Knights lose in double overtime game against Whippets
Senior Tali McIver defends against Naseem Roberson.
TOWAMENCIN- After a tight a game yesterday, it didn’t get easier for the Knights who battled the Whippets in a game that went to double overtime.
The North Penn Knights (8-5) lost 68-67 to the Downingtown West Whippets (6-5) in a Saturday afternoon game in the North Penn gymnasium.
“We had six points in the first quarter. I thought we lacked energy early and we didn’t play with any poise late,” Head Coach John Conrad said.
The Whippets jumped out in front 6-0, 4 of those points from Cam McCole. Freshman Joe Larkins got the Knights back to within one possession after a 2-point jumper with 2:19 left in the first. But the Whippets extended their lead to 13-6 by the end of the 1st quarter.
However, the Knights made their comeback in the second quarter. Sophomore Rob Carangi made a layup off an assist from senior Tali McIver and Carangi was fouled in the process. Carangi made his and-one attempt and the Knights trailed 19-16 with 3:18 left in the 2nd quarter. McIver assisted to junior Mike Chaffee twice as Chaffee sank both three-pointers to put the Knights up 22-19. The Knights took a 28-23 lead into halftime.
In third quarter, both teams traded buckets but after three-pointers from McIver and junior Kolby Barrow the Knights were up 45-35 into the 4th quarter.
Chaffee and senior Chris Caputo made three-pointers and extended the lead to 13 points with 4:21 left in the 4th quarter. But then the Whippets made their comeback. Will Howard made a three and a bucket from McCole made it a 2-point game. In the last possession of regulation, McCole drove to the basket and made a contested layup to tie the game at 56 and send it to overtime.
Howard went to work in the first overtime period as he scored all 6 points for the Whippets. The Knights stayed with them however and with 1:11 left in the first overtime period, McIver made a layup to tie the game at 62. Neither team scored for the rest of the period and the game headed to its second overtime period.
The Knights got a 3-point lead after 3 combined free throws from senior Solomon Robinson and McIver. However, McCole gave the lead back to the Whippets after a layup and the score was 68-67 in favor of Downingtown West with 1:19 left. On the last possession of the game, Caputo missed a three-pointer as time expired and the Whippets came out with the W.
“Just needed to get shot off and that was the best shot I could get,” Caputo said.
The Knights’ next game will be Tuesday on the road against the Pennridge Rams.
“We gotta get better and we gotta learn from it,” Conrad said.
North Penn: McIver 19 pts, Chaffee 13 pts, Carangi 9 pts, Barrow 8 pts, Larkins 5 pts, Robinson 5 pts, Swanson 5 pts, Caputo 3 pts
Downingtown West: Howard 22 pts, McCole 19 pts, Blair 12 pts, Roberson 9 pts, Kaiser 4 pts, Hillsinger 2 pts
