Pennsy boys win shootout over NY
By: Sam Wilson | Olean Times Herald | March 28, 2022 | Photo courtesy Paul Burdick Sports Images
PORTVILLE - For the first 14 minutes of the Big 30 Senior Classic boys basketball game, New York and Pennyslvania's seniors played a back-and-forth game, with the News York side ahead 23-20.
From there, however, Pennsylvania took control for good. The Pennsy seniors ran off a 23-10 run over just six minutes, including an 11-2 stretch in the final minutes for a 43-33 halftime lead. Led by Ridgway's Domenic Allegretto, who scored eight of those final 11 points of the half and finished with a game-high 24, Pennsy controlled the second half in a 109-96 victory.
"We played well for (most of us) of us playing together for our first time," Allegretto said. "It was a good group of guys. We got along well, which really helped us put it together and win on the court. A lot of unselfish guys out there and a lot of good guys to play with, a lot of talent on the PA side and the New York side of the ball, so it was a lot of fun."
Pennsylvania improved to 4-2 in the boys game's history, being played for the first time since 2019. The 2022 Pennsy seniors were the fourth team in the six boys games since 2015 to score 100 points. The record still belongs to the 2017 Pennsy boys team with 129 points.
Allegretto and Kane's Andy Jekielek made four 3-pointers each as Pennsylvania made 18 total treys to New York's 12.
Allegretto also had seven rebounds, four assists and two steals and Jekielek made three assists.
Bradford's Cam Austin (7 rebounds) and Elk County Catholic's Charlie Breindel (4 assists) scored 12 points each, Elk's Luke Jansen scored 11 points and Coudersport's Christian Fuhrman had 10 points.
Cameron County's Hayden Brown grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds with two steals, Otto-Eldred's Gavin Jimerson made six assists and Ridgway's Dan Park pulled down eight rebounds.
With a 10-point halftime lead, Pennsy added to it quickly in the second half and led by as many as 22 (61-39). A second-half charge led by hot-shooting Blake Frank (Franklinville) and Kamdyn McClain (Olean) pulled New York within 10 points, 98-88, but no closer.
"At the end of the first half we started attacking the basket more," Allegretto said. "That really transpired in the second half, learned to get to the basket and kick it out for open 3-pointers, which we didn't do as much early in the first, so that really helped us."
Frank led New York 22 points, including five treys, while McClain added 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
New Life Christian's Timothy Hutter nearly had a double-double with 11 points, nine rebounds (4 offensive) and three assists.
Bolivar-Richburg's Landon Danaher (7 rebounds) and Eli Schmidt (3 assists) had 10 points each.
Salamanca's Hayden Hoag chipped in five assists and two steals; Olean's Zion James had four assists and three steals; and Portville's Luke Petruzzi and Pioneer's Jasiah Jarocinski had five boards each.
Even with his team on the losing side, New York coach Jon Baker, a former Olean coach, enjoyed working with his nine players, with one unavailable due to injury.
"It's wonderful to see so much talent play," Baker said. "It's great for me to be able to be involved with these kids because you find out more about them, what they're really like. They're all wonderful and they help each other and they get to know each other real quick.
"One of my players said, 'You know, I don't know anybody from Pennsylvania. I don't even know their schools.' But it was just enjoyable."
Baker said his team came together quickly with limited practice time.
"It's almost like being on the playground," he said. "Within five minutes they know each other, and what's really neat is they root for each other. I asked them all what their plans are and they're all over the place, but you can see success in all of them. It was great."
Allegretto had one fellow Elker on his side, Dan Park, while the rest of his teammates were opponents through his high school career.
"We all kind of knew each other before we came in, from the competition and playing against each other our whole lives," he said. "We never really were on the same team much, so it was cool to be on the same team."
Allegretto is already anticipating the chance to experience this kind of game again.
"It was tons of fun, a lot of new friends, a lot of good guys on each side of the ball," Allegretto said. "Looking forward to doing it in football."
