GFS falls apart in 4th quarter against Shipley

Posted 2/9/16

GFS seemed to have the game under control until Shipley staged a late-game comeback for a 55-43 win. by Si Affron For the first 30 of the 36 minutes at Friday night’s game at Shipley, history …

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GFS falls apart in 4th quarter against Shipley

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GFS seemed to have the game under control until Shipley staged a late-game comeback for a 55-43 win. GFS seemed to have the game under control until Shipley staged a late-game comeback for a 55-43 win.

by Si Affron

For the first 30 of the 36 minutes at Friday night’s game at Shipley, history seemed to be repeating itself for GFS boys basketball. Unfortunately for the boys from Coulter Street, though, the final six minutes ended their bid for a second straight year upsetting a higher seed in the Friends League playoffs, falling 55 – 43.

Just making the Friends School League playoffs was an accomplishment for the Tigers, who had not previously gone to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since 2001-02 and 2002-03. Winning a playoff game in back-to-back years, however, is something the Tigers have not done this century, and could not quite pull off on Friday.

Playing 4th place Shipley, 5th place GFS went to the Main Line for the right to play to Friends’ Central on Tuesday. Just as was the case last season, their playoff foe was a team which had thoroughly dominated them in the regular season (Shipley beat GFS 60-31 on January 19). But just as was the case last season as well, the second bout was a far different affair. A GFS team which had been snake-bitten by injuries, missing two of their starters in the January matchup, finally was back at full-strength, and the difference showed.

At the end of one quarter, GFS led 8-5. Shipley did not even get a field goal until nearly 7 minutes into the contest. At the half, it was 20-18. After three quarter, it was 32-25. All the while, the GFS faithful’s excitement began to build. Murmurings of a repeat of last year’s upset victory at Friends’ Central in the playoffs swelled. They reached a frenzy with 6 minutes to go, when the GFS lead reached its peak at a score of 41-28. But two quick buckets and the fouling out of a second GFS starter, Charlie Dolgenos, turned the tables. In a remarkable turn of the tide, the lead was all but erased in 2 minutes, and Shipley went on a 27-2 run to close the game with a shocking double-digit victory.

Led by star guard Sam Sessoms, Shipley shook off a poor shooting night with an onslaught of points late, especially at the free throw line, and took advantage of GFS’ lack of depth when starters Charlie Dolgenos and Isaac Myran fouled out early in the fourth quarter. Sessoms himself had 17 to lead the charge, including 8 in the final 5 minutes, and he was assisted by a double-digit scoring effort from senior teammate Arvelle Jones. Though the third piece of Shipley’s “big three,” point guard Kiyon Hardy, was held in check with 7 points, the group’s athleticism and energy overwhelmed the Tigers.

For the first three quarters, it was largely the Michael Buckmire show for GFS. The junior guard scored 21 points, including buckets on back-to-back-to-back possessions to begin the fourth quarter and stretch the lead. On a cold night from GFS sharpshooter Sam Istvan, who finished 1-7 in three-pointers, secondary scoring from forward Pietro Berghella and guard Charlie Dolgenos was the difference for much of the contest.

Sessoms, who excels pushing the tempo in transition, was held in check against GFS at full strength. But late in the game, he exposed GFS’s transition defense by running the floor, drawing fouls, and expertly forcing turnovers in Shipley’s desperation full-court press. GFS could do nothing but watch their lead melt away as Shipley sliced into their lead and created a sizable lead for themselves; evidently, they also watched their hopes of advancing melt away.

Shipley plays next on Tuesday at FCS, while GFS waits for the PAISAA state tournament bracket to be released to see if they will be given another chance to play basketball this season.

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