Bucktail’s comeback kids fall short at South 56-55
By Bees O’Brien
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT- For the second time in as many games, the Bucktail Bucks found themselves down by single digits to a perennial Mid Penn Conference power. Friday night showcased their resilience in coming from behind to down Sullivan County and on Tuesday night it was nearly South Williamsport’s turn to face the same fate.
The Mounties would eventually fight off a fierce Bucktail comeback and survive a scare at home, 56-55.
The Bucks trailed 28-20 at the break and battled back the entire second half, thanks in part to a swarming press defense that head coach Travis Fantaskey implemented in the third quarter. That old school defense hadn’t been seen out of the Cherry & White since the mid to late 1990’s and it payed huge dividends for the Bucks.
Bucktail’s Brody Pentz had a monstrous game for the Bucks, but one of his biggest plays was to start the fourth quarter when he collected one of his game-high 7 steals and would find Braylon Fantaski for a basket that would knot things up at 41-41.
South, to their credit would fight off every attempt the Bucks would make and grab a slim 44-41 lead before Brett Mason would find Pentz on an inbound pass to pull the visitors to within 1 point.
Bucktail would finally take their first lead of the night when Pentz would find Johnny Green on a beautiful give and go to put the Bucks up 47-46.
A tip in by the Mounties and a putback on an offensive rebound would build their lead to 50-47, but back would come the Bucks.
Bucktail trailed 52-47 when senior Will Steele would drill the first of two fourth quarter three-point baskets. Steele’s second three of the quarter would come with just 35.9 seconds remaining in the contest and gave Bucktail the 55-54 lead.
South’s next trip down the floor looked to have been stopped on a Fantaski block, but the Bucktail senior would be called for a foul. South would miss the front-end foul shot and then Bucktail would be whistled on an apparent lane violation. The Mountie player’s second foul shot would be whistled dead on a South Williamsport lane violation.
Bucktail, needing to inbound the ball with just 17 seconds, would turn the ball over and all South Williamsport to push multiple players down in plain view. This would result in a basket and a win for the Mounties, 56-55.
Pentz collected his second straight double-double by scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. He also collected 7 steals. Fantaski led the Bucks with 15 points and Will Steele added 13 for the 1-2 Bucks. South improved to 2-4 on the season.
Bucktail will be in action on Thursday night when they host District 9’s Northern Potter (3-3). This game will be a live video and audio stream on The Record Online.
Bucktail 6 14 19 16 – 55
South 15 13 13 15 – 56
Bucktail (55)
Pentz 7 0-0 14, Fantaski 5 5-7 15, Mason 2 0-0 5, Green 3 0-0 6, Steele 5 0-0 13, Shearer 1 0-0 2, TOTALS- 23 5-7 55
3FG- 4 (Steele 3, Mason)
