ELCO Refuses To Budge, Erases Double Digit Fourth Quarter Deficit As Raiders Vanquish Hamburg In Overtime Thriller
Written by: Andy Herr on December 15, 2022
By its very nature, high school sports can be a cyclical beast. Just as the sun will always rise in the east and set in the west, every year brings with it a new cast and crew that makes up a team’s roster due to those graduation proceedings that take place in the early summer. In some cases though, it isn’t just a few holes to plug in here and there. No, no. Instead, it can be something as drastic as the entire makeup and dynamic of the team shifting almost literally overnight. After all, just look at this year’s edition of the ELCO Raiders boys’ basketball team if you are looking to view that in a prism.
Last season, as hard as it may have been for some to even fathom, the undeniable truth of the matter was that ELCO, yes the ELCO Raiders, featured one of the most physically imposing frontlines found in all of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. And while it isn’t as if the Raiders have totally been devoid of talent found operating down in the low block there over the last several years –including the likes of Colton Lawrence and Asher Kemble who have gone on to take their basketball talents to the collegiate level in particular – it wasn’t necessarily as if the entire makeup of the Raiders’ squad was entirely centered around their big men. However, when you have fellas the likes of Luke Williams, Corey Attivo and Rheece Shuey –guys who clearly passed the “get off the bus” eye test — it was nothing if not understandable as to why ELCO relied so heavily upon each of their respective imposing, towering presences. Presences that eventually helped the Raiders capture an L-L Section Four title, a District 3-4A playoff berth, and an eventual date with what has oddly enough become an unexpected archnemesis of sorts for the ELCO program, Neumann Goretti, in last year’s opening round of the PIAA state playoffs.
That said, given that aforementioned cyclical beast that is, graduation would take all three of those key cogs away entering this season which then in turn led to ELCO going back to the future in a sense with its now guard-heavy lineup back in tow and the advent of the dribble-drive offense coming back with a vengeance for the Raiders’ 2022-23 campaign.
And up until this point, you’d have to say that revisiting history seemed to work out rather well for them all things being equal considering that ELCO came into this week carrying a 2-1 overall record with them, including their most recent outing which saw them take care of Spring Grove by a 64-56 final decision to win the Lebanon Tip-Off Tournament last Saturday night.
But as is the case in the world of high school basketball, the next opportunity is only ever but a few days away. Sure enough, in an odd scheduling quirk that has the Raiders continuing to play away from the friendly confines of their unique home floor all the way up until December 22nd this year, there was another road date afoot on Tuesday night when they loaded up the bus and ventured into Berks County to tangle with the Hamburg Hawks in a tasty nonconference matchup. In fact, as it turned out, the game was so scrumptious that it required an additional serving before the night was over with.
Almost right from the outset on Tuesday night, it was evident that both offenses would be as chilly as the frigid that was found waiting just outside the walls of Hamburg High School. So much so in fact that despite starting things off rather sultry with an early 3-ball dialed up by Hamburg 5’10 senior guard, Connor Licklider, the Hawks would not only remain scoreless for the next few minutes afterwards, they would also more importantly surrender a 9-0 ELCO in return –an early salvo that came complete with a pair of charges taken defensively by way of the Raiders’ Logan Kless and Eduardo Rodriguez-Lopez respectively as well just for good measure – before a timely stick-back bucket by 6’5 senior big, Xander Menapace, ended the drought for the hosts near the 2:40 mark of the opening frame. Yet while ELCO was able to enjoy the fruits of their labor by as many as seven points throughout the first quarter, their cushion would be sliced all the way back down to three once the initial eight minutes of game clock expired with the Raiders possessing the somewhat miniscule 11-8 advantage.
Then, once the second quarter began, things appeared to grow even more perilous for the visitors from Lebanon County.
Sure, while the seesaw of momentum tilted back and forth in both directions throughout the second stanza –such as the case when a Kevin McFarland put-back for Hamburg cut the Hawks’ deficit down to the slimmest of margins, 11-10, with five minutes and change left before the halftime break — a steal and layup shortly thereafter by way of ELCO junior guard, Kody Boyer, put the Raiders back up by five at a 15-10 lead just a handful of seconds later.
But that teeter-totter was starting to fly back towards the home team’s direction from there on out before the intermission was set to commence.
Case in point, a tough take to the rack courtesy of Hamburg 5’8 senior guard, Luke Bensinger, which made it a 17-14 Raiders’ lead before another McFarland bucket from point-blank range knotted things up a 17-apiece with the second quarter clock now inside of a minute left to play.
As it turned out, 40 seconds would be just enough time for ELCO’s Camden Marquette to try and conjure up some late half magic as the Raiders’ junior guard was able to sink a deuce with time running out which would prove to be the literal difference in terms of the entire first half as Marquette’s last-second bucket allowed ELCO to carry the 19-17 lead with them into the halftime respite.
Upon entering the third, the nip-and-tuck theme that had enveloped the entirety of the opening half came true to form yet again.
Just when ELCO would find a spurt of momentum –such as the case when Dallas George was able to bury a trifecta to give his side the 24-20 lead just 1:45 into the second half – Hamburg was there with the counter offensive. From the Hawks perspective, while it may have come from a much more traditional and mundane route if you will, it was still nonetheless effective in its own right as a pair of Kevin McFarland freebies from the charity stripe helped pull the hosts even at 24-24 no more than a minute later following George’s trey. Speaking of McFarland, aided and abetted by what seemed to be his countless big-time shots at most every turn to help in the Hawks’ collective effort, the Hamburg senior stretch was able to tally a 15-point evening once the dust had finally settled.
