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CROSS RIVER, N.Y. Following a first half in which North Salem center Terry Beyer scored 11 points, keeping the Tigers close, John Jay-Cross River knew it was time for a defensive adjustment.
The Indians came out in the second half and clamped down on the Tigers big man with suffocating defense. This led to a 64-49 victory in a boys basketball game on Wednesday. It was John Jays fourth win in its last five games as the Indians improved to 4-2.
Matt Ferentini led John Jay with a game-high 21 points, Brad Goldman added 17 and point guard Thomas Weingarten finished with 11 points, seven steals and five assists.
John Jay held Beyer to two points in the second half with his bucket coming in the games final minute. Beyer finished with 13 points and Tom Cole added 10.
Weingarten was a pivotal force defensively in the second half as he dropped below the foul line, in John Jays zone, and fronted Beyer. North Salem had difficulty getting the ball inside and, as a result, was unable to knock down shots from the field.
He was hurting us in the first half so coach told me if I wanted to take a chance and help out I could because my man was not hurting us from the outside, Weingarten said. I was fronting him, trying to keep him from getting the ball.
While North Salem was struggling offensively not being able to get the ball inside to Beyer, John Jay was hitting from the perimeter. John Jay was moving the ball quickly against North Salems zone and doing a good job of finding the open man. Ferrantini swished a pair of threes in the quarter. Weingarten had three baskets in the quarter and assisted on two others.
Once John Jay hit a few threes, this opened things up for Weingartens dribble penetration and kick outs.
Beginning with the final two John Jay baskets of the third quarter, which Weingarten scored, he opened the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer, then fed Goldman for a jumper, giving the Indians a 49-35 lead.
North Salem 10 16 9 14 49 John Jay 15 13 16 20 64
North Salem (49) George Corde 0-0-0, Umar Singh 3-0-9, Conner Holliday 2-1-6, Terry Beyer 5-3-13, Tom Cole 5-0-10, Joe Tunis 2-2-8, Scott Martin 0-0-0, Kevin Zajc 1-1-3, Jess Levy 0-0-0. Totals: 15-7-49.John Jay (64) Brad Goldman 6-5-17, John Paccione 2-0-4, Matt Ferentini 6-7-21, Brian Kehoe 3-0-9, Thomas Weingarten 5-0-11, Will John 1-0-2, Justin Andrews 0-0-0. Totals: 23-12-64.3-point goals NS: Singh 3, Tunis 2, Holiday; JJ: Kehoe 3, Ferentini 2, Weingarten.
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