NCN SPORTS BLOG

-Courtesy of Tom Forde, NCN Sports Reporter-

Coming into last nights Class B semifinal showdown at the County Center there was a lot of people who thought that Putnam Valley would be overmatched against Briarcliff, who is an exceptionally deep and talented team. Most skeptics thought that the Tigers’ run to the championship game would end at the hands of their league rivals. Most everyone thought this would be the end, everyone except for the Putnam Valley girls and yours truly (read the prediction from days before). This is not any disrespect to Don Hamlin and his Bears who had a phenomenal season and were some of the nicest girls on and off the court but something told me that this game and this tournament would belong to the Tigers. It is sort of an intangible element that makes the Putnam Valley girls basketball team so dangerous in a single elimination format and so exciting to watch. Christine Kemp and Kim Kastuk have been a dynamic duo since day one but the big time contributions of junior Nicole Scott have made this powerful one-two punch a terrific triple threat. That is exactly what Briarcliff got a steady dose of last night (Tuesday February 27) as Kemp (17 points, 3 steals), Kastuk (10 points, 3 steals), and Scott (12 points, 7 rebounds) bounced the Bears from the sectional tournament with a 43-29 victory over their top seeded rival. From the introduction of the starting lineups there was an infectious energy permeating from the Putnam Valley bench and as always there was Kemp at the center of the energetic celebration before the game ever started. That is what is unique about Kemp as a star point guard and a leader. Her competitive motor is always running at full speed and her teammates feed off of it. You’ll see Kastuk jumping up and down alongside Kemp and Scott doing likewise. They all play with tremendous heart and energy that is incredibly entertaining to watch. Perhaps the greatest moment of the entire season for me occurred last night after Kemp had shot a three pointer that drew nothing but air. Instantly the Briarcliff fans, clad in orange and black, reigned down from the rafters with an “AIRBALL!” chant. The kept the verbal harassment up every time she touched the ball. The type of annoying chorus that would distract most athletes but Christine Kemp is no normal player. She came down the court ran to the corner just beyond the three point arc and fired a three pointer straight through the hoop. The chant suddenly fell silent and Kemp backpedaled back on defense pointing directly up the Briarcliff fans in the rafters as if to say, “I don’t hear you talking now!” It was classic because it wasn’t scripted. It’s just the type of player she is, as passionate as she is talented. Now Kemp and her teammates are four quarters away from getting their hands on the gold ball. If they prevail the Putnam Valley girls can take a page out of their leaders’ book and point straight at all those doubters who didn’t believe and say, “I don’t hear you talking now!” Congratulations Tigers, looking forward to being there Saturday night when you shock the section.

Personal Notes: By the way not to brag but I am now 7-1 in my predictions thus far in the tournament stayed tuned for my championship picks…Putnam Valley has some of the wildest and most passionate fans around in my opinion. They had one guy dressed as a banana, I don’t know what it means but it was funny and brought good luck to the Tigers. Banana Boy (As I’ll refer to him) and all the Painted Pack (there is a lot of face paint in the crowd) better rest their vocals and bring their A game Saturday night!

Tearful End for Angela Pescetti

The worst part of a game like last nights is that there has to be a losing team and for Briarcliff that was a harsh reality that they unfortunately faced when time ran out on their championship hopes. The girls, who I have covered extensively this season, were understandably distraught after the buzzer sounded. But perhaps no one player had more invested in the game than Briarcliff senior Angela Pescetti. She has been a constant fixture year in and year out for half a decade in the Briarcliff backcourt and now she has played her final game for the team she has given five years of her life to. Her career was full of great highlights including joining the very exclusive rankings of the 1,000 point club and being NCN athlete of the month this past December. But what you don’t see on the court is the type of person Angela Pescetti is off the court. She is one of the most supportive teammates and the single most honest athlete I will ever interview. What you see is what you get with Angela Pescetti and what the Bears will see when they look at their starting lineup next season will be very strange. There will be no number 22 and nor should there be. No player in the future should be seen wearing the number of one of Briarcliff’s greatest players because the Briarcliff players will never see another player like her anytime soon. Thanks for the memories and all that you gave to the sport Angela, you’ll be missed.