Basketball
York outscores Wells, 51-41
By Stan Ross
YORK - The York Wildcats (13-5), before a raucous home crowd on "senior parent night," overcame an early deficit and gained revenge for a road loss on Jan. 3 against the Wells Warriors, but it wasn't easy.Wells was paced by Josh Tufts who scored eight straight points in the first four minutes and the Warriors led 8-5. York had started all seniors but put five new players on the floor and mounted a quick comeback.
Tony Romano drew a charge, and Zach Prugar fed Dan Sheehan for a lay-up. Then Phil Alibrandi hit Prugar on the wing for a trey. Alibrandi pulled down a rebound and passed to Prugar in the corner for another trey and York led 13-11 at the quarter.
York used a disciplined offense after Wells had evened the score at 13-13, and Alibrandi set up Joe Corsello for three the hard way. Then Romano fed Pat Cartier, who drained a trey from the wing. Then Corsello scored on a put-back and also after a feed from Prugar.
Wells fought back with three more points by Tufts (game high 23) and trailed by three, 23 to 20, at the half.
Vander Forbes scored for Wells on a put-back to open the second half before York countered on a pair of hoops by Romano. After a block by Corsello, Alibrandi scored on a fast break, but Tufts answered with a spin move for Wells. Then Romano and Alibrandi each added a pair of free-throws and combined on the play of the night after a steal by Romano and a give-and-go with Alibrandi resulted in a lay-up for Romano.
Alibrandi fed Corsello for a fast break bucket but Brandon Stevens answered with a pair of hoops for Wells. York still led 37 to 30 going into the final period.
Then George Zotos sparked the Wildcats with a pop from the corner, and after a baseline spin move by Alibrandi, Zotos fed Prugar for a hoop from the corner and York led 43 to 30. Wells countered quickly on nine straight points by Tufts, but the Wildcats still led
45 to 39 with just 2:03 to play. Tim Jones pulled down a rebound and threw a long pass to Bryce Fountain to make the final score York 51, Wells 41.
York comeback upsets Cape
Last Tuesday, Feb. 6, at Cape Elizabeth, the home team was coasting with a 40 to 27 lead after three periods, but the Wildcats kept scrapping and outscored them 19 to 6 in the final quarter to force overtime.
Alibrandi, on the way to his eighth career double-double, scored eight of his team high 22 points in the fourth period. Prugar was a "perfect 10" - 10 of 10 from the free-throw line in overtime. Romano was 10 for 11 from the foul line for the game as part of a team best 26 of 31.
Austin Brown had a game high 26 points for the Capers, but York had more balanced scoring with four players in double figures - Alibrandi, 22, Romano, 18, Prugar, 13, and Corsello, 10. York won inn double overtime, 71 to 66.
York will enter the Western Maine Class B tournament as the number two seed, based on final HEAL points standings. They will be scheduled to face the winner of the game between the seventh and tenth seeds in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 3:30 p.m. in Portland. The boys' semi-final is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m., and the final will be Saturday, Feb. 24, at 9 p.m.
| York vs. Wells Score by Quarters |
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| Wildcats | 13 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 51 |
| Warriors | 11 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 41 |
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York scorers: Fountain 2, Cartier 3, Zotos 2, Romano 10, Prugar 10, Alibrandi 8, Wilson 2, Corsello 12, Sheehan 2
Three pointers: Prugar 2 |
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| York vs. Cape Elizabeth Score by Quarters |
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| Wildcats | 8 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 25 | 71 |
| Capers | 11 | 12 | 17 | 6 | 20 | 66 |
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York scorers: Romano 18, Prugar 13, Alibrandi 22, Wilson 6, Corsello 10, Sheehan 2 Three pointers: Prugar 1, Alibrandi 1, Corsello 1 |
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