Connellsville tested by stubborn Ringgold squad
CONNELLSVILLE – Nobody likes to win any more than Nick Bosnic, and he was happy with this victory Friday, but at the same time he had a little reminder for his players. Bosnic saw his Connellsville basketball players lead from wire to wire Friday night, to defeat a stubborn Ringgold team, 56-41, for the Falcons’ 17th win in 18 starts, including a 7-0 start in Section 2-AAAA.
As he relaxed after the win, Bosnic said, “You have to be happy any time you get a win, and I’m happy for our players, but at the same time you won’t win championships playing a game like this one.
“We have five big ones left in the section, and you can’t let even one get away from you, especially at home. You have to keep focused on your section games. Our players worked hard to get the win, but it was still a little bit short of a championship game effort.”
Connellsville took the lead at 6:37 on James Hairston’s layup to start a game high 24-point effort. Jesse Hyatt tied for the Rams (8-9, 2-5) with a rebound goal at 6:04, then Hairston hit again from the side, Chad Burton got a steal-layin and Hairston made two free ones for an 8-2 lead, and the Falcons never looked back.
Connellsville led 15-5 at the quarter and 25-18 at the half with the Rams closing the gap with two rebound goals by Troy Yonkers and a Vaughn Crews layup, sandwiched around a Hairston shot in front.
Jesse Hyatt put in two free ones to start the second half, making it 25-20, and that was as close as the Rams would be the rest of the game.
Starting from there, the Falcons strung a Hairston 3-pointer, Kevin Bell’s rebound goal, Justin Marsinko’s jumper from the side, Hairston’s jumper from the circle, Marsinko’s recovery underneath and Shane Kovack’s layin to cap a 13-point run that hiked their lead to 38-20.
Ryan Bowker got the first Ram goal of the second half on a baseline drive at 1:33 with the Falcons leading 38-25 into the fourth.
Bosnic said, “We went in at halftime a bit unhappy at letting them close the gap to seven, and they realized they had to put on a run of their own. The key to the game was that we got out to the lead, then put our full court pressure on them and closed the lanes.”
Ringgold coach Phil Pergola said, “The first quarter hurt us. We made seven turnovers, and they scored on four of them, plus we sent them to the foul line too many times in the game. They are a very quick team and they used that quickness to their advantage.
“Overall, we made too many turnovers at the wrong times, and their pressure was strong. Our opponents have scored 50 points or more against us only five times so far this season, and Connellsville has done it twice.”
Hairston (24) and Marsinko (12) led Connellsville scoring, and Yonkers, a big strong junior rebounder, had 18 for the Rams.
Now the Falcons enter the stretch run toward their hoped-for section title.
After Saturday night’s exhibition at Uniontown, they have five section games in a row, starting at Canon-McMillan on Tuesday, and then they get a big test at home with Laurel Highlands on Friday.