Bucktail soars into playoffs, ends Montgomery’s season with 60-54 win
By Bees O’Brien
FARWELL, PA- The improbable run has been extended by at least one more game. Bucktail used a strong team effort and a huge second half surge to fight off a late Montgomery rally and pick up a huge 2A Wednesday night victory over the Red Raiders, 60-54.
Montgomery entered the game in a must-win situation if they wished to extend their 2022-23 season. They needed help from Towanda and they got it. Montgomery needed Northeast Bradford to lose to the Black Knights, but at the same time they had to defeat Bucktail. Towanda did their part, but Montgomery failed to do their part. Northeast Bradford locked up the final spot in the D4 2A field.
For Bucktail, a victory Wednesday night or Thursday night against Austin would lock them into the 8-team D4 1A field. The Bucks weren’t about to let things come down to the regular season finale.
The victory gave Bucktail their fourth playoff bid in the past five seasons. They will more than likely be playing on Tuesday against an opponent and location yet to be determined. District 4 brackets will be unveiled over the weekend.
Montgomery played furiously in the first quarter. They knew what was at stake and to their credit they knew just how good this undersized Bucktail team had become since they last saw them. The Red Raiders 61-43 victory over the Bucks back on Feb. 3 was quickly forgotten.
As strong as Montgomery was in the first quarter, it was Johnny Green, Brody Pentz and Gary Whipp that kept Bucktail close during the 21-17 Montgomery first quarter. Green netted 7 points, Whipp added 5 and Pentz scored 4 points.
Head coach Mike Charcalla lit a fire under his Bucktail squad from the second quarter on as the Bucks would outscore the Red Raiders in all three remaining quarters.
Pentz began to dominate Montgomery in the paint. His 8 second quarter points and 3 rebounds helped the Bucks outscore the visitors 12-9, but they still found themselves in a 30-29 halftime hole.
Luckily for Bucktail it was a shallow hole that Brett Mason intended to dig his team out of in the third quarter. Mason’s 6 points, 4 rebounds and a blocked shot helped ignite Bucktail’s 15-10 third quarter and give the Bucks the 44-40 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
“Brett Mason was huge in the third quarter. Hit a couple jumpers and free throws. Hopefully that gets him going.” Coach Charcalla said of Mason.
Pentz would start his dominating fourth quarter with a Bucktail basket, which was followed by a Mason score to extend the lead to 48-40 with 7:20 remaining.
Charcalla has seen this thing happen before to the Bucks. Last week the Bucks let an 11-point lead slip away against Galeton.
“I’m proud of the way they fought in the second half tonight with Gary Whipp playing with four fouls.” Charcalla said of the intense final quarter. “They made a run on us, but we didn’t give up. Hit some clutch free throws to seal the deal.”
Pentz led the way at the line in the fourth quarter by going 6 for 7 from the charity stripe, on his way to a huge 12 point, 5 rebound quarter.
Bucktail closed out the game with a 16-14 advantage to set the final and lock up the playoff spot.
“It’s awesome. I’m proud of how these kids battled through adversity.” Charcalla said of Bucktail’s postseason bid. “We had some ups and downs, but never gave up. These guys deserve a shot at the postseason.”
Pentz led the way for Bucktail with 26 points and 10 rebounds. It was his eleventh double-double of the 2022-23 season. Whipp and Mason each scored 10 points. Johnny Green and Will Steele both added 7 in the victory.
Rayne Parish led Montgomery with 14 points. Demaj Stewart netted 12 and Hayden Wilt finished with 11 for the Red Raiders.
Bucktail (6-13) will now square off with Jon Ogden’s Austin Panthers Thursday night. Austin (6-14) will be coming off of a major upset victory over Coudersport in District 9 play Wednesday evening. The Panthers stunned the Falcons 52-40.
