BOB ETTINGER
SAYBROOK TOWNSHIP — Sometimes it doesn’t matter how you get there as long as the game ends in your favor. So Lakeside boys basketball coach Rob Pisano will happily take a 54-49 result over Premier Athletic Conference rival North.
“A win is a win,” Pisano said. “We knew it was going to be a dogfight. They are seniors and they play well together. Any time the two of us get together, it’s a battle. Any time we get a win, I’ll take it.
“Against a rival, if you walk out with a win, you’re happy. It’s rough to be on the losing end.”
Leading 40-39 after three quarters, the Dragons (13-3, 8-2) used a 5-0 spurt in the opening 2:42 of the final period to skate out to a 45-39 advantage with 5:18 to play.
Cody Blizzard made a free throw and Khalil Chatman connected on a pair of charity tosses and made a layup during the stretch.
Following a 3-pointer from A.J. Montanaro, the Rangers (9-8, 7-6) got to within two, 49-47, with 2:47 remaining. But Rashaad Bell and Chatman each hit the front end of one-and-ones and Emilio Parks made both ends of a double bonus to put Lakeside back up six, 53-47, with 25 seconds left.
“They hit their free throws,” North coach Joe Montanaro said.
Lakeside held North to just 31.9 percent shooting (15 of 47) in the contest and made seven steals in forcing 12 turnovers.
“Sometimes I’m harsh on the guys when it comes to defense,” Pisano said. “I still think we didn’t play well. But I look at it from the expectation of excellence. But to the fan sitting in the stands, that was great defense.
“We held them to 49 points. All five of them played great defense. I can’t single out just one of them.”
“We just didn’t hit our shots,” Montanaro said. “Those are usually shots we knock down. And we didn’t get any offensive rebounds.”
Parks connected for 22 points, had 13 rebounds and blocked four shots to pace the Dragons. Chatman scored 14 points and Cody Blizzard added 13.
Ryan Frank led the Rangers with 12 points, three assists and three steals. Montanaro scored nine points, all on 3-pointers, and John Sauto added eight points.
