MAHOPAC – Stunned was the only way to describe the Beacon sidelines walking off Tuesday night.
A consistently lethal offensive threat all season long, the Bulldogs walked out of Mahopac High School scoring its lowest output of the year in a 49-33 New York State Subregional matchup against Tappan Zee. The 33 points iS 21 fewer than the next-lowest score Beacon had produced this season.
“Tappan Zee played an exceptional game. They played their style better than we played our style, that’s the bottom line,” Beacon coach Patrick Schetter said after the game. “We didn’t make shots we usually make. We turned the ball over too much, just the simple things.”
The Dutchmen’s style has been a suffocating defense all season long, Tuesday was no different. Tappan Zee allowed more than 50 points just once this campaign. Compared to a Beacon offense that eclipsed 80 points six different times this season, something had to give.
If Tappan Zee’s Jack Piccione blocking five shots in the first quarter alone was a sign of anything, the Dutchmen were going to keep rolling. Beacon scored just five points in that frame. Ryan Landisi was able to score six of his team-leading 13 points in the first half with the Bulldogs down 25-11 at the break.
Beacon’s defensive effort continued to be strong, forcing Tappan Zee to just three made field goals in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs couldn’t close the gap enough. The Dutchmen’s 7-for-10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter pulled them away, allowing them to cruise on to the regional stage.
Beacon’s Michai Thompson scored seven in his final game. Jahcier Ballard added five.
Stunned in the moment, soon enough the memories of what the Bulldogs accomplished this season will come back. Securing the school’s first Section 9 title ever and first section title of any kind in over 20 years, this season was a historic campaign for Beacon. This senior class and the rest of the roster has done something for this program, school and city that won’t soon be forgotten.
“They are an extremely special group of young men, not just basketball players. I’m so proud of them, they’re going to do great things when they leave here,” Schetter said. “What they’ve done for this community and this basketball community, it’ll be felt for a long time. I’m proud of them.”
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Bulldogs’ potent offense stifled in subregional loss to Tappan Zee
Reporting by Eric Decker, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
