Falls edges Nichols
Tight game has playoff-type feel
NIAGARA FALLS — The calendar says it’s December. But the way Niagara Falls and Nichols were trading baskets with the game on the line, the way the gymnasium was living and dying with each possession, you would have sworn it was February or March.
In a battle between the best two high school basketball teams in Western New York, Niagara Falls beat Nichols, 57-56, before an estimated 800 on Saturday night in Falls’ near-capacity gym. Sophomore Kenny Stokes scored the winning layup with 25 seconds left off an outstanding pass from senior Kelvin Agee to give Falls a playoff-type victory at a time of year that no local team has played two league games.
“It felt like March, definitely,” said Falls third-year coach Guilio Colangelo, whose Wolverines are 4-0. “I knew it would be like this — they’re a very good team and it was a battle all the way. It was a great atmosphere. Both teams played their hearts out.”
Nichols had two shots to try to take back the lead in the final seconds, but Chris Stegeman’s long jumper from the left missed its mark and a tough follow hook attempt by Will Regan rolled off the rim.
“An incredible game — just so much fun,” said Nichols coach Greg Plumb, whose Vikings are 3-1. “This early in the season, with everyone in the stands on their feet, how can’t you have fun? Obviously we lost, but it’s one of those character things for us. It’s early in the season, and it’s all about February.”
Regan, the 6-foot-9 junior who is being recruited by major Division I schools, led Nichols with 21 points. He picked a great time to show off his outside range by hitting a three-pointer from the left side off an inbounds play to put Nichols up, 56-55, with 1:48 left.
The next minute or so saw wild, back-and-forth action, including Agee missing a tough driving layup with Regan bearing down on him followed by a missed three-pointer from the left side by Stegeman.
That set the stage for Falls senior Agee, who had the ball just to the right of the top of the key as the clock wound down and the crowd was on its collective feet expecting a move to the basket. Then the senior zinged a pass diagonally through several bodies in the lane to an open Stokes.
“I saw Davon [Marshall] in the corner and I knew he had a man on him, so I just moved around, got a good angle for the pass and just aimed it in there,” said Agee, who scored 12 points battling Nichols’ triangle- and-two defense. “It got through and he made the layup.”
Following a third quarter in which there were seven lead changes and one tie score, the fourth offered a fantastic finish: Each team took its turn alternating the last five baskets of the game.
After Regan broke a tie with a free throw to put Nichols up, 51-50, with 5:13 left, Agee hit a hanging bank shot over Regan off a great back-door pass from Stokes with 4:20 left.
Connor Vandegriff hit a jumper at the free throw line for a 53-52 Nichols lead with four minutes to go.
A deep three-pointer by Falls’ Marshall — his 12 points all came on three-pointers — with 2:30 to play put Falls ahead, 55-53; but only until Regan’s three, his second of the game.
“We knew they would come out hard and they want to be known as the best team in Western New York,” said Agee, “but we want to be known as the best team in Western New York, too.”
Ronald Canestro had 14 points, including four threes, for Nichols, which had a 50-46 lead entering the fourth.
Nichols jumped to a 19-9 first-quarter lead but Falls responded with a 23-8 second to take a 32-27 halftime lead.
The Wolverines were led in the first half by sophomore Jordan Street, who scored all of his team-high 14 points before halftime.
Street started in place of Mike Crumpton, who was held out the entire first quarter due to what Colangelo called a “coach’s decision.”
Niagara Falls has only lost to a Western New York school three times since the program began in 2000-01 following the merger of LaSalle and the old Niagara Falls high schools.
The Wolverines lost to Bennett (2002) and Sweet Home (2007) in Section VI championship games and lost to St. Joe’s during the regular season in 2005-06.
Falls’ only loss in its home gymnasium came in last year’s season opener to Syracuse’s Henninger in the Cataract Classic.
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