Sullivan County Community College Girls Summer League Basketball

Late surge guides Liberty past rising Roscoe

Roscoe fights but runs out of gas against Liberty vets

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LOCH SHELDRAKE, NY - Summer league games can provide an alluring view into the future and, if the young Lady Blue Devils of Roscoe continue their rapid rise, Roscoe will return as a major contender in the not-too-distant future.

Excitement over Lady Devils’ hoops was last seen in 2003 with the triple threat of Rosie Miesner, Christine Rosencranse and Cheyenne Smith. Had it not been for the ill luck of running into state powerhouse Haldane, a team that moved up to Class C the following year, that Roscoe team might have gone well beyond that Section 9 Class D title

But for coach Rebecca Ahart, it’s all about the future. Sending a team of many eighth graders against veterans assembled by Liberty coach Tom Lagatutta, Roscoe hoped to sweep its two games in week three. On July 25, they easily handled Tri-Valley 44-14 and came out against Liberty with seemingly boundless energy.

Lagatutta also remembers the 2003 season. That year, his team, with standouts Christine Waryha and Andrea TerBush, set Class C on fire, but lost the league title to Tuxedo, armed with Times Herald Record player of the year Christian Baxter. After demolishing Tri-Valley in the Section 9 quarterfinals, the Lady Indians succumbed to Millbrook. Lagatutta’s senior-loaded squad went 18-4 that season. It’s been a long dry spell ever since.

Anxious to rediscover the taste of victory, Lagatutta assembled a mélange of past and present Liberty players, augmented by additions from Monticello and Tri-Valley. Liberty returnees include Maggie Sawchuck, Jessica Diaz, Angela Giacolone, Kayley Arielly and Aryana Walizadeh. Recent Liberty grad Lamorne Chang, Monticello sisters Ty’nessa and Te’neshia Washington, summer add-in Ceara Williams, and Tri-Valley’s Kelly McNamara and Kanacia James join them.

After sweeping last week’s games, Liberty looked to rebound after losing to Livingston Manor 41-32 on July 25.

The game between Liberty and Roscoe proved to be a physical one with Lady Devil Sky Dutcher mixing it up inside with Liberty’s Williams. Dutcher opened the night’s scoring, but Williams tied it up with a pair of free throws. Roscoe showed its energy early on with a blocked shot by Dutcher that turned into a transition basket from Amanda Ladenhauf. Roscoe’s Amanda Huggins was extremely active underneath, and the Lady Devils got good guard play from Taylor DeVantier and Paige Clancy.

Sawchuck hit one for Liberty and by 11:05, the teams were knotted at six all.

Roscoe’s kids continued to effect steals. Molly Kruit picked off a Liberty pass and scored as Roscoe moved ahead. Williams tied it back at 10 apiece at 6:30.

Neither team was able to sustain a run. The score teetered back and forth as a putback by Dutcher gave Roscoe a one-point edge, only to have Sawchuck bank one in to give Liberty the lead right back. A shot by Clancy with 2.9 seconds to go in the half led to a 16-all tie at the break.

Both teams went cold for the first five minutes of the second half as defensive stops and turnovers abounded. Liberty had loads of looks but couldn’t get one to drop. DeVantier’s three-pointer broke the ice at 10:55, but it took Liberty four more minutes to score when Williams finally broke through at 6:59 to get Liberty within one.

A steal and basket by McNamara gave Liberty its first second-half lead, but Dutcher put the Lady Devils right back on top.

Although Roscoe was fighting with all it had, it was clear that the newbies were tiring. Conditioning and experience was Liberty’s trump card in the game’s waning minutes.

Diaz and Williams got back-to-back baskets, but Ladenhauf brought the Lady Devils back within one. A hard foul sent McNamara to the line where she sunk both free throws to give Liberty a 26-23 lead. Williams and Sawchuck added to the Liberty total, while DeVantier’s pair of free throws comprised Roscoe’s final points. Liberty won the firestorm by the score of 32-26.

“We just ran out of gas,” said Ahart. “We’re getting there,” she added, making reference to the team’s youth.

Lagatutta was pleased with the win but knew his team had been in a dogfight. During the fray, Arielly had to leave the gym with a knee injury. “We sat back in a two-three zone for a while in the second half and wore them down,” said the Liberty coach.

The two teams ended week three tied for second place with 3-4 records.

Downsville and Manor continue their winning ways

In earlier games, Downsville ran away from Tri-Valley as Stephanie Shellman proved to be too much for the defense. Getting steals and traveling the length of the floor, Shellman showed her ability to go left and right. Tri-Valley trailed 23-13 at the half and ended up on the short end of a 46-27 Downsville win.

In the game featuring rivals Eldred and Livingston Manor, Eldred looked to avoid being swept this week after losing to Downsville 42-30 on July 25. The game between Eldred and Manor was fast-paced and close. A nice inside pass from Lady Yellowjacket Stephanie Berger to Gabby Westfall tied it at 7-all with 10:14 to go in the first half, but neither team was able to mount much defense.

Eldred’s Ayla Englehard sunk one of two free throws as the first half expired with Manor holding an 18-12 edge.

Westfall, Englehard and Berger combined to cut Manor’s lead to one at 22-21 at 8:01, and it looked as if Eldred was finally going to get into the driver’s seat.

Manor coach Kevin Clifford called a time out, and when play resumed, the Lady Wildcats went on a tear, netting a trio of three pointers, including two from Marissa Diescher and one from Jackie Trotti. Manor jumped out to a 13-point lead. Eldred made a furious late run before losing 39-31.

Standings at the end of week three are as follows: Downsville 6-1, Livingston Manor 6-1, Liberty 3-4, Roscoe 3-4, Eldred 2-5, Tri-Valley 1-6.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of pictures on summer league action from week three.