Tornadoes Come From Behind, Storm To Title

The Tornadoes nipped the Celtics 33-32 to win the fifth-grade boys’ Newtown Youth Basketball Association title on March 19. The Celtics were undefeated going into the championship game. In a well-played game filled with lead changes and runs by both teams, Eugene Citrano had a fourth-quarter for the ages, scoring 10 of his 19 points and leading a furious come-from-behind victory for the Tornadoes.

The Celtics entered the game with a 13-0 record while the Tornadoes came in at 12-1, with the only blemish an early season loss to the Celtics. The game started slowly as both teams were probing the opposing defense, looking for a weakness to exploit. The Tornadoes were playing without Owen Walsh, who was lost to an injury earlier in the week, and had to make a number of adjustments to compensate for his loss. The Celtics took the early lead at the end of the first quarter, 6-4, but the Tornadoes moved ahead and took a 14-10 advantage into halftime. The formidable front line of Lee Davidson Sportsmanship Award winner Jack Bittman, Jake Pirone, Rhett Saunders, and Adam Wolff battled the Celtics’ MVP Silas Decker, Alex Janiak, and Cayden Dunn board for board. 

Pirone contributed 5 points in the second and third, and he and Saunders had several big blocks to turn aside Celtic scoring opportunities. The Tornadoes’ defense staked them to an 18-11 lead midway through the third as Tristan Crone, Ken Malin, Jack Buchler, and Matthew Menousek continually harassed the Celtics’ offense. However, the Celtics ratcheted up the defensive pressure and began to chip away at the lead. Profiting from a number of turnovers and fast breaks, the Celtics went on a 20-6 run led by Silas Decker, Cole Dermerjian, and Josh Harper and surged to a 31-24 lead, setting the stage for a riveting finish. It looked like the game was over for the Tornadoes, who were staring at a seven-point deficit with only a few minutes remaining, but they refused to fold. The Tornadoes set up a well-designed play and Adam Wolff was fouled with 2:11 left in the game. The Tornadoes called a timeout before the free throws to set up their final strategy and gather themselves for their last charge. Wolff, who had 5 points in the game, started the rally by calmly drilling two nothing-but-net free throws to pull the Tornadoes within 5. Executing their zone press to perfection, the Tornadoes then got a quick turnover. Eugene Citrano drove to the basket and scored an opposite-hand layup through downtown traffic to pull the Tornadoes within three, 31-28. The Newtown High School gym was filled with spectators who were on the edge of their seats as the battle raged. After a defensive stand by the Tornadoes, Citrano was again not to be denied, following his missed free throw with another rebound and score to pull the Tornadoes within one. 

After a free throw by the Celtics put them up 32-30, the Tornadoes were back on offense and threw themselves against the defensive wall of the Celtics. In a furious battle under the basket, the Tornadoes pulled down two offensive rebounds, with Citrano again scoring on an acrobatic put-back to tie the score at 32.  After yet another defensive stop, Pirone squeezed the rebound and the Tornadoes brought the ball down the court with 40 seconds left. Tristan Crone drove but couldn’t get his shot to stay down, but Jack Bittman grabbed the rebound and was fouled on the put-back attempt with 33 seconds remaining.  Bittman calmly drained his second free throw to give the Tornadoes the lead, 33-32. As the crowd roared, the Tornadoes’ defense, its strength throughout the season, braced itself for one final stand. The Celtics got off a desperation shot at the buzzer and the crowd came to its feet as the ball sailed toward the hoop, but when the shot bounced harmlessly off the rim, the Tornadoes’ celebration began. 

The Celtics’ coaches Dunn and Rahr and the Tornadoes coaches Saunders and Wolff were proud of their teams accomplishments and efforts throughout the season in both games and practices.