Portchester stuns Quakers, 51-49

January 22, 2010
by John Sadik-Khan

“Hey if it wasn’t for bad luck y’all
Oh! I wouldn’t have no luck at all” – Ray Charles

The Greeley boys’ basketball team was edged out by the Portchester Rams on Thursday night, January 14, on an impossibly lucky shot as time expired.

The ending was nearly a mirror image of the Quakers’ heartbreaking loss to Peekskill the previous week. In this one, Greeley held the lead for the entire game until the final seconds, when the Rams inbounded under their basket with only five seconds remaining, ran the length of the court, and heaved up a desperation shot from 25 feet out. The unlikely shot found the bottom of the net, saving an undefeated Portchester team from their first league loss. Matt Townsend led all Greeley scorers with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Greeley jumped out to a 6-point lead, 16-10, at the end of the first quarter. The Quakers’ inside tandem of Townsend and Billy Sadik-Khan combined for 14 of the team’s 16 points – which included 6 points on put-backs.  Greeley’s play in the first half was marked by careful ball handling (only three team turnovers) and strong defense, which included four steals by Robert Cross. 

First half scoring was less balanced than normal, however, with Townsend contributing 17 points and Sadik-Khan and Adam Honig as the only other scorers.  On an ominous note, Portchester’s first half scoring included two “prayers” – a banked three-pointer from the top of the key and a 16-foot turnaround fade-away jumper as the halftime buzzer sounded.

Greeley’s shooting turned cold in the second half

Greeley’s shooting turned cold in the second half with the team making only 5 of 21 field goal attempts (23.8%).  Townsend took only three shots in the second half as the team’s focus seemed to move away from the low post.  Unfortunately, with Honig still feeling the after-effects of the flu that kept him out of the previous game, the Quakers’ backcourt suffered through an 0 for 9 shooting slump in the second half. 

However, freshman Harrison Brown was a dynamo in the second half – his 5 points led the team and his put-back with 22 seconds remaining gave the Quakers a 49-46 lead. The game appeared to be in good hands when the Rams fouled Honig, the team’s best free throw shooter, with only 6 seconds remaining and Greeley up by one. The front end of the one-and-one was missed, which set up the dramatic, unlikely, and unlucky ending.

To see the box scores click HERE

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