Second Quarter Turning Point for Foxes

Four points in one quarter of a high school basketball game makes winning almost impossible.  The Harrison Huskies proved that Wednesday night in a 69-57 home loss to the Fox Lane Foxes.

Foxes senior Tim Muller was undoubtedly the night's star as he torched the Harrison defense for 30 points, turning what at one point looked like a very competitive game into an easy Fox Lane victory.

"I felt great, I got some good passes from my teammates and had some open shots so I was able to make them today," said Muller.  "It's easy when everybody can make shots."

But the entire game wasn't a walk through for the Foxes.  Harrison was the team that appeared to have the upper hand early.  After starting the game on a 9-0 run, Dennis Rinaldi, who finished with a team high 16 points, and Jared Hodes, who added 13, led the Huskies to a 20-12 lead after the first quarter.

However,  Muller and the Foxes came out looking like a completely different squad in the second quarter.

"I would say coach putting us in a 2-3 zone was a big thing for us," said Muller.  "We rebounded well out of it and we could push the ball.  Some of us were able to create open looks for other people and today they fell for us."

The Foxes outscored the Huskies 20-4 in the second quarter to take the 32-24 lead at halftime.  They would keep that lead for the remainder of the contest.

"Our offense just bogged down, passing was pathetic and turnovers killed us," said Harrison Head Coach Gary Chiarella.  "They were running a clinic against our man defense, screening and getting layups."

Harrison did threaten to make a comeback at one point in the third quarter.  Matt Pipitone opened scoring in the second half by converting a three pointer and the defense appeared to finally slow down the Fox Lane passing attack as the Huskies drew to within a point.  But the Foxes flexed their muscles toward the end of the third quarter, as they exploited the Harrison defense to build a 50-39 lead.

"This is who these kids are, they just fight." said Fox Lane Head Coach Chris Violante.  "The big thing that I talked about in that locker room was playing for 32 minutes.  You can't play 31 and a half, 31 or 30.  You have got to play 32 minutes and that's what we did today.  The kids played great."

Harrison, on the other hand, could never get their offense in sync throughout the second half.  With five minutes still showing on the clock, the game was already out of their reach.

"If we don't improve we're not going to win many games," said Chiarella.  "We're not good enough to just come out and play."