By Ted Waddell
ROSCOE — December 9, 2003 – Despite the fact that the host team raced out to an early lead in last Thursday’s championship game of the 1st Annual Roscoe Blue Devils Basketball Tournament, The Family School Foundation Falcons swooped back to take a 27-20 lead at halftime.
The Family School (2-0) went on to capture the tournament title with a 57-44 victory.
Within a minute of the start of the second half, the Falcons were up 33-20. But about halfway through the third quarter, Roscoe (1-1) fought back to within five points.
Moments later, The Family School was back in command with a 10-point lead.
However, the Blue Devils keep battling back.
Roscoe’s Dustin Sullivan brought the third period to a close and the hometown fans to their feet with a fadeaway bucket from outside the paint to slash the Falcons’ lead to just three points, 40-37.
But the Family School outscored Roscoe 17-7 in the fourth period to seal the victory.
Leading the Falcons to the win were Paul Cassidy and Mike O’Brien, each of whom scored 14 points on the evening. Miles Farkas added 12 points for The Family School.
Blue Devil senior Justin Bowers netted a game-high 19 points.
The Family School was 15-of-27 (56 percent) at the foul line, while Roscoe went 7-of-14 (50 percent).
“I thought it was a very hard fought game by both teams, very intensive,” Roscoe Coach Fred Ahart said. “They played it right down to the wire, but The Family School was able to hold on in the end.”
His early season take on the Blue Devils?
“I’m very encouraged,” Ahart replied. “If these guys continue to play this hard, good things will happen.”
Pat Simmons, who is in his first year as coach of The Family School, said it was a great game, filled with excitement.
“We were up by 15 at one point, but Roscoe came right back,” he said, crediting the Blue Devils’ “great shooters”
Simmons noted that Bowers and Daniel DeVantier “really caused us problems.”
“It was a great tournament,” Simmons added.
After the final buzzer and the trad-
itional rites of good sportsmanship, including congratulatory handshakes, Roscoe Central School Superintendent George Will awarded plaques to the runner-up Blue Devils and the champion Falcons.