Strong team effort lifts Bucktail to 66-63 stunner over Montgomery
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL- Bucktail head coach Travis Fantaskey mentioned earlier in the week that his team was going to take one of the big 2A games left on their schedule and it would come in the Bucks’ very next game against heated rivals Montgomery.
It was an intense battle from the opening tip in what would turn out to be a very physical game, a game in which the officials let both teams play with physicality.
Gavin Pick and Brody Pentz each recorded double-doubles and Gary Whipp scorched the nets for 15 points and the Bucks gained redemption and new life following a dismal loss at Northern Potter last week by stunning the red-hot Red Raiders 66-63 in Farwell.
Pick and Aidan Ditty both connected on early first quarter baskets and a Pentz basket with 1:19 left to go in the frame gave the Bucks a 14-10 lead after one quarter of play.
“This was the second straight game we played like a team.” Assistant coach Mike Charcalla commented following the win.
And he was right. Ethan Charcalla stepped up multiple times during the game, including his basket with 7:31 left to go in the half to build a 16-10 Bucktail lead.
Parker Bennett was outstanding for Montgomery. His three-point basket helped the Red Raiders climb to within three at 16-13. Bucktail’s senior all-stater then took over.
Pentz grabbed one of his game-high 14 rebounds and converted it into a putback with 5:30 remaining in the half to gain an 18-13 lead.
Montgomery mounted a rally that was thwarted by a circus layup from Gary Whipp that gave the Bucks a 22-21 lead. The Red Raiders went on a 5-0 run, but Pentz knocked down a three-point basket to close out the half and bring Bucktail to within 1 at 26-25 at the break.
The Bucks turned the ball over 15 times in the first half, but only allowed 4 takeaways in the second half. A 20-point Bucktail third quarter was the result of that effort.
The Red Raiders mounted a 29-25 lead before Pick drilled his first of two from beyond the arc in the quarter. Montgomery’s lead grew to 34-30, but Charcalla once again connected on another key basket. Whipp was the next Buck to come up big with a basket that knotted the score at 34-34.
Pick then became Bucktail’s savior by connecting on a pair of free throws and then sinking his second three-point basket of the quarter. Another Whipp basket, this time from beyond the arc and a Pick offensive rebound and put back at the buzzer had the home town Bucks up 45-41 heading into the fourth and final quarter.
And what a quarter it would be.
Ethan Charcalla’s big corner three-pointer and another 3 point play from Whipp had the Bucks up 52-44. Pentz then gave Bucktail their largest lead of the night with a drive and score.
The Bucks 10-point lead quickly evaporated against one of the Mid Penn Conference’s top teams. The Red Raiders put together a 7-0 run, that was stopped by a Brody Pentz offensive put back with 2:20 remaining in the game.
Another three from Bennett kept Montgomery alive, but a pair of Pentz baskets in the game’s final minute and a pair of free throws from Aidan Ditty with 29 seconds on the clock ended up icing the game for Bucktail.
The biggest key was Bucktail’s free throw shooting. The Bucks connected on 17 foul line baskets, opposed to just 13 in their previous outing.
Pentz led the way for the Bucks with 21 points, 14 rebounds and a pair of blocks. Pick finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Gary Whipp racked up 15 points for the Bucks and fellow senior Ethan Charcalla finished with 9 points.
Montgomery fell to 6-3 overall and 3-2 within MPC play. The Bucks received a huge playoff boost and improved to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Bucktail will be looking for some big power points on Tuesday when they travel to 4A CMVT.
Montgomery 10 16 15 22 63
Bucktail
Bucktail (66)
Pentz 7 6-12 21, Whipp 5 4-6 15, Pick 5 4-6 16, Charcalla 4 0-0 9, A. Ditty 1 2-4 4, T. Ditty 0 1-2 1, 22 17-30 66
3FG- 5 (Pick 2, Pentz, Whipp, Charcalla) Rebounds-37 (Pentz 14, Pick 10) Assists- 6 (Pentz 2, Whipp 2) Steals- 7 (Pentz 2, Charcalla 2, Pick 2) Blocks-2 (Pentz 2)
