NTL BOYS BASKETBALL: '1-2 PUNCH' OF SENESE, PELLICANO LEADS SAYRE TO 64-51 WIN OVER COWANESQUE VALLEY (24 PHOTOS) (2024-02-08)
Valley Sports ReportSAYRE — Juniors Zach Senese and Nick Pellicano combined for 29 in the second half to lead Sayre to a 64-51 win over Cowanesque Valley in its NTL boys basketball season finale here Thursday night.
"It was another win with our 1-2 punch of (Nick) Pellicano and (Zach) Sense playing big minutes," said Sayre coach Paul Blythe.
The first half was a defensive struggle.
"We started slowly got into our press a bit and forced the action," said Blythe. "We threw a couple different looks at them defensively, and it kept them out of sync till we found our own.
"Zach (Senese) struggled with his shot in the first half, but his defense and vision got us into some good spots for some easy buckets," he noted.
"Our rebounds and defense also led to offense for us, added Blythe.
Junior Hudson Trump scored five points in the first quarter to help Sayre to an 11-8 lead after the first eight minutes.
Pellicano scored five points in the second quarter, and sophomore Karter Green connected on a 3-pointer as Sayre outscored CV, 10-9, in the second quarter to take a 21-17 lead into the halftime locker room.
Both team found the range in the third quarter, combining for more points in eight minutes than they scored in the first half.
"In the second half, Zach found his groove and it helped Nick (Pellicano) get into one, too," said Blythe. "The double-team on Nick couldn’t stick as Zach got his shot rolling.
"We hit the glass heavy tonight and had 8 big points out of Tanner Green on his Senior Night to help us break their 1-3-1 half court defense," added Blythe.
Senese buried a trio of 3-pointers, senior Tanner Green scored four points, and Karter Green knocked down another trey, but the Redskins were outscored, 21-20, and led 42-38 heading into the final eight minutes.
Pellicano pumped in 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a 3-pointer, and Senese canned two more 3-pointers, and scored eight points to fuel a 23-13 game-closing run.
Senese led Sayre with 21 points, including five 3-pointers, three rebounds, and three steals, while Pellicano had 20 points, four rebounds, eighth assists, and two steals, and Karter Green had eight points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Tanner Green had eight points and six boards in the win, while Trump added seven points, and six rebounds, junior Ryan Ressler blocked 10 shots and had three rebounds, and sophomore Dalton Forest pulled down six rebounds.
Jordan Vargeson led CV with 17 points, while Carter Ackley scored 12 points, and Larsen Swirly added 10.
Sayre finishes off the regular season at 11-11.
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IN PHOTO 1: Sayre’s Nick Pellicano. … PHOTOS BY BRANDON CLAYPOOL.
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