71°
PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. James Leydens three-pointer with less than 15 seconds remaining in the game Wednesday broke a 65-65 tie and lifted the Croton boys basketball team to a thrilling 68-65 victory over visiting Croton in the opener of the league schedule for both teams.
Ive never hit a shot like that on varsity, thats for sure, the sophomore said after the game. I saw the shot clock winding down and let it go. I didnt even see what happened after that.
The crowd erupted when the shot hit the bottom of the net and Leydon was mobbed by teammates during the subsequent timeout before the Panthers, who remained unbeaten at 8-0, denied the Tigers last attempt to tie the score with a long three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.
Leyden is a backup forward who has scored as many as six points in a varsity game previously. He came off the bench to make the game-winning shot.
Charlie Montgomery, who scored 15 of his team-best 25 points in the first half and led the Panthers to early leads of 20-11 after one quarter and 37-29 at halftime, attributed the early push to the defense.
We trap, try to play good half-court defense and rely on our three-quarter press, Montgomery said. We had a letdown in the fourth quarter and they are a good team. We trust our guys and (Leyden) made a big shot for us.
Croton (6-2) suffered its second loss after having won its last four straight games. The Tigers only other loss was to unbeaten Dobbs Ferry.
Croton trailed by as many as 17 points in the game and 55-43 after three quarters, but was led in a comeback by Wes Turner, who scored nine of his team-high 25 points in the final quarter. Croton outscored the Panthers 17-5 in the fourth-quarter run to tie the game at 60-60.
Ian Thom scored 20 points, including five three-pointers, and teammate Robert Simmons added 12 for the Tigers.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Cortlandt and receive free news updates.
