Cougar’s Tip St. Pats in OT

             The prospect of beating the St. Patrick-St. Vincent basketball Bruins looked impossible at the start of last Wednesday’s varsity basketball game. Yet, a sudden spark ignited the Cougars midway through the second quarter, leading to a barn-burning overtime victory, 71-70.

            The Cougars got off to a slow start against SPSV. They were lacking defensively and trailing by seven points at the end of the first quarter.

            The game continued similarly in the second period. The Cougars scored a quick basket but SPSV answered with another three pointer, changing the score to 25-17. The team was dragging.

            Albany needed something to boost their morale and get them back in the game. Just that happened: four minutes into the second quarter junior Connor Freeberg blocked a St. Pats player and stole the ball. It was as if the team immediately woke up. Suddenly the Cougars were “dropping dimes” and bringing the heat. Freeberg hit a jump shot 22 seconds before half time putting the Cougars in the lead for the first time, 31-29.

            From then on, the game was grueling and intense. Every time the Cougars broke away, SPSV came back. The teams spent the last quarter of the game within five points of each other. But as they entered the final minutes of the game, Albany could not gain the lead.

            Jing-jing Gong fouled out of the game with St Pats leading 67-65 and only 1:22 remaining on the clock.

Freeberg was then fouled and made his free throws, saving the game and forcing overtime.

            St. Pats scored the first point during a scrappy and wild overtime. Senior Jordan Johnson grabbed the ball, ran to the basket and was pushed to the floor. Despite the shove, he lobbed the ball up and it miraculously went into the basket. The crowd roared in excitement and Albany took the lead, 71-70.

However, the fight was far from over. With 26.1 seconds left, Freeberg was called for traveling, turning the ball over.  Sensing danger, point guard and junior captain, Kevin Terusaki took a charge and kept St. Pats from making a basket.

Eight seconds remained as St. Pats struggled to make a play. The final SPSV shot bounced on the rim over and over, but failed to go in as the buzzer went off, sealing the Cougar win at 71-70.

            In the St. Pats game earlier in the season, Albany won by one point in the last few seconds. With their second win the Cougars knocked St. Pats out of the playoffs. 

Christina Strawbridge, the coach’s mom, explained that this game was “important on a lot of levels.”  To add some history, Coach Strawbridge coached the St. Pats basketball team for 12 years before coming to Albany. It was particularly momentous playing against kids he had coached during their freshman year.

Coach Strawbridge said, “I think we have definitely established a rivalry with St. Pats.”

            Coach Strawbridge added that this was a, “big win for the team.  In a rivalry situation, you have to step up and I think our kids did that.” 

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