By Rob Potter
LOCH SHELDRAKE — December 10, 2002 – Tri-Valley overcame a 12-point first half deficit Sunday afternoon to earn a third-place finish in boys’ division of the Sullivan County Community College High School Tip-Off Classic.
The Family School stormed out to a double digit lead in the second quarter, but the Bears kept clawing away at that Falcon advantage.
Led by senior guard Kyle Humphrey, who scored a game-high 28 points, T-V (1-1) rallied to post a 63-59 win over The Family School at Paul Gerry Fieldhouse.
Family (0-2) took a 18-14 lead into the second quarter and extended its advantage to a dozen (32-20) when Luke Droserus stole the ball and converted a layup midway through the second period.
But the Bears calmly narrowed the gap, tying the score at 47-47 heading into the fourth quarter. T-V took the lead for good when Humphrey converted four straight free throws within a 30-second span late in the period.
The senior guard also converted a pair of foul shots with 1:15 showing on the clock to give T-V a 60-55 lead.
The Falcons attempted to close the gap in the final minute, but could not get any three-point shots to fall.
“Kyle had a great game,” said T-V Coach Jason Semo. “He deserves to have a good season, he’s worked really hard in the off-season. And he gives us great leadership. He’s a excellent student and a great kid.”
Semo also noted the play of senior center Brenton Smith.
“He did a great job for us with his rebounding today,” the coach said of Smith, who scored 10 points for the Bears.
Guard Danny Weisberg, the third senior on the Bear roster, added nine points in the victory.
“Kyle Humphrey is a tough player,” Family Coach Larry Petrisso said. “He gave us fits defensively.”
Four Falcons – junior guard Miles Farkas, senior guard Luke Droserus and senior forwards John Fischer and Ryan McCarthy – scored in double figures. Farkas netted 18 and McCarthy added 15 points. Fischer and Droserus chipped in with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Despite two losses to open the season, Patrisso is very optimistic about the 2002-2003 hoop year. (The Family School lost to Wallkill 75-39 in Saturday’s opening round of the tournament.)
“It’s okay, we’ll be ready for the league – our first game is Wednesday versus Livingston Manor,” he said. “We played a lot better in this second game. We’ll continue to work hard. I think by the middle of the season we’ll be in a groove.”
Notes: Farkas and Humphrey were named to the all-tournament team, along with Wallkill’s Matt Cutney and Brandon Rola and Berkshire Center’s Jamal Lewis. Berkshire’s Tim Williams was named the MVP of the tournament. . . . In the girls’ division, Warwick defeated Wallkill in the championship game Sunday afternoon. In the consolation game, the Tri-Valley Lady Bears defeated the Family School Lady Falcons, 50-33. Leading the Lady Bears to the win was junior forward Amanda Krom, who netted 16 points in the win. . . . Named to the girls’ all tournament team were Krom and The Family School’s Dee Gill. They were joined by Wallkill’s Amy Leopold and Stephanie Neptune and Warwick’s Lizzete Soto. Sue Lendzian of Warwick was chosen as the MVP.