Sweet Home boys win Ken-Ton tournament, Rankin named MVP
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home went back to basics to win the Ken-Ton Holiday Tournament.

The Panthers hit eight three-pointers and had four players in double figures as Sweet Home rolled to a 73-56 final victory over host school Kenmore West on Thursday.

“It’s always nice to go in and win a tournament,” said Sweet Home coach Paul Schintzius. “I was happy we got back on track.”

Sweet Home had lost its last two games, 58-57, to St. Joe’s and, 58-53, against Orchard Park. In those games, plus a defeat earlier in the season to Grover Cleveland, the Panthers were outshot from three-point range, 24-6. Against the Blue Devils, Sweet Home hit eight three’s to Kenmore West’s five. Six of the Panthers’ three’s came in the first half, split three apiece by Eric Schnirel and Terrell Rankin. Schnirel hit another two three’s in the second half, finished with 17 points, and was named to the all-tournament team. Rankin led Sweet Home with 22 points to earn tournament MVP honors.

“That opens everything else inside,” said Schintzius. “When our perimeter game is not going, we’re going to face a ton of zone and forces Glenroy (Carr) and Ali (Ramadan) to play in tight quarters and it’s hard for them to get wiggle room because other teams sag for the double team. But we hit three’s early which stretched out the defense and allowed some inside opportunities for Glenroy and Ali, especially in the second half.”

Carr and Ramadan each finished with 12 points. Ramadan also grabbed nine rebounds.

Tiny point guard Steven Roberts added six points, four points coming off first quarter steals. He also dished out eight assists.

Sweet Home led Kenmore West, 17-11, after the first quarter and outscored them, 21-11, in the second quarter for a 38-22 advantage.

Joe Mogavero led Kenmore West with 16 points and five rebounds. Mike Maritato and Edvin Ramulic each scored 10.

The Panthers played a much better game than its first rounder with Kenmore East last Wednesday.

The good news was Sweet Home won, 50-37. The bad news was they didn’t play very well.

“It was sloppy,” said Schintzius. “The shots were not falling and the tempo was very slow and deliberate. Kenmore East plays a lot of zone and it forced us to be patient. We weren’t getting easy looks in transition and it made us take time off the clock.”

Schintzius also credits Kenmore East’s players’ athletic abilities for giving his team problems.

It also didn’t help that the game was moved to Kenmore West because the original venue, Kenmore East, lost power from a boiler room malfunction. Schintzius said his team had been practicing for Kenmore East’s gym, a smaller, confined venue, where they could trap and press, as opposed to Kenmore West’s, which he said is similar to the size of University at Buffalo’s Alumni Arena.

Sweet Home led, 9-8, after the first quarter and came back from an eight-point deficit to tie the game at 19-19 by halftime.

At halftime, Schintzius challenged Rankin, who had only scored five points.

“I said ‘you’re way too good a player as a senior to have five points in the first half. We run through you. You’re our heart and soul offensively. If we’re going to win, you’re going to have to give us more,’” he said.

Rankin responded with a productive second half, scoring 11 points in the third quarter as Sweet Home built a 36-29 lead, and another 10 in the fourth. He finished with 26.

Josh Parker only scored five but made a timely three in the second quarter when the Panthers trailed, Schintzius said.

Schnirel added seven points. Carr and Ramadan combined for eight points.

It was Sweet Home’s first appearance in the tournament under Schintzius.

Sweet Home (3-1, 6-3) hosts Williamsville North at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Its next five games are on the road.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com