Between a laundry list of fouls, a superb effort from Marquis Gilbert and even a question about the score of the game, the Liverpool boys basketball team had a lot to overcome in Tuesday night’s season opener at Corcoran.
Somehow, the Warriors navigated through these waters and, with well-timed big plays down the stretch, edged past the Cougars 83-82 when Corcoran settled for a lay-up in the final seconds when a 3-point basket may have forced overtime.
From a 10-10 team in 2013-14 that lost in the Section III Class AA quarterfinal to Fayetteville-Manlius, head coach Matt Jacob faced plenty of roster turnover, from graduating seniors like Caleb Taylor to junior Jaydakis Scott not playing this season as he concentrates on football.
But the new-look Warriors roster, with no player taller than 6-foot-4, did not mind getting into a sprint with Corcoran, trading baskets through a wild, high-scoring first half before grabbing a 53-44 lead midway through the third quarter.
Corcoran countered with a 16-3 run to close the period, led by Gilbert, who would earn 10 of his game-high 31 points in that frame. By the time they reached the early portion of the final period, Liverpool trailed, 69-60.
Now it was the Warriors’ turn to rally, though, and it chipped away at the margin until Will Cutler’s 3-pointer with less than a minute to play put Liverpool in front, 80-78.
That was the first of a trio of big plays that decided the outcome. The second came after Corcoran tied it again, 80-80, on a pair of Lashondre Jordan free throws. Working the ball to the baseline, the Warriors found Sumit Singh, who hadn’t scored a basket since the first quarter. Singh hit an open jumper with 25 seconds left.
Now up 82-80, Liverpool, whose defense had struggled all night, made the one play it needed, Matt Hunter taking a charge with 9.9 seconds to play. Moments later, Tyler Sullivan hit a free throw, and that proved the winning point when the Warriors’ defense twice kept Corcoran from an open 3-point look as the clock ran out.
All told, Sullivan had 21 points, while Cutler earned 19 points. Freshman Naz Johnson made an impressive varsity debut, earning 15 points as Hunter got to 11 points and Singh seven points.
Despite all of its production, only Gilbert and Romello Braxtron (15 points) reached double figures for Corcoran, who had two players foul out. The Warriors took 50 free throws for the night, making 31 of them for a 62 percent rate.
From there, the Warriors travel to a weekend tournament in Niagara Falls, which begins Friday night against Buffalo’s Cardinal O’Hara and continues Saturday against East Aurora, from the Section VI ranks,
