Scarsdale JV Basketball Improves to 8-3

The Scarsdale JV Boys Basketball Team continued its winning ways this past week, improving its record to 8-3 with a 67-60 overtime win over White Plains and a decisive 58-41 win over Byram Hills.

White Plains: On January 20, 2012, the JV Raiders hosted White Plains for their second meeting in one week. In their previous meeting at White Plains on January 13, the Raiders defeated the Tigers in a high-scoring game, 75-71. In that game, the Raiders trailed until the final minute, taking the lead for the first time on a jump shot by Grant Knief with one minute to play. The rematch promised to be an exciting game and it did not disappoint, as the Raiders staged a furious comeback to defeat the Tigers, 65-60, in overtime.

Picking up where they left off one week ago, both teams got off to a fast start in the rematch. Paced by early baskets from Matt Katz (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Zach Marcus (12 points, 8 rebounds), the Raiders ended the first quarter tied at 16. The teams continued to exchange baskets throughout the second quarter. A basket by Evan Dweck (5 points, 6 rebounds) and two late free throws by Marcus gave the Raiders a 27-25 lead at halftime.

In the third quarter, however, White Plains took the lead and finished the quarter leading 43-40, despite a clutch basket from Eli Nobler. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers extended their lead to 54-48 with just under 4 minutes to play and seemed to be pulling away. But the Raiders refused to quit. Trailing 57-53 with just thirty seconds to play, the Raiders got a clutch basket from Grant Goodman (12 points, 3 assists) to cut their deficit to two. After an intentional foul and two missed free throws, the Raiders had one last chance. With 6 seconds to play, the Raiders in-bounded the ball from under the Tigers’ basket. Goodman escaped a double team in the left hand corner, circled towards the top of the key, and drove strong down the center of the lane. As the White Plains defenders quickly collapsed on him, Goodman alertly found Eric Singer (8 points, 7 rebounds) under the basket for the game-tying lay-up as the buzzer sounded, sending the teams into overtime and the crowd into a frenzy.

In overtime, the Raiders dominated play. After White Plains scored the initial point on a free throw, the Raiders came back with 7 straight points on baskets by Goodman and Singer and a clutch three-point basket from Jonathan Potter (6 points). Free throws accounted for the final margin as the Raiders went on to a 67-60 victory over the Tigers. The win raised the Raiders’ record to 7 wins and 3 losses.

Armonk (Byram Hills): On January 24, 2012, the JV Raiders hosted Byram Hills. Using their superior speed and athleticism, the Raiders broke open a close game and cruised to a 58-41 victory.

The game started slowly, with both teams displaying strong defense and neither team allowing any transition baskets. Good shooting and aggressive play from Grant Goodman (7 points, 3 steals) and a halftime buzzer-beating shot from Eric Singer (9 points, 8 rebounds) -- his second buzzer-beater in two games -- kept the Raiders even as the teams went to halftime tied at 20.

The third quarter was all Scarsdale, as the Raiders switched to an aggressive, trapping defense and took control of the game. Baskets from Matt Katz (12 points), Goodman, and Zach Marcus (10 points), together with strong inside play from Singer and Evan Dweck (2 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks) sparked the Raiders on a 22-7 run, and the Raiders ended the quarter leading 42-27.

The fourth quarter saw the Raiders extend their lead on baskets by Andreas Larsen (6 points), Grant Knief, and Jay Pocharaju. The highlights of the second-half were a spectacular no-look pass from Jacob Newman to Jeff Leone for a driving lay-up, and a ferocious block by Daniel Markowitz of an attempted Armonk lay-up. A basket by James Beveridge closed out the scoring for the Raiders.

With their win against Armonk. the JV Raiders improved their record to 8-3, with upcoming games on Tuesday (January 31) at Mamaroneck (6 p.m.), Wednesday (February 1) at Eastchester (4:15 p.m.), Friday (February 3) at home against Irvington (4:30 p.m.), and Saturday (February 4), at home against Portchester (4:00 p.m.).