North beats South again in Rotary Tournament final
Boys basketball
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville South's Brian Webb drives past Fredonia's Jon Burlett during the Billies' come from behind 85-82 win in the opening round of the Williamsville Rotary Tournament last Thursday at South. Webb finished with 12 points then poured in a career-high 18 in the Billies' 79-73 loss on Friday to Williamsville North in the tournament final.

For the fourth straight year, the Williamsville North boys basketball team had Williamsville South's number in the Williamsville Rotary Tournament. But what appeared to be an early North blowout turned out to be a close win.

The Spartans, ahead 35-22 late in the first half, held off a very hungry Billies squad, 79-73, before a packed gym last Friday at South.

It was North's sixth straight tournament championship. In addition to the four straight Rotary Tournament trophies, the Spartans won the Dick Harvey Tip-off at Kenmore West and Sports Alumni Tournament at Bennett High School this season.

North trailed South by five with 4:43 remaining when Spartans coach Chuck Swierski called a timeout. By the time a minute was left in the fourth, North had used its game experience to be the ones up by five.

Jim Mohan, far right, accepts the first annual "Make a Difference Award" in between opening round games. Also pictured is Williamsville South coach Al Monaco, far left, and Rotary Tournament Director Jerry Sheldon, middle.

"We had been in situations like that before. That was the difference," said Swierski. "They didn't look rattled, but confident. They seemed to know what they had to do. To be able to keep their composure, execute and finish the way they did makes me happy as a coach."

Senior Alex Ullrich and junior Steve Barth, two returning starters for North, had eight and seven points, respectively, in the fourth including 4 of 4 from the free throw line. North shot 13 of 14 as a team from the line in the fourth.

South went down 9-1 midway through the first quarter and 19-8 by the end of the quarter. North appeared to be heading into the locker room with a comfortable 35-22 halftime lead but the Billies shot three late three-pointers in the half to cut the deficit to 35-31.

Junior Tom LiSacchi got the late three flurry going with 45 seconds remaining. After a North miss, freshman Phil Stasiak nailed a three with five seconds to play. South sophomore point guard Mark Coppola then stole the inbounds, took one step back and launched a three at the halftime buzzer.

"That gave us a lot of confidence going into halftime," said South coach Al Monaco.

The Billies, namely, Brian Webb, carried the momentum late in the first half into the third quarter. Webb, a senior guard, had the quarter of his career, scoring 15 points in the first five minutes. Nine of his 15 points came off of threes that did not hit the rim. Another three by Stasiak pushed South's lead over North to six.

But the Spartans' experience, as it showed later on, helped them in the third. South was up 57-52 before the Spartans scored a two-point basket and after a timeout, senior point guard and tournament MVP John Piaggione (eight points) drained a three at the third quarter buzzer to tie the score at 57-57.

"That was big," said Swierski.

Down by five late in the fourth, South freshman Joey Licata knocked down a three to cut the deficit to 75-73 but the Spartans knocked down four free throws to seal the win.

"I thought we had good looks but missed shots," said Monaco. "I don't know for sure but it seemed like late in the game we were physically wearing down a little bit. They were strong and physical on us the whole game."

North outrebounded South, 39-23. Twelve of the Spartans' rebounds came from Ullrich.

"All of the free throws came on rebounds on fouls that we were committing because they were more physical," said Monaco. "Ullrich, in particular, really hurt us inside. He was drawing contact."

Ullrich finished with 17 points.

Steve Barth, an all-tournament selection, poured in a career-high 22 points to lead the Spartans' offense. Senior Alex Barth tossed in 12 points and nine rebounds. Senior Josh Barrett added 12 points.

Webb led South with a career high 18 points. Swierski said Webb fouled out with six minutes left in the fourth.

Coppola and Stasiak, each all-tournament selections, scored 11 each. Coppola also dished out nine assists. Senior Zach Murray scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Licata won the sportsmanship award.

South shot 61 percent (17 of 28) from two-point range and 45 percent (9 of 20) from three-point range.

Monaco was real proud of how his team battled throughout the game.

"I don't think many people would have given us a chance and I guarantee that no one in the gym thought we were going to stay within 20 when they dominated us early," said Monaco. "These kids play with such confidence and heart and play so hard. It's a pleasure to coach them."

