Bethlehem tops La Salle hoops in semifinals
Cadets’ memorable season ends in Civic Center after final rally falls short
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. » Raymond Evans walked off the Civic Center court with his jersey covering all of his face save for his eyes. He breathed heavily into his jersey, exhausted and frustrated after comeback fell a bit short. A great Section II run fell a bit short too.
After a huge comeback against Guilderland and a shock of two-time defending champion Shenendehowa, a bid for a third big win was thwarted by Bethlehem, 64-58, on Tuesday night in the semifinals. The Eagles advance to the Sectoin II Class AA final at 8 p.m. Saturday back at the Civic Center. The Cadets’ season is over.
“It’s tough to see it end here,” senior Tim Carroll said. “I know it was a good run, but it’s just tough to see it here end here. We had a chance.”
Ian Duncan scored 13 points, Raymond Evans had 11 and Joe DeLollo had 10 for the Cadets. But they couldn’t handle Ryan Murray, who had 23 points, including 13 during a 19-6 run to start the second quarter. It was during that run that Bethlehem got the lead for good.
La Salle entered the AA tournament as a relative unknown despite being dominant winners in the inferior Colonial Council. But with two wins over Suburban council teams, including co-champion Shen, the Cadets showed they belonged in a tournament featuring many teams that they don’t get to see during the regular season.
“We’ve been a little bit lucky the past couple of games,” head coach Steve Sgambelluri said. “A little lucky hanging on to that lead against Shen. Obviously a lit-
tle bit lucky to come back against Guilderland. You need a little luck at this time of year. Tonight we weren’t so lucky.”
LSI jumped out to the lead in the first quarter and had the 11-8 advantage after one. But Bethlehem and Murray started to heat up in the second. La Salle trailed by 10 points numerous times only to come back. The closest they got the rest of the game was three points.
Kyle Borey drained two consecutive 3-pointers for La Salle to make it a fourpoint game in the third quarter. It seemed like the Cadets might be destined to ride their Cinderella status to the final. But they
never got over the hump.
“I wanted to get us back in the game,” Borey said. “We were there. They deserved it, but we were there the whole time. We were tough. We played with them.”
La Salle will return a lot of its core. Duncan, DeLollo, Evans and Jelani Wiggins will all be back and contributing next season. That was part of what was said during a solemn postgame locker room discussion.
The season might have ended. But it wasn’t prematurely. The Cadets opened some eyes with its two wins, and even with the fight it had in its final loss.
“Don’t expect them to go away,” Borey, a senior, said. “They’re going to be a monster next year too. I believe in them.”