Host Horde third at Legion Tourney

 

Although the Granville Golden Horde failed to make the final of the 32nd Annual American Legion Post 323 Tournament, fans of the game got to see another exciting game of basketball to end the night.

Following the hometown team’s consolation win over Hadley-Luzerne 56-46, the nightcap proved to have enough drama and excitement for a whole tournament in itself.

Mount St. Joseph brought an intense, up-tempo game that stymied Class D power Fort Ann and frustrated its big man and leading scorer, Robert Sprague, who had scored 31 against Hadley-Luzerne, but was held to 15 in the title game.

In the third-place game, Granville passed the test presented by the Hadley-Luzerne Eagles coming out 10 point winner for third place in the consolation final. After trading big quarters in the first half, Granville won the third and fourth quarters to pull away for the win.

Four Horde players reach double digits in scoring, led by three players: Jared Beattie, Ian Bixby and Evan Young each with 13 points. Logan Seamans dropped in 11 key points sparking Granville in the third quarter. Luzerne was led by all-tourney team representative Joe Marciano who scored a game high 23 points. Bixby represented Granville on the all-tournament team.

Horde coach Duane Dodge said while losing is never fun, his team got something out of seeing teams like the Mounties and Eagles, which should pay dividends down the road. “The best part is the teams are as good as they are,” Dodge said. Dodge said the level of competition at the tournament this year was greater and produced better basketball. “I’d rather get third and get something out of it than get first against teams you’re playing down to,” Dodge said.

In the title game, the Mounties used the same strategy they had to beat Granville, bringing and aggressive full-court press defense, combined with a quick, accurate shooting offense which the Cardinals could not answer.

Head coach Mark Benetatos said his team has a lot of road experience and used that experience to “go after teams.”

Benetatos said he relies on a deep bench to support the team’s aggressive, physical play. “This is a nice tournament, a first-class tournament and we feel fortunate to have been invited to play here,” Benetatos said.

While Sprague finished with 15, it was less than half of his opening-night 31 points against Hadley-Luzerne; and the physical play clearly took a toll on the visibly limping Cardinal.

In a sign of frustrations to come, Sprague was also warned by officials when early in the first quarter he fired the ball into the wall following a scramble under the basket on the floor with the Mounties’ Robert Cassell.

Sprague was not Fort Ann’s leading scorer as Derek Durkee, an all-tournament selection, poured in 21 points as the Cardinals struggled to stay in the game.

The Mounties, behind all-tournament member Jahathan Mitchell’s 26 points with three 3-pointers, stepped out to a 15-9 first quarter lead with eight unanswered points and did not look back. Joining Mitchell on the all-tournament team for the Mounties was most valuable player John Dewey.

Although the Cardinals were down just six at the half, a 25-14 third quarter put the game out of reach for the red birds and led to some chippy play as the then one-loss Fort Ann team struggled against the private school’s constant pressure on both sides of the ball.