GLENS FALLS – Jerry Power was in no mood to clown around. And that’s rare considering the Salesian High coach doubles as a professional clownnamed Juggles.
Though he promotes himself as being able to do “incredible magic,” Power apparently had no tricks up his sleeve to stop Buffalo Traditional in the first half of the state Federation tournament yesterday.
But then, voila!
Trailing by 13 points at halftime and 17 early in the third quarter, the Eagles suddenly became black belts on defense. With an all-out fullcourt press and sizzling outside shooting, Salesian roared back to take a comfortable 58-50 victory in the boys Class C semifinals before about 100 fans at the rickety Glens Falls Civic Center.
“Nobody ever asked me for change of a dollar,” Power said, “because I can’t put four good quarters together.”
Ba-dum-bum.
Jokes aside, Power and his Eagles (22-4) of New Rochelle, the CHSAA Class C champion, will continue their basketball act today when they face Lawrence Woodmere Academy (24-6) in the finals at 2 p.m.
Certainly, however, they can’t afford to have another slow start. In the first half, the Eagles shot just 26.1 percent (six of 23) and trailed the Bulls, 32-19.
“My son’s four years old and he shoots a little better than that,” said the 37-year-old Power. “We had 16 minutes of jitters.”
Those nerves continued into the third quarter as they fell behind 36-19. But led by senior Lamont Clanton (game-high 23 points, 18 rebounds, five steals, four assists) and Rich Rustici (16 points, 7-of-10 from the field), Salesian went on a 25-5 run to take a 44-41 lead with 7:06 to play in the fourth quarter. The Eagles shot 20 of 52 (38.5 percent) for the game.
Traditional (18-10) retook the lead 47-46 with 5:51 to play, but Clanton, a 6-4 forward, scored two unanswered inside baskets to put the Eagles ahead for good, 50-47, with 3:24 left.
Clanton, who scored 15 points after intermission, played spectacularly despite injuring his right ankle in the third quarter. He was limping noticably after the game, but hopes to play today.
“You can be pretty sure he’ll be hobbling out on the court like Willis Reed,” Power said.
BOYS CLASS B SEMIFINALBuffalo Turner-Carroll 86, Franklin Lane 44 Robert Villanueva scored a game-high 23 points for Lane (Brooklyn) in a losing cause. Turner-Carroll (23-2) was led by Cincinnati-signee Leonard Stokes and junior Ka’Ron Barnes with 20 points each. All five Chargers scored in double-figures.
Lane, which won the PSAL Class B championship at the Garden on March 14, finished its season 26-2.
Turner-Carroll will face Southampton (23-3) in the championship tonight at 7 o’clock.