Binghamton 5/6 finishes 2nd in JC tourney

Binghamton 5/6 Blue faced Whitney Point Tuesday evening in the bracket championship of the Johnson City Holiday Tournament, with similar results from the teams' Saturday afternoon game. In that game, Binghamton suffered its only loss of the day, 52-46. On Tuesday evening, Whitney Point won, 54-49.

In the post-game trophy ceremony, Andre Hawkins and Alex Vega were named to the All-Tournament Team, while each of Binghamton's players received runner-up trophies.

While Point broke out to an early lead Saturday, it was Binghamton leading much of the first half Tuesday night. Blue's strategy, from the start, was to try to blanket WP's leading scorer (and tournament MVP) Zach Marsh (61 points in the two games against Binghamton) with Vega. After Marsh scored 35 points in Saturday's game, he was held to 10 points in the first half Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Hawkins scored Binghamton's first three field goals, followed by inside baskets from Nate Gaster and Sarbast Doski, giving Blue a 12-8 lead midway through the first half. Hawkins and Vega field goals gave Binghamton a 17-14 lead, before Point went on an 8-0 run to grab a 22-17 edge.

"In situations like that, our trouble isn't about talent. It's about attitude," said head coach Stephen Jensen. "As long as we're leading a game, all is well. But put us a couple points down, even in the first quarter? Our players tend to hang their heads, rather than rise to the challenge. Being behind 5 points, there are times when you'd think the game was over.

"The coaches and I are still waiting for our players to start fighting through those stretches."

Binghamton battled after halftime, hovering 4 to 6 points behind Whitney Point. But as was the case on Saturday, when Blue surged, Marsh had an answer, eventually wearing down Binghamton's inside game, scoring 16 of his game-high 26 after the break.

When Isiah Turner scored with about 4 minutes to play, Binghamton trailed 50-39. Two Sarbast Doski baskets got Binghamton to within 52-43 at the 3-minute mark.

With 2:28 remaining, Zion Burwell, Roberto Jensen, Nathan Oliva, Jahira Ramos and Nate Gaster entered the game and moved the ball around the perimeter against the much larger Point squad. The excellent ball movement eventually found Gaster inside, and Blue trailed 52-45. After another Marsh basket, Point coach Scott Harrington removed his starters, while Blue's returned.

A Binghamton full-court press yielded two straight Whitney Point turnovers and baskets by Vega and Hawkins, getting Blue to within 54-49 with 36.9 seconds to go, prompting Harrington to re-insert Marsh. A Vega 3-pointer missed as time expired.

"That 8-0 run in the first half hurt us," Jensen said. "You could say that was the difference, but we also went 1-for-11 from the foul line, while Point hit their free throws (6-for-8). There's your 5-point deficit. We have to be able to convert at the foul line against a team like that."

Whitney Point 54, Binghamton 49
Binghamton.........21 - 28 -- 49
Whitney Point.....26 - 28 -- 54

Statistics:
* Andre Hawkins: 14 points, 6 rebounds
* Sarbast Doski: 12 points, 5 rebounds
* Alex Vega: 9 points, 4 rebounds
* Nate Gaster: 8 points, 4 rebounds
* Nicky Snyder: 2 points, 3 rebounds
* Isiah Turner: 2 points, 1 rebound
* Anar Doski: 2 points

Next: 5:15 (until 6:30 p.m.) Thursday, scrimmage against SCC-6 at St. James (Main Street, Johnson City); doubleheader Saturday at Oneonta High School (2 p.m. vs. Norwich, and 3:30 p.m. vs. Oneonta).