Blue Streaks survive another exciting finish
Dagostino’s free throw with no time left wins it
The proper description for the 2018 portion of the 2018-19 season for the Saratoga boys’ basketball team is the year of living dangerously. Even though the first portion of the season lasted eight games over one month, coach Matt Usher has aged 20 years watching his Blue Streaks continuously flirt with disaster. Saturday provided the latest example.
Saratoga trailed for nearly all of the final 26 minutes against La Salle. The game was tied in the waning seconds and the Blue Streaks’ final possession appeared doomed. Aidan Dagostino got off a 3-point shot at the buzzer and was fouled by Luke Bourgault.
With no time showing on the scoreboard and no one else at the foul line, Dagostino had his first attempt spin in and out. The junior also failed to convert the second foul shot and stepped away clapping his hands. The third chance, however, swished as the Blue Streaks escaped peril once again to register a 67-66 nonleague victory over the Cadets.
“The first one, when it missed, I knew the second one was going in,” Dagostino said, but it didn’t. “I didn’t want to get down on myself. As a
shooter, you have to (forget about the first two misses). I knew the next one was going in. That’s what happened.”
“These fourth-quarter comebacks are getting to be too much,” Saratoga junior point guard Aidan Holmes said. “We need to play the way we did the fourth quarter right from the jump. That is what we’ve talked about for weeks now.”
La Salle coach Jon Desso was not upset regarding the foul being called. His issue was there being no time left on the clock and he believed Dagostino was inside the 3-point arc.
“We’ve got to do a better job of not fouling in that situation,” Desso said.
Saturday’s narrow win continues the season trend for the Blue Streaks. Saratoga now stands at 8-0 overall, including 5-0 in the Suburban Council. The decision over La Salle (4-4) was the team’s second one-point win and sixth single-digit victory. In their previous game, the Blue Streaks needed overtime to produce a 74-65 win at Albany.
“It is unbelievable. I almost expect it now,” Usher said regarding another close encounter.
La Salle entered the game having made 21 3-pointers in seven contests.
Saturday, the Cadets drained 11 3-pointers — seven coming in a first quarter featuring nine lead changes and three ties. La Salle led 24-18 through eight minutes of play.
“I thought we did a good job attacking their man-to-man,” Desso said. “We moved the ball into the paint and kicked it out for jumpers.”
“We had defensive breakdowns all over the place,” Usher said. “We gave up wide-open 3s whether we were in man or in zone. Credit to La Salle because they hit them, but we need to make it a bit more challenging.”
Although the Blue Streaks hung tight with the Cadets throughout the second and third quarters, they did not regain the lead until there was 3:16 remaining when Holmes (21 points) buried his fourth 3-pointer for a 63-61 edge.
“We have a bad habit of bringing a lot of energy in the second half and not as much in the first. That isn’t good,” said Saratoga senior center Nate Chudy, who produced 18 points and 11 rebounds. “We made some big shots at the end.”
Saratoga senior forward Will Fox, who did not score through the first three quarters, drained a pair of 3-pointers and scored all eight of his points consecutively.
“I am glad he knocked those down. He can shoot it from out there,” Usher said of the 6-foot-6 Fox. “It was good for his confidence. He was very comfortable. It was great. I was very impressed with his composure in handling the fouls and whatever frustration was going on.”
Saratoga generated a trio of 3-pointers and a three-point play from Chudy in the fourth quarter to prevail.
“We have come out of the half and played hard on several occasions,” Usher said. “We’ve talked about trying to find a way to do that from the tip and play that way for 32 minutes.”
“I felt like this is a game we should have won with the way we played,” Desso said. “Saratoga is a phenomenal team. They are very good and will go very far this year in both the Suburban Council and Class AA.”