In terms of Hamburg’s leading scorer, that honor would come via the school’s starting quarterback.
While triggermen on the football field aren’t usually found mixing it up inside amongst the tall trees come wintertime, it’s easy to why it’s nothing if not hard to pull Xander Menapace away from the cup with you have the likes of a 6’5 frame such as he does at your disposal to try and work with. And true to form, the Hamburg big man was able to exert his dominance inside, including here in the waning stages of the third period as Menapace’s old-fashioned three-point play not only helped the Hawk senior finish the contest with a game-high 20-point performance, but it also more importantly gave his squad the 31-28 lead with 1:27 left to play in the third.
But even despite the fact that a prompt triple would immediately follow suit down on the other end courtesy of ELCO junior guard, Logan Kless, the Hawks were nonetheless able to venture into the final stanza with the benefit of owning the 34-31 lead.
Once the fourth quarter got underway, it quickly became apparent within the first few minutes as to why ELCO would have probably crawled over broken glass to help to keep that three-point gap within reach.
Why? Most certainly because Hamburg began the fourth on an utter tear.
Sure enough, following a McFarland triple which upped the Hawks’ lead to 43-36, things quickly went from bad to worse as far as ELCO had to be concerned. Yes, even from there Hamburg remained lights out over their next few possessions, eventually seeing their advantage balloon to what felt like an insurmountable 11-point lead, 47-36, following a hoop plus the harm by way of 6’1 sophomore guard, Ty Werley.
Suffice to say, the time was now if ELCO had any sort of answers left to try and lob at their hosts. Well, fortunately for the folks from Myerstown, insurmountable doesn’t appear to be a word that anyone donning a Raiders’ uniform has in their vocabulary.
In fact, just when it seemed as if Hamburg was going to be able to run away and hide, shy of anything but heroic ELCO plays of course, well, that’s precisely what the good doctor had prescribed for the Raiders’ contingent.
To start if off, Dallas George was able to things rolling downhill in relatively short order as the Raiders’ junior table-setter was able to come away with a crucial three-point play which helped give his squad a much-needed boost. From there, another hoop plus the harm, this one coming via the efforts of fellow junior, Elliot Kreider, suddenly sliced the Hawks’ lead down to 47-42 with just 3:50 left to go. And if 3’s of the new school variety are more your fancy, look to Kody Boyer’s critical trifecta from beyond the arc that whittled the Hamburg lead down to a very modest three, 50-47, with 1:25 left to play.
Even still, despite finding themselves down amidst playing with what felt like all the momentum in the known universe at that point, ELCO needed one more feat of heroics in order to try and send this one into an extra session provided that they wouldn’t be able to clip the Hawks right then and there in regulation. For that, enter Camden Marquette stage right.
Speaking of big shots, it was hard to find anyone on the entire Raiders’ club that had a better flair for the dramatics than Marquette on this night. If nothing else, Marquette’s earlier last second bucket just before the halftime horn might as well have served as a precursor of things to come given how the junior’s runner in the lane inside the final 10 seconds of the fourth quarter somehow, someway got ELCO back on level ground at 50-50, with just six seconds left to play in regulation. In totality, aside from his litany of game-changing and game-saving plays authored countless times throughout Tuesday night, Marquette’s body of work was good enough for him to earn team-high scoring honors in posting a 16-point once the evening was finally complete and wrapped up.
And while Hamburg would have more than their fair share of chances to come away with a walk-off win in their final offensive possession, it would not come to pass as ELCO and Hamburg went back to their respective benches to prep for an extra four-minute overtime session.
At this point, with the game hanging in such a delicate balance, coming out of the gates strong was paramount for either side to begin the overtime period. Here, perhaps in large part to what they were able to carry with them following their frantic fourth quarter rally, the Raiders would be the ones to draw first blood in that regard. For that, ELCO could rightly thank, guess who, Camden Marquette, as his timely triple put ELCO up by a 54-50 difference to begin the overtime period.
Now granted, while Hamburg would able to retaliate right back in the form of a Menapace bucket inside on the Hawks’ ensuing trip down the floor which nestled Hamburg back within a pair, 54-52, a pair of ice water freebies knocked down at the charity stripe in return from ELCO’s Dallas George then upped the Raiders’ lead back to four at 56-52 with 47.6 seconds left in OT.
And while Hamburg would have the ability to either tie or take the lead following the George free throws, the Hawks would not only come up empty on the offensive end, but they would also then surrender an ill-timed ELCO leakout opportunity that was ultimately cashed in courtesy of Kody Boyer layup in transition that helped seal the deal in this one as the Raiders’ valiant comeback effort would not be in vain after all as a memorable 58-52 win over Hamburg on the road in overtime just may end up proving to be a catalyst for ELCO’s 2022-23 campaign. Perhaps all the way to what they assuredly hope will amount to another postseason appearance come the month of February inside this quiet town tucked away in Lebanon County, USA.
NEXT UP: Talking about jumping from the frying pan into the fryer here for ELCO. While the Raiders should take the opportunity to revel in the spoils of their triumph put forth on Tuesday night against Hamburg, their next challenge certainly fits the textbook definition of that very word seeing as how the Raiders will now pay a visit to the defending L-L League and District 3-5A champion, Lampeter-Strasburg, come Thursday night. That said, call it a microcosm if you must, but if anything was to be gleaned from the Raiders’ performance on Tuesday above anything else, it’s most certainly that this particular ELCO crew won’t be seen backing away from a challenge and a fight here anytime soon.
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