The win improved North's record to 9-1, already matching last year's win total (9-12 last year). South fell to 4-4.

North and South met for the fourth straight year in the Rotary final after winning some exciting opening round games on Thursday. North used its conditioning to finally wear out Newfane, 72-61, while South came back to beat Fredonia, 85-82.

Newfane, winners of the Niagara Orleans League the past two years, jumped out to a 12-8 first quarter lead before the Spartans scored six quick points in the second quarter to take a 14-12 advantage. Ulrich scored, Steve Barth stole the inbounds pass and fed Alex Barth and Alex Barth stole an inbounds pass and fed Alex Barth for two.

North ended up outscoring Newfane, 23-13, in the quarter to take a 31-25 lead into halftime. However, Newfane used a patient offense to cut its deficit to 46-45 by the end of the third quarter.

Piaggione, like Webb in the final, came alive in a quarter in the second half, scoring 15 of his 19 in the fourth.

"In all of the games I've seen him at any level, that was the best he has played," said Swierski. "He was getting into the lane for driving layups and nailing 15-foot jump shots. He also hit 3 of 4 free throws."

Steve Barth scored 16. Alex Barth earned 15 points, 10 rebounds and five steals.

Junior Mike Herberger, in for Ullrich who fouled out with four minutes remaining, scored five huge points down the stretch. With North up by two, Barrett fed Herberger on a pass on a backdoor play on the baseline and he made the basket, got fouled and sank the free throw. Later, he scored a layup.

Paul Shuey, headed for Division III Hilbert College, led Newfane with 17 points. Drew Sherrie chipped in 15.

Like the North game, South got off to a really slow start against Fredonia, trailing 7-1 but went up 21-18 after the first quarter. The score seesawed back and forth with Fredonia ahead, 42-40, at halftime and South up, 65-64, after the third quarter.

South went cold from the floor in the fourth and with 1:59 left, Fredonia had an 82-77 advantage. But a basket by Stasiak with 1:45 remaining, one from Webb with 58 seconds left and another by Stasiak with 32 seconds to play, put South ahead, 83-82.

With 11 seconds remaining, Coppola calmly dropped two free throws to push the score to 85-82. Fredonia had one last chance to tie the game and looked like they did after all-tournament selection Pat Mahany (35 points) hit his eighth three with five seconds to play. However, Fredonia's coach called a timeout before Mahany got the shot off.

After the timeout, LiSacchi switched off the man he was defending and denied a pass to Mahany and another Fredonia player threw up a desperation three as the buzzer sounded.

Coppola led South with 23 points, five steals and a career high 14 assists. The school record is 15 set by Chris Rice in the 1984-85 season against Clarence.

Stasiak added 22 points, six rebounds and five steals. Webb scored seven of his 12 in the fourth quarter. LiSacchi had only four points but grabbed five rebounds and made four steals.

Freshman Aaron Adams came off of the bench to score eight points. Adams hit back-to-back threes in the second quarter when Fredonia got a little ahead of South.

South made 25 of 42 shots from two-point range and 6 of 18 threes. Fredonia hit 14 of 36 threes.

In the consolation game, Newfane beat Fredonia, 67-66. North's JV team beat South in overtime in the JV final.

Between Thursday's games, Jim Mohan was honored as the first recipient of the "Make a Difference Award", given to the person who has made a difference in the lives of the South boys varsity basketball team.

Mohan, a graduate of the University at Buffalo, worked as a physical education teacher at Casey Middle School from 1972 to 1982 and at Mill Middle School from 1982 until his retirement in 2004. Monaco said the seniors on his team, Webb and Tim Krempa, as eighth-graders, were the last class to have Mohan as a teacher at Mill. Freshmen Erik Hansen, Adams, Stasiak and Licata were fifth-graders at the time.

Mohan is also the first golf coach at Williamsville East, holding the position from 1975 until 2004. In college, Mohan golfed at UB. In retirement, Mohan is an adjunct professor of physical education at Canisius College.

"His wife Nancy was there as was a bunch of former teachers from Mill," said Monaco. "It was really nice."

North and South return to action on Friday. North hosts Clarence and South travels to Maryvale. Both games are 7:30 p.m. tip-offs.