Sports
Wildcats Top Hilltoppers
Rye Country Day Wildcats pull out a 65-60 victory over conference rival Hopkins.
The last time the Wildcats faced the Hopkins Hilltoppers, they were defeated by 25 points and lost one of the team’s top players, Lowes Moore, to an injury during the game.
“They killed us,” Rye Country Day boys Head Coach Vin Minotti said.
The story ended much differently Thursday for Wildcats boys basketball. The team overcame a 31-26 halftime score to defeat the Hilltoppers 65-60.
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Thursday’s win was a true embodiment of the Wildcats’ theme for the season: “exceed expectations,” which stems from the team’s first New York State Association of Independent Schools championship last year.
"Tonight was a true will for this team," Minotti said. “We exceeded expectations tonight," he said.
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The Hilltoppers were hurt by the Wildcats’ defensive intensity and successful trips to the line late in the contest.
Darren Douglas pulled the Wildcats to within one point, 31-30, in the third quarter before Alex Gendelman’s layup at 11:56 gave the Wildcats their first lead of the night, 32-31.
Hopkins then regained momentum, scoring two consecutive baskets and taking a 35-34 lead before Darren O’Brien netted a three of his own to stretch the Hilltoppers’ lead to nine, 43-34.
With less than four minutes to go, the teams exchanged the lead several times before O’Brien’s fast break layup tied it at 55-55. However, Matt Staubi’s free throw put the Wildcats back up 56-55 at the two-minute mark.
Hausman’s perfect trip to the line gave the Hilltoppers one last lead, 57-56, before Gendelman answered with a two-pointer, giving the Wildcats a 58-57 advantage.
After the Wildcats increased their lead to six points, Hilltopper Nolan Paige cut the deficit to three, 63-60, but Gendelman’s two clutch free throws in the last minute helped the Wildcats pull away with the 65-60 victory.
“They [the Wildcats] really wanted it bad,” Hopkins Head Coach Rocco DeMaio said about his team’s loss to the Wildcats.
RCDS improves to 7-7 overall on the season and 4-5 in FAA play. The Wildcats next play at 3:20 p.m. Saturday against Hackley in a Coaches for Cancer game at Manhattan College.
Laurent Firlotte, Matt Luciani and O’Brien each had 14 points for the Hilltoppers.
Hopkins falls to 5-4 in league play and 8-12 overall heading into Friday’s 6:30 p.m. home game against Cheshire Academy.
