Panthers need wins to share division crown
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

The roller coaster that is the Sweet Home boys basketball team continued with a split of ECIC Division II league games.

After a week which saw the Panthers lose to Hamburg and Williamsville South and its top spot in the division, Sweet Home appeared to turn the corner with a 72-62 win last Monday over another team which has been spiraling, Williamsville East. However, Sweet Home closed out the week with a 58-56 loss at Iroquois last Thursday, leaving them having to win its last three league games over Lake Shore, West Seneca East and Hamburg, to clinch a tie for the division title.

The East win was a great confidence boost for Sweet Home. The Panthers only dressed eight of its 11 players and Brandon Hudson was a game-time scratch because of bruised ribs. Marcus Johnson sat out with a thigh contusion.

"I was happy to have gotten out of there with a win," said Sweet Home coach Paul Schintzius. "The kids that did play played with a lot of emotion."

Knotted at 16-16 after the first quarter, the Panthers used balanced scoring in the second quarter to take a 35-23 lead into halftime. Brian Pappagallo (six), Casey Kacz (five), Jamel Werts (four), Ali Ramadan (two) and Keon Williams (two) scored in the second for the Panthers.

Sweet Home outscored East, 16-11, in the third quarter to open a 51-34 advantage into the fourth quarter.

In the fourth, East coach Dennis Belote put his fastest guys on the floor, Kevin Castine, Peter Heim, Mike Silvestri, Kelse Lee on the floor along with six-foot-six center Brian Wallden and it got the Flames back into the game. Belote said East cut a 22-point deficit in the fourth to four.

Wallden scored 16 of his 31 points in the fourth to lead the Flames. Many of his points came in transition. He also grabbed 29 rebounds, blocked two shots and dished out five assists.

Wallden was held to three field goals and three free throws in the first half. Schintzius lauded the defensive work of Nick Christman on Wallden and East's other big man, 6-foot-11 Mark Rutecki (two points, seven rebounds).

Lee and Castine each scored five points in the fourth. Silvestri scored all five of his points in the first quarter.

Werts led Sweet Home with 30 points. Ramadan (14 points) and Pappagallo (12 points) also scored in double figures for the Panthers. Kacz and Richard Rush each scored seven. Williams added two.

Heim scored 12 points for East.

Turnovers were a huge reason for the Flames' loss. East committed 26 turnovers. Belote thinks Sweet Home scored at least 14 points off East mistakes.

Schintzius thought his team put forth a great effort against East and wanted to build on the win against Iroquois but instead "they came out as flat as a pancake."

Schintzius described the play of his team in the opening quarter against Iroquois as "the worst quarter in my eight years (coaching) with Sweet Home."

The Chiefs led, 18-8, at the end of the first quarter.

"We had no energy and a lack of focus," said Schintzius. "It was unbelievable. I called three timeouts in the first quarter begging and pleading them to get into the game."

Sweet Home clawed back into the game into the second quarter to trail, 29-24, at halftime, and outscored Iroquois, 21-8, in the third quarter, to go up, 45-37, after three quarters.

In the fourth, Sweet Home's inability to go to the free throw line more and its inability to stop sending Iroquois to the line did in the Panthers. Iroquois made 12 of 14 free throws while Sweet Home made 4 of 6 attempts in the final period.

"It was our own undoing," said Schintzius. "We didn't get to the line enough."

Paul Evans led Iroquois in the fourth with nine of his 16 points. He hit 7 of 8 free throws in the quarter, including four straight, to put the Chiefs ahead, 57-56. Wyatt Mariacher added a free throw for Iroquois' final point. Schintzius said Werts missed a wide open three at the buzzer.

Ramadan scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half despite three fouls at halftime and four in the game. Ramadan and Werts each tallied nine in the third. Werts added 15 but went scoreless in the fourth.

Johnson played but only scored three points. Pappagallo played the entire game and went scoreless.

Iroquois, known for its physical play, outscored Sweet Home, 21-0, from three-point range.

"Iroquois was playing a 2-3 zone the entire game and we did not make a three," said Schintzius. "I think I could have kicked one in."

Sweet Home (6-3, 9-7) tries to ride the ship at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at West Seneca East. They hosted Lake Shore on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press.

Belote switched up his starters in the Flames' road game at Lake Shore last Friday and it paid off with a 76-49 victory. Belote started Heim, Rutecki, Castine, Silvestri and Wallden and the quintet helped East take a 16-12 lead after the first quarter, 37-21 advantage by halftime, and 60-32 after three quarters.

"We played excellent basketball," said Belote. "They were finding the open man and kids were scoring points. On defense, we made sure every shot was contested."

East only made 12 turnovers. They had been averaging 22 turnovers per game.

Wallden led East with 20 points, 16 rebounds, six steals and two blocks. Heim had 19 points, Silvestri tossed in a career high 17 points, including three threes and Rutecki picked up 10 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks.

"Wallden took less shots, passed the ball more, grabbed rebounds and got the proper outlets to the right guys," said Belote. "After the game, he told me that was the best basketball we had played all year and I agreed."

East (9-7, 5-4) hosted Hamburg on Tuesday but the result was unavailable before The Bee went to press. The Flames play at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Williamsville South.