Bulldogs hand Panthers second straight loss

By Ryan D. Murray
Posted 1/19/17

The Johnston Panthers fell to the Westerly Bulldogs 62-54 on Friday night in Johnston. For the Panthers, Nassir Vasquez led with 20 points while Ryan Yankee contributed 18 and Kyle Nelson added eight. Westerly had three

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Bulldogs hand Panthers second straight loss

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The Johnston Panthers fell to the Westerly Bulldogs 62-54 on Friday night in Johnston.

For the Panthers, Nassir Vasquez led with 20 points while Ryan Yankee contributed 18 and Kyle Nelson added eight. Westerly had three players score in double-digits: Dave Tiedemann with 22 points, Taber Gates had 21 and Josh Gougan chipped in 11.

The Panthers are playing without Nick Mollicone and Rob Russo.

“That just happened two days ago, so we haven’t even practiced with the different guys in there,” Johnston head coach Ed Bedrosian said. “I thought we played hard, but it’s going to be a transition. I don’t know when they’re coming back, if they’re coming back. So, now we need some time to work on some new things than what we had when they were in the game.”

Johnston struck first when Vasquez buried a 3-pointer. Soon after, Westerly tied it at 3 on a trey from Gates, the junior guard. Next, Yankee nailed a 3-point shot for Johnston, putting the Panthers up 6-3. A layup from Westerly’s Tiedemann, cut it to 6-5. Westerly went ahead 8-6 on a 3-pointer from Gates.

A minute later, Johnston used a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead. Yankee made a pair free throws to get things started for the Panthers. Then Yankee made a spin before he dished inside to Nelson for a layup to put the Panthers up 11-8. Moments later, Johnston showed good ball movement when Vasquez passed to Michael Pilkington, who fed Nelson inside for a layup, putting Johnston up 15-8. Seconds later, Vasquez buried a 3-pointer to extend the Panthers lead to 18-8 with 7:56 left in the first half.

A couple possessions later, Yankee missed a jumper, but Pilkington got the offensive board before dishing to Vasquez, who buried a 3-point shot to put Johnston up 21-10 with 6:40 left.

Gates scored a layup down the other end for Westerly to make it 21-12. Moments later, Johnston senior Michael Sabitoni dished to Vasquez, who scored with a reverse layup to put Johnston up 23-13.

Westerly senior forward Josh Gougan made two from the charity stripe to pull Westerly within 23-15. A lay in from Johnston’s Sabitoni extended the Johnston lead back to 10.

With 2:31 left in the first half, a jumper from Tiedemann pulled Westerly within 27-21. Then, a reverse layup by Max Morgan got Westerly even closer. Vasquez was called for charging during Johnston’s next possession and Westerly continued to take advantage. Junior John Luzzi dished to Gates, who buried a 3-pointer to pull Westerly within 27-26.

Johnston’s Sabitoni found Cam Iasimone, who made a trey to give the Panthers some separation, up four. Soon after, Tiedemann buried a 3 for Westerly, pulling them within one. On Johnston’s final possession of the first half, Westerly’s Luzzi came up with a steal and was fouled during the fast break. He buried both free throws to give Westerly a 31-30 halftime lead.

In the second half, Westerly continued where it left off. First, Gates drained a 3-pointer and extended the Westerly advantage to 34-30. Moments later, Tiedemann knocked down a 3 ball from the top of the arc to put Westerly up 39-30.

Johnston tried to make a dent in the deficit. Yankee drilled back-to-back jumpers to pull his squad within 41-34. However, Tiedemann buried a 3-point shot and put Westerly back up 10 before a jumper from Westerly’s Matt Lynch extended it to 47-36 with 9:15 left.

Vasquez hit a layup and cut it to 47-38. Next, Vasquez found Andrew Zalisk for a bucket, pulling Johnston within 47-40 with 8:22 left. Yankee hit a lay in top cut it to five. Moments later, Sabitoni stole the inbound pass and after a missed Johnston shot, Zalisk was there with the offensive board and putback, pulling Johnston within 47-44 with 6:20 left.

However, Luzzi would pass to Tiedemann for a layup and Westerly would go back up five. Down the other end, Zalisk came up with another clutch offensive board and put back basket for Johnston, pulling them within 49-46.

“That’s what he gives you,” Bedrosian said. “He gives you a lot of hustle, toughness. He’s not that big, but he gives you toughness on the floor and steals and stuff like that. That’s why we put him in the game.”

A solid defensive stand by Westerly ended with Johnston’s Vasquez launching a 3 ball that got all air while the shot clock expired. Down the other end, Tiedemann assisted to Gates, who was fouled while making a floater. Gates missed the free throw, but Westerly owned a 53-46 cushion.

On Johnston’s next possession, Tiedemann earned a big block on Yankee. Then, Morgan and Gougan both scored for Westerly, putting them up 57-46.

Johnston would make it interesting towards the end. Vasquez stole the inbound pass and made a layup cutting it to 57-48 with 2:39 left. Back-to-back jumpers from Yankee on Johnston’s next two possessions pulled the Panthers within 57-52. Nelson came up with a steal and a breakaway layup to cut it to three.

But, Westerly would come through on its next possession when Gougan passed inside to Tiedemann for a layup. After Yankee missed a jumper, Gates made two free throws down the other end to put Westerly up 61-54 with 55 seconds to play. Gates would make another free throw later to put the nail in the coffin and give Westerly a 62-54 victory.

“We’re searching a little bit right now unfortunately,” Bedrosian said. “We were on a roll and then the injuries happened. Not that we’re making excuses. We played hard. These things happen.”

Johnston would drop its third game in a row to Portsmouth on Tuesday night, 70-57. The road ahead remains dangerous for the Panthers, whose next three opponents tout a combined record of 22-3.

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