide-open looks from three-point range. Osika and Karnyski, as well as
Prophet and senior Jordan Luchey of City Honors, were selected to the All-Tournament Team. The loss in the finals was the first for Depew under Jones, whose teams had won their previous nine games of the Depew Christmas Tourney.
The Wildcats will host Erie County Interscholastic Conference III opp onent Tonawanda tonight at 7:30 p.m. before traveling to Springville tomorrow to complete a make-up game at 7:30 p.m.
Against JFK on December 22, Depew opened a 34-10 lead at halftime and 54-18 after three quarters, giving many reserve players court minutes. The Wildcats connected on seven three-pointers, as Stevens led the locals with 17 points.
Depew won, 69-27, as the Bears (2-5 overall and 1-2 in ECIC-IV) committed 30 turnovers and shot just 11-51 from the field. It was also the third straight game in which JFK failed to score 30 points.
"Our offensive struggles have been really frustrating, especially after we scored over 60 points in our first two wins of the season," said JFK head coach Tony Krupski.
In the third-place game against Lancaster, JFK got off to another slow start, falling behind 23-11 after one quarter and 48-27 after three quarters. Again, the Bears had trouble setting up their offense, committing 33 turnovers in a 58-45 loss.
Senior center Mike Bartoszek led Kennedy with 17 points and five rebounds against the Redskins.
JFK returns to action tonight at home against league foe Buffalo Academy of Science, with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. The Bears will host Lackawanna Saturday at noon.
Flyers pound Golden Eagles,
fall short against Bulldogs
After cruising to an easy win in the opening game of the Maryvale Christmas Tournament against local opponent Cleveland Hill, the Flyers ran into a buzz saw against Hamburg Friday in the championship game.
Maryvale defenders had a difficult time trying to stop Hamburg's Blake McLimans, a 6-foot, 9-inch center, who scored a game-high 26 points in Hamburg's 69-53 win. It was the first time in four years that the Flyers did not win the Maryvale Tournament.
McLimans was nearly unstoppable once he got position in the post, converting several put-backs, as well as going outside the arc to nail three three-pointers.
"He played as good game as he has all season," Maryvale head coach Mark Kensy said of McLimans. "(Hamburg) has a solid team."
The Bulldogs opened a 15-point late late in the first half, as Maryvale had a difficult time finding open shots in the paint. Hamburg also often used a fast-paced style on offense to convert easy buckets.
In the third quarter, Hamburg opened its biggest lead of the game at 41-18 before the Flyers' offense began to get going a little. Maryvale crawled to within 55-43 early in the fourth quarter on a put-back by junior forward Josh Thomas.
However, the Bulldogs responded with an 11-3 run late, as the Flyers could not get any closer than 12 points.
Senior forward Matt Bunting led the locals with 15 points, while Thomas added 11. Davis grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds.
In the tournament opener last Thursday, the Flyers pounded the Eagles, 85-55, as all 12 Maryvale players scored. Thomas led all Maryvale players with a game-high 18 points, while junior guard Brooks Estarfaa added 10 points, 11 assists and four steals. Estarfaa also nailed six of Maryvale's team-record 12 three-pointers in the Flyers' 69-35 win against league foe Tonawanda on December 22.
Estarfaa led the Flyers with 22 points, while his freshman brother, Blair, added 16.
Maryvale (2-2 in ECIC-III) will host league opponent Springville tonight at 7:30 p.m. The Flyers will also host non-league foe Williamsville South tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
In the consolation game of the Maryvale Tourney, Cleve Hill fell to North Tonawanda, 74-64, as senior forward Dwan Robinson led the Eagles with 23 points, while junior Curtis Hairston added 18.
Hairston was selected to the All- Tournament Team.
Cleve Hill (0-8) traveled to nonleague opponent Franklinville Wednesday, with results coming too late for press time. The Eagles will host ECIC-IV foe Holland tonight at 7 p.m.
The Flyers' junior varsity squad (6-2) captured the Christmas Tournament, defeating North Tonawanda in Friday's final, 48-44, rallying from a six-point halftime deficit. Alex Wendling led Maryvale with 22 points, while sophomore Tyler Buczkowski contributed eight points and eight rebounds.
Parker stays hot for Central as Warriors hold off Griffins
Although Springville has finished with dismal records the past two seasons, don't tell that to the Cheektowaga Central boys hoops team. Two years ago, the Warriors lost a shocker on the road to the Griffins. Last year, Springville gave the Warriors all they could handle, even though Central came out on top.
However, Central head coach Luke Vogel had his team well prepared for another road contest at Springville on December 21.
Central (4-4 overall, 3-1 in ECICIII) held off Springville, 78-63, as senior point guard Dante Parker continued his scintillating all-around play with a game-high 27 points, to go along with nine steals, nine assists and six rebounds. Senior forwards Marcus Redmond and David Holmes (14 points) each hauled down 11 rebounds.
After Central took a 47-30 lead into halftime, Springville closed the deficit to four late in the second half before the Warriors responded with a 12-0 run.
The Warriors will host ECIC-III opponent Starpoint tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Vogel said as Parker goes, "so goes Central."
"He's been playing some really good basketball since early in the season," Vogel told the Times. "He's been the key for us. We saw (Springville) as a trap game for us, so it was important for us to get off to a good start."
St. Mary's falls to 3-6,
finally opens league play
The St. Mary's of Lancaster boys hoops team is hoping to have better luck in Monsignor Martin League play than it had in non-league action to start the season.
After dropping a 65-40 decision to Lackawanna at the Coaches Vs. Cancer Tournament on December 28, St. Mary's fell to 3-6 overall. Sophomore guard Joe Barnhardt led the Lancers with 14 points.
St. Mary's opens league play tomorrow at Cardinal
O'Hara, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The Lancers will also travel to St.
Francis Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. contest.
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