Basketball

Eastern front

Monticello downs Fallsburg as back-in-the-day non-league rivalry rekindles

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY— All was not quiet on the Eastern Front of Sullivan County on December 9 as Fallsburg and Monticello renewed a basketball rivalry that has been conspicuously absent for years.

The game recalled days when both schools had teams that rattled the rafters.

Back in 2002-03, Fallsburg won the Class C Section Nine title, went on to Glens Falls and lost a heartbreaker in the state semifinals to Buffalo City Honors. Monticello was Section Nine Class A champ in 2001. After years of listening to people clamor for a renewal of the old rivalry, Monticello and Fallsburg finally relit the fuse and the fireworks began.

By game’s end, Monticello had emerged the 53-30 victor over the Comets, a team trying to find its niche following the graduation of two of Sullivan County’s best players in Darius Buckner and Randy Gilmore, now causing havoc at Schenectady County Community College,

Fallsburg returns seniors Colin Whittaker, Mike Melko, Danny Seletsky, Sam Ingber and Jason Corley, but life without the star duo that accounted for 65 percent of the offense means everyone will now have to step it up.

Corley controlled the opening tip and slashed to the basket for a lay up. Like two boxers, the teams jabbed at each other trying to feel each other out. Monticello welcomed the Comets to its intense full-court helping man defense. The result was a number of early turnovers.

Briar Patterson gave the Monties a lead. Melko swished a three as Fallsburg went back on top 5-3, but that would be the Comets’ last lead of the night.

Monticello’s ratcheted-up defense held Fallsburg to only four more points in the quarter, while its offense reeled off 12 points in the remaining minutes of the frame.

Patterson tied it and Jesse Kapito nailed a three-pointer. Soon after, he hit another. By night’s end, the sophomore would have a trio of treys and stood in to take three charges as Monticello’s interior defense denied the Comets any easy access to the rim.

“I was really impressed with our defensive effort,” Monticello coach Chris Russo would later note. “We took five charges. You keep teams from driving to the basket, forcing them to play from the outside in.”

Monticello led 15-7 at the end of the first quarter. Kapito and Patterson led the way. The Panthers also got points from Demetre Elliot and Shamell Moore, who was saving his fireworks for later.

Moore would erupt for 16 by night’s end to lead all scorers.

With foul issues and Corley out, Fallsburg morphed from man to a two-three zone. Kapito forced the Comets to come out, which opened the way to interior cuts for the quick Monties.

In the second quarter Frank Small got the opening bucket and Moore canned a three as the Panthers’ lead burgeoned to 20-7.

Holding Fallsburg to just six points in the frame, Monticello roared to a 33-13 lead by halftime, fueled by Patterson, Moore and Elliot. “We’ve got to keep playing with intensity,” said Russo at the start of the third quarter.

The Panthers’ defense limited the struggling Comets to four points in eight minutes. But the Monties turned the ball over four times and scored only nine points, three of which came off Kapito’s final downtowner.

Monticello led 42-17 heading into the fourth quarter. Moore canned his third trey. Meanwhile, Fallsburg came alive, getting points from Dan Seletsky, Jason Corley, Rodrick Cash and Corley Russell, but it was too little and too late.

“We can’t rely on one or two guys like we did last year,” said coach Pete Dworetksy. We need to capitalize on open shot opportunities.”

Fallsburg had a stunning home win over Sullivan West in ‘07 that featured eight three pointers. Gilmore’s final one iced the win. Fallsburg didn’t make sectionals and ended up at 6-13.

Monticello won its sectional opener before losing to Red Hook.

The Panthers are now 2-3, while Fallsburg is 0-2. Russo was very pleased with his team’s effort and complimentary to Fallsburg as well. “We had a bit of a lapse in the third quarter. When we back off our full court man defense we tend to get a little lazy, but we’re working on that and we’re getting better.”

Monticello lost 68-37 to Class AA Monroe-Woodbury on December 13. They will host Port Jervis on December 19 for their first league game of the season.

Fallsburg traveled to Liberty on December 17 for its first league fray.

Moore had 16 points for Monticello. Patterson had 13, while Kapito and Elliot each had nine.

Matt Seletsky led Fallsburg with six points. The Monties were five-for-nine from the charity stripe. Fallsburg was two-for-seven.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of photos from the game.