Saturday, December 19, 2009
Start Time: 7:00pm
Photo: NYCthunder.com
Elmira, NY. The Weather Channel posted it and everybody talked about it. They said that it hit Washington D.C. hard and would continue along the East Coast. Snow storms. The only storm that I saw on Saturday night involved Thunder [including some former (St. John’s) Red STORM) and Red Riders inside the Chemung County YMCA.
During warm-ups, sounds of Frank Sinatra’s original song, “New York, New York,” and Alicia Key’s recent “Empire State of Mind” filled the speakers before the epic rematch of the city versus the state.
In the last meeting between the NYC Thunder and the NY Red Riders, both teams combined for 246 points, and the Thunder narrowly escaped the Red Riders with a two-point victory.
This time around, the outcome was different. The NYC Thunder came out with a solid lead, once a 21-point advantage at the end of the 3rd quarter, and held off the NY Red Riders, 115-104.
In the first quarter, both teams showed defensive intensity. Forward/Center Kyle Cuffe played both sides of the ball and dropped 8 points, while 3-point specialist Sean Dantzler started his shooting spree with two from outside. Meanwhile, Leslie Sherman came out with more rejections than a 2009 college graduate!
Lou Alvarez
Photo: NYCthunder.com
The Thunder capitalized off a 16-0 run late in the second quarter with Lou Alvarez sinking one from downtown to go ahead, 46-33 with over 3 minutes left in the first half. NY Red Riders’ Lester McNair ended the run with a smooth reverse layup and one. With Coach Logan advising players’ to “use (their) head” on defense, the Thunder maintained a double digit lead at the half, 57-46.
Coming out of halftime with an 11-point lead, the Thunder looked as if they were down 11 points, but it showed the level of expectation for this NYC Thunder team this year.
Rapper/producer Swizz Beatz “On to the Next One” best summed up the effort by the Thunder….
“I got a million ways to get it….choose one….I’m on to the next one”
Dimes, stuffs, boards, steals… if they could not score on an offensive set, NYC was doing everything else on the defensive end. Point guard Chris Grant dished out everything, when he was not slicing through the lane over three players. And you thought the guy in the red suit was the only one who delivered around this time of year?
The Red Riders’ V’Angelo Smith brought his team back within 10 points with the last 3-points of a 10-run late in the 3rd quarter. The game intensified going into the fourth as Dantzler nailed a 3-ball and stared down the hecklers in the stands.
Romeo Bartley hit the biggest four free throws of his life and helped cut the deficit to five points, 88-83 with about ten minutes left in the game. As usual, Sean Dantzler calmly drained a 3-ball and stared at the hecklers in the crowd (there are always some at every game).
Lester McNair carried his team back but got no closer than ten points as defensive efforts by Grant, Dantzler, and Sharif Fordham closed the gap. Fordham finished with by far the best numbers. (Statistics soon to be released)
The NYC Thunder brag the best record in their division at 5 wins and 1 loss. For more info: NYCthunder.com
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