STAC BOYS BASKETBALL: ITHACA OUTLASTS OWEGO IN DEFENSIVE BATTLE (2022-11-29)

By TIM TAYLOR
Tioga County Sports Report
OWEGO — In a battle of two strong defensive teams, Ithaca outlasted Owego, 42-40, in a STAC season opener here Tuesday evening.

The Class AA Little Red had all they could handle in their Class B counterparts in a contest the Indians could have won had they been more accurate at the free throw line.

Owego went 13-for-25 at the stripe.

“That hurt, obviously, but I don't care what anybody says. That was a high level game with high level athletes for the first game of the year,” Owego coach Chris Evans said.

“You know how hard they are to score against inside? You, you know how hard we are to score against inside? That was one of the highest level games I've been a part of since I've been here.”

Nearly one-quarter of the points (22) were scored at the charity stripe and another 18 points were tacked on from 3-point range.

“It was a fantastic defensive battle, it really was,” Evans said. “It was tremendous.”

Ithaca went 7-for-9 at the free throw line, but the Red’s success in those few trips to the stripe were key. Justin Yearwood connected on five of six attempts and Jonathan Ostrom hit two of three.

Ostrom, quiet for the game’s first 30 minutes, scored a basket then added his two foul shots in the game’s final two minutes.

Yearwood scored five of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a free throw to break a 31-31 deadlock early in the final frame.

He traded points with Joe and John Bangel on three occasions in the middle of the fourth as the twin towers kept the Indians within striking distance.

John Bangel, who led all scorers with 18 points, was key to Owego’s offensive effort in the second half as well. He put up 14 points after the break and went 6-for-8 at the line, connecting on five of six free throw attempts in the third period.

Ithaca grabbed its biggest lead of the night in the first quarter when Yearwood scored with just under two minutes to play in the period, making it an 11-7 game.

The Red’s other nine points in the opening stanza came from Luke Little, who finished the game with a team-high 17 markers.

Ryan Pryor canned two baskets, Joseph Palladino and Drew Tavelli knocked down one 3-pointer, and John Bangel sank two free throws apiece in the second quarter to keep the Indians within point, 20-19, at halftime.

Ithaca also had a distinct height advantage over Owego, despite the presence of the 6-foot-7 Bangel twins.

“They were huge. They were absolutely huge,” Evans said. “And 45 (William Holmes) is a good player. He shoots the ball really well. Yearwood is a Section IV all-star, you know, and the Little kid, he's fantastic. He's tremendous. He's only a junior and he's an all-star as well.

“So, I was pleased, really pleased, with our defense. It was the same thing as last year. We’ve just got to figure out how to make a few more shots, and make the free throws, because we got them into the bonus early. We’ve got to take advantage of that a little bit more and make those free throws.

“First game of the year, I'm actually pretty pleased.”

Tavelli added eight points to the Indians’ scoring effort. Joe Bangel and Pryor scored four apiece, and Palladino and Riley Loomis had three points each.

Owego hosts the second annual Charlie Sibley Memorial Tournament Saturday and Sunday.

SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, DEC. 3
Noon
Boys JV — Marcellus vs U-E, OAMS gym
Girls varsity — Cortland vs Sus Valley, OFA gym
2 p.m.
Girls JV — Cortland vs Sus Valley, OAMS gym
Boys varsity — Marcellus vs U-E, OFA gym
4 p.m.
Boys JV — Sus Valley vs Owego, OAMS gym
Girls varsity — Marcellus vs Owego, OFA gym
6 p.m.
Girls JV — Marcellus vs Owego, OAMS gym
Boys varsity — Sus Valley vs Owego, OFA gym

SUNDAY, DEC. 4
Noon
Girls JV consolation game, OAMS gym
Girls varsity consolation game, OFA gym
2 p.m.
Girls JV championship game, OAMS gym
Girls varsity championship game, OFA gym
4 p.m.
Boys JV consolation game, OAMS gym
Boys varsity consolation game, OFA gym
6 p.m.
Boys JV championship game, OAMS gym
Boys varsity championship game, OFA gym


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IN PHOTO 1: Owego’s John Bangel. ... PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.