Bucktail stuns defending District Champions Sullivan County, 58-54
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA- Last season Bucktail fell in the PIAA District IV 1A quarterfinals to Sullivan County by 32 points. On Friday night the 2023-24 version of the Bucks would send shockwaves through the District IV standings and sent a message to the rest of the Mid Penn Conference with a 58-54 thrilling win over the Griffins.
Bucktail would put their terrible season-opening 69-30 loss at Muncy behind them with huge games from Brody Pentz, Brett Mason and Braylon Fantaski.
Pentz would score a team-high 21 points and grab 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. Seniors Mason and Fantaski would score 12 and 11 points respectfully and combine for 5 three-point baskets.
It was tough going early on for the Bucks. Sullivan’s outstanding all-conference player Ben Carpenter would make things that much tougher for the Bucks.
Carpenter would sink 11 of his game-high 30 points in the first quarter to help the Griffins build a 15-5 lead before Pentz would begin to heat up.
Pentz would complete a three-point play to narrow the margin to 15-7. A late Bucktail basket would set the score at 15-9 after one quarter of play.
Mason and Fantaski’s three-point shooting kept Bucktail close, as they were only outscored 14-13 in the second quarter, but trailed 29-22 at the half.
Bucktail then exploded in the third quarter.
It all started with a tough offensive rebound from Johnny Green that would send the Bucks’ senior to the line. Green was instrumental throughout the contest, but he made a physical impact in the third quarter with 5 rebounds that all led to Bucktail points.
The Bucks finally got within 1 point when Fantaski would take a defensive rebound coast to coast, shrinking the Griffins’ lead to 30-29. Fantaski would then bury a three on the Bucks’ next trip down the floor to give Bucktail the lead for good at 32-30.
Pentz would score 6 points in the frame, part of a huge 20-1 third quarter advantage for the Bucks. The huge point swing had the Bucks up 42-30 heading into the final quarter.
Sullivan County and Carpenter were far from done.
Carpenter would net 12 of the Griffins 24 fourth quarter points. Sullivan climbed to within 53-50 when they would try to save some clock time with just over thirty seconds left in the game by rolling the ball on their inbounds play. That’s when senior Will Steele would make the heads up play of the night and steal the ball and convert the laypup to put the Bucks up 55-50.
Sullivan would make a final run in the final seconds, but it would be too little, too late despite outscoring the Bucks 24-16 in the final quarter.
Bucktail committed 35 turnovers during their 69-30 season opening loss at Muncy. They only forced just 8 turnovers in Friday night’s win.
Bucktail’s huge third quarter was too much for Sullivan to overcome, as the Bucks would avenge their season-ending playoff loss to the Griffins.
Bucktail (1-1, 1-1) will remain in conference play when they travel to South Williamsport (1-2, 1-0) on Tuesday. Sullivan County dropped to 1-3 on the season and 1-2 in conference play.
Sullivan 15 14 1 24 54
Bucktail 9 13 20 16 58
Bucktail (58)
Pentz 8 5-9 21. Fantaski 3 2-2 11, Green 0 2-6 2, Mason 5 0-0 12, Steele 3 3-4 9, Whipp 1 1-2 3, TOTALS-20 13-23 58
3FG- 5 (Fantaski 3, Mason 2) Rebounds- 30 (Pentz 10) Assists- 7 (Pentz 5) Steals- 7 (Steele 3) Blocks- 3 (Fantaski, Green, Whipp)
