Boys Hoops: Tigers Outlast John Jay-CR

With emotions on edge as they battled to break a four-game losing streak, the Mamaroneck boys basketball team (8-6) had to hang tough Saturday afternoon at the Palmer gym at Mamaroneck High School.

With every altercation between Mamaroneck senior Jarred Mascali and John Jay-Cross River senior Matt Sobocinski, the chances of a full-blown skirmish were high.

But Mamaroneck kept its cool, and Sobocinski briefly lost his, getting ejected from the game with 2:01 left and the Tigers leading by five. Mascali made one of two technical free throws, and Mamaroneck hung on from there for a 51-46 win.

Emotional leader Mascali was also the Tigers' leading scorer with 13 points in a well-balanced attack that featured three players in double-digits for the Tigers.

"It feels really good," Mascali said after the game. "We gutted it out, and came out with the victory."

The sparkplug senior was just that in the second quarter, when he drove to the basket and laid it in with 1:30 before halftime. On Cross River's next trip up the floor, Mascali stole the ball and got fouled on another layup attempt. His two made free throws gave Mamaroneck a 24-22 lead, though the game was tied at 24 when the teams broke for halftime.

One minute into the third quarter, Mascali was at it again, burying a three from the corner to give his team a 28-24 lead. Then, with moments left in the quarter, he stole an Indians' pass, streaked down the floor, and laid it in at the buzzer, the ball leaving his hand about a split second before the horn sounded. The basket not only gave Mamaroneck a 40-33 lead, but the emotional boost it needed to finish the game out.

It was, of course, Mascali who helped Mamaroneck leave no doubt late in the fourth quarter. With under a minute left, Cross River's Seth Kuhn missed a layup, forcing the Indians to foul down by four. Sam Gruppo missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Oliver Shirley was there for the put-back to put Mamaroneck up 48-42. As John Jay came the other way, Mascali came out of nowhere to reject an Indians' layup attempt.

Then, with ten seconds remaining, Matt Ferentini brought John Jay to within two, and Gruppo (12 points) went back to the free throw line. After he made one of two, giving Mamaroneck a 49-46 lead, John Jay threw the ball away with under three seconds left. Mamaroneck's Matt Mezansky (7 points) was sent to the line, and he iced the game with two free throws.

"I think we gutted out a win," Mamaroneck coach Tyrone Carver said after the game. "It's been a rough couple of days? after losing four straight."

LMC-TV filmed today's game and will broadcast it Friday, Feb. 5 – Sunday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 6 – Monday, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.