SPORTS

First-place Panthers cruise past Pats in DII battleFirst-place Panthers cruise past Pats in DII battle

By RYAN D. MURRAY
Posted 2/8/23

The undefeated Johnston Panthers went into Pilgrim High School and pounded the Patriots 80-54 on Saturday afternoon during a Boys Division II Basketball battle.

Anthony Corsinetti, a senior, …

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SPORTS

First-place Panthers cruise past Pats in DII battleFirst-place Panthers cruise past Pats in DII battle

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The undefeated Johnston Panthers went into Pilgrim High School and pounded the Patriots 80-54 on Saturday afternoon during a Boys Division II Basketball battle.

Anthony Corsinetti, a senior, topped Johnston with 19 points, while teammate and senior Derek Salvatore chipped in 17 points.

Branden Testa, a junior, finished third in scoring on the Panthers with 13 points, while Camani Batista, a senior, finished fourth with 11 points.

Pilgrim was led by Tyler Fuller, a senior guard, who scored 11 points. Isaiah Price, a senior, finished second in scoring for the Pats with ten points.

“He had a nice game,” Pilgrim head coach Sean Henseler said. “He had a couple nice jump shots. He had some strong moves to the basket. Isaiah’s improving every game.”

Pats sophomores Ian Laplume and Dylan Vale, added eight points apiece.

Johnston and Pilgrim traded baskets to start the contest with Testa making a layup for the Panthers before Fuller responded with a jump shot for the Pats.

But after that, it was all Johnston.

The Panthers closed the first frame with a 10-0 run, where Salvatore scored six points and Testa had four points, and that gave Johnston a 12-2 advantage.

“We don’t shoot the ball very well as a team,” Henseler said. “But to hold Johnston to 12 points in the first quarter was good. The other night against Lincoln, we held Lincoln, who is also one of the best teams.”

Pilgrim received a layup from Vale at the beginning of the second quarter and it inched the Pats within 12-4.

Johnston, however, answered with back-to-back 3-balls, from Salvatore and Mike Carlino, and that extended the Panthers buffer to 18-4.

Salvatore sank another trey, moments later, and then Corsinetti connected on a 3-pointer of his own, and that put the Panthers up 33-10.

Johnston held a 34-14 edge at halftime.

The Pats matched the Panthers with 40 second-half points until senior Cam Vanstone, an athlete on Johnston’s unified basketball team, checked into the contest and buried a pair of 3-point shots, which helped the Panthers pull out the 80-54 win.

The Pats continue to scrap, even though they’ve lost two seniors for the season to injuries, plus Fuller just came back.

“I’m actually pleased with the way the kids played today,” Henseler said. “We are definitely not at full-strength as a team, but the kids are continuing to battle. They’re keeping their good attitudes and working hard in practice and working hard in the games.”

“As a team, we don’t shoot the ball very well, but in the second half, Dylan (Vale) played very well,” Henseler said. “Tyler Fuller is fully back from his injury now and he shot the ball well. So, I was happy with the way that the kids played.”

The Pats hosted the Titans in their succeeding matchup on Wednesday night.

“We’ve got a big game against Toll Gate, our arch rival, on Wednesday,” Henseler said after playing Johnston. “So, we’re coming ready for that game. That’s the game the (Pilgrim) kids look forward to and the Toll Gate kids look forward to. The place will be packed. So, hopefully it’ll be a fun high school basketball game on Wednesday.”

The final score of that contest was unavailable at press time. The Pats play next on Friday at Middletown at 7 p.m.

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