Energized OP defeats Sweet Home
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home coach Paul Schintzius couldn’t have summed up his team’s 58-53 loss at Orchard Park last Wednesday any better.

“We lacked energy and motion and OP had energy and emotion,” said Schintzius.

Up 44-34 in the middle of the third quarter, the Panthers were outscored 24-9 the rest of the way, including 15-6 in the fourth, as the Quakers took sole possession of first place in ECIC Division I. Two days later, Jamestown (4-1, 6-1) took over first place with a 68-60 win over OP (3-1, 6-2).

“They played a great fourth quarter and took the game from us,” said Schnitzius. “We had our opportunities. We can’t fault anyone but ourselves. They had their opportunities and capitalized on them.”

Sweet Home trailed 10-2 to start the game but came back to lead 15-14 at the end of the first, 35-30 at halftime and 47-43 after the third quarter. Then Sweet Home collapsed.

“It’s unfortunate because the game was right there to be won,” said Schintzius. “But we had poor turnovers in the fourth quarter, and their defense picked up a notch. I give them credit. They made plays down the stretch. Their seniors did a nice job.”

OP’s Greg Michael scored 11 of his 15 in the second half, including three fourth-quarter putback baskets. Andy Buyea led all scorers with 19.

Terrell Rankin led Sweet Home with 15 points but had picked up three fouls by the end of the first quarter. Ali Ramadan and Glenroy Carr added 13 points each.

“We’ve got to find scoring from somebody else,” said Schintzius. “We’re only getting 10 to 12 points from our senior guards.”

OP also hit eight threes to Sweet Home’s one.

Sweet Home (3-1, 4-3) looks to end a two-game losing streak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the first round of the Ken-Ton Holiday Tournament. The winner plays Kenmore West or O’Hara at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. The consolation game is at 5 p.m.

“We have to learn that we’re being hunted,” said Schintzius. “Everybody will have a huge bull’s-eye on our backs. We have to get more consistent…. We also don’t have that killer instinct yet. Last year we got it when it mattered most, late in the season.”

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com