Making history: MSIT claims first SIHSL tournament title
Last Updated: 2:07 AM, February 13, 2011
Posted: 1:38 AM, February 13, 2011
Josh Good remembers the feeling, when McKee/Staten Island Tech was so close to tasting victory in the Staten Island High School League (SIHSL) tournament title game only to have it snatched from his fingers by PSAL rival Curtis a year ago.
Back in the title game Saturday night, Good made sure history didn’t repeat itself.
He took control of the game in the decisive third quarter and by doing so made history for MSIT, which defeated St. Peter’s, 57-54, to win its first-ever SIHSL tournament title in front of a standing room only crowd at Monsignor Farrell in Oakwood.
AN RONG XU
MSIT's Josh Good scored a game-high 20 points to earn tournament MVP honors.
Photos: SIHSL tournament finalGood scored 15 of his game-high 20 points after halftime, including 11 in a third quarter that saw the Sea Gulls erase an 11-point deficit and seize momentum. On his 16-foot jumper 22 seconds into the fourth quarter, Good put MSIT (21-8) in front, 46-44. The Sea Gulls would never trail the rest of the way.
“I refused to lose two years in a row,” said Good, clutching the tournament MVP trophy. “I wasn’t trying to force nothing, I was just trying to let the game come to me. That’s what I think I did and we came away with the victory like I planned.”
Good spent much of the season off the court academically ineligible, itching for an opportunity to return and fully realize he was causing MSIT coach Charlie Donohue undue stress.
“I put Coach 'D' through a lot by not playing,” he said. “I probably raised his blood pressure, but I knew when I came back I had to work hard every day to get my playing time.”
That came in the SIHSL quarterfinals against Wagner and Good was a role player. He had seven points off the bench in a semifinal win over Curtis.
But with his team down 11 early in the third quarter, Good stepped into the spotlight. He nailed a 3-pointer from the corner that sparked a 17-4 run to give MSIT its first win since early in the first quarter.
“Once we put him in a situation he could score, he was going to do what Josh Good does,” Donohue said. “It was great to see him back where he belongs, which is leading his team to a championship. It’s a tribute to that kid for not going into the tank, not disappearing and showing up.”
Led by Stefan Bock, who had a team-high 19 points, St. Peter’s (19-7) twice got within a point in the final 46 seconds of the fourth quarter. But Good and Ryan Markoe each knocked down a pair of free throws to seal the biggest win in MSIT history.
“I’ve been counting down the days since last year when we had a heartbreaking loss, a 14-point defeat to Curtis and we’ve been working our [butt] off to get back here today,” Donohue said. “Being the first one to do it is special for these kids that they’ll never forget. You can never take it away from them. They were the team to put us on the map.”
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/basketball/making_history_msit_claims_first_FCIXu3T1DPmZTouSY0SoNO#ixzz1E2O5eU1m
No comments:
Post a Comment