With less than a minute in the championship game, Will Hartnett drove the base line and lofted a shot over the defender trying to stop him. As the ball swished through the hoop, Will was awarded a free throw, which he made after a time out.
The three-point play put Cornwall ahead of Washingtonville 49-48. The Dragons held onto their lead through the closing seconds to defend their title in the Glen McGinnis Holiday Classic and remain undefeated for the year.
But most important, the players were anxious to win this one for Coach McGinnis. They celebrated briefly at mid-court and then rushed over to shake hands with the coach and congratulate him. Mr. McGinnis received a standing ovation when he was introduced before each game. He has been associated with Cornwall basketball for 50 years.
In figurative terms, the Dragons wanted to win this one for “the Gipper,” but it didn’t seem likely with the visitors five points ahead and the clock ticking down in the fourth quarter.
The Cornwall resurgence began with Scott Brusseler taking a charge, and Jason Bailey narrowing the gap with a three-pointer. When the Wizards missed an opportunity to widen their lead, Bailey grabbed the rebound to set the stage for Hartnett’s go-ahead heroics. Ironically, the field goal and free throw were Will’s first points of the evening.
After Will put the Dragons ahead, Bo Vitale and Kevin Salis pulled down key rebounds to preserve the lead, and then Kevin rejected a long-range shot at the buzzer. Cornwall’s Bo Vitale earned a spot on the all-tournament team, and Jason Bailey was honored as the tournament’s most valuable player. He led his teammates with 20 points in the championship game.
The Dragons reached the finals by downing Fallsburg 53-30. In the other opening round game, Washingtonville managed a narrow victory over Walton from the Bronx. Cornwall hosted the tournament on Dec. 29 and 30.
2 GAMES — Points: Bailey 32, Salis 24, Brusseler 14, Vitale 14, Hartnett 9, Malvey 5, Barnett 2, Smith 2. Threes: Bailey 6, Brusseler 3, Salas 3, Vitale 1. Free throws: Bailey 6-6, Vitale 2-3.
