Raiders rally to edge past host Rams

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 11 January 2022 at 9:21 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Nathan Meza Ray drives in for a layup against Roy-Hart defender Dom Beyer during the Raiders win over the host Rams this evening.

Down by as many as 11 late in the first half, Barker battled back to edge past host Roy-Hart 70-67 in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game this evening.

Nathan Meza Ray scored 25 to lead the way for Barker as Steven Class added 13, Brad Cantrell 10, Luis Allee Castro 9, Aidan Voss 7 and Seth Gerhardt 6.

Aiden Petrie scored a game high 28 and Vinny Buscarino netted 21 to pace Roy-Hart as Bryan Baes had 7, Jamel Johnson Jr. 4, Brandon DiNeri and Brandon Masters 3 and Nate Beyer 1.

Roy-Hart grabbed a 20-16 lead at the end of the opening quarter as Buscarino scored 11 including three threes. Class netted 6 for Barker as Meza Ray and Gerhardt both hit threes.

Petrie had a big 12 point second quarter which helped the Rams build up as much as an 11 point, 40-29 lead.

Barker did cut the deficit a bit to 8, 41-33, at the half after two free throws and a layup by Castro who had a total of 8 points in the period.

Keeping the momentum, the Raiders put together an 11-2 run to open the third period and rally into a 44-44 tie. Voss hit a three to ignite that rally which also included two buckets by Meza Ray and one each by Cantrell and Class.

The Rams did moved back out to a seven point, 53-45, lead late in the quarter on a rebound bucket by Buscarino followed by a two and a three by Petrie.

However, the Raiders again came rallying back with a 7-0 run to close the period on two free throws and a basket by Meza Ray and a three-point play by Voss in the final second to rally back into a 52-52 tie.

The contest was tied two more times early in the final stanza before Barker put together a 9-3 run to regain the lead for good at 66-60 with three minutes to go. Meza Ray had a three point play and a layup, Cantrell a layup off a steal and Class a rebound basket during that key spurt.

Layups by Buscarino and Johnson did rally Roy-Hart back to within two, 66-64, with 25 seconds to go but Meza Ray answered with two clutch free throws with 28 seconds to go for a 68-64 Raiders lead and what proved to be the game winning points.

A three by Buscarino pulled Roy-Hart to within one, 68-67 with 13 seconds to go but the Rams could not pull even.

Cantrell closed out the win for the Raiders with two key free throws with 12 seconds remaining.

Roy-Hart is now 2-1 and Barker 1-2 in N-O action.

Wilson 28, Akron 26
Trailing 24-15, Wilson rallied wit a 13-2 fourth quarter scoring edge to nip Akron 28-26 in the other N-O contest.

Mason Branca scored 6 and Paul Smith 4 for the Lakemen in the decisive final period.

Wilson is now 2-1 and Akron 0-1 in N-O action.