Holley rallies to edge rival Kendall

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s James Tette puts up a shot against Kendall defenders Louie Conte (33) and Braxton Zarpentine (23) during the host Hawks win over the rival Eagles this evening.

Rebounding from a 40 point road loss on Tuesday, Holley used a strong stretch run to down visiting rival Kendall 56-50 in a Genesee Region League game this evening.

“That was huge for our confidence after the other night,” said Holley Coach Wil Prince whose Hawks bounced back strongly after the 87-47 G-R loss at Pembroke.

Broek Ostrom spearheaded the Holley attack with 29 points, 21 of which came in the second half. James Tette added 10, Joseph Silpoch 5 and Vinny Golisano, Mason Neale and Erik Lang 4 each.

Zach Barrett and Jacek Kwiatkowski both scored 15 and Braxton Zarpentine 11 to lead Kendall as Louie Conte chipped in with 4, Devin Edick 3 and Jeffrey Pratt 2.

Broek Ostrom, who poured in a game high 29 points, puts up a shot against Kendall defender Jeffrey Pratt.

Kendall took a 45-40 at the outset of the final period after Barrett completed a three point play.

However, Holley answered with a key 7-0 run on a rebound basket by Tette followed by a layup and a three point play by Ostrom.

Kendall did retie the contest at 47-47 on a jumper by Barrett but could not regain the lead as the Hawks outscored the Eagles 9-3 over the final five minutes.

Holley quickly regained the lead for good at 49-47 on a jumper by Ostrom and Neale followed up with a layup upping the Hawks advantage to four with 4:45 to go.

A three point play by Kwiatkowski did pull Kendall back to within one at 51-50 but the Eagles could not find the range again.

In fact it would be nearly four minutes before either team could score again.

Two free throws by Ostrom with 45 seconds to go finally ended that drought giving Holley a 53-50 led. Two more three throws by Ostrom, who had a total of 11 points in the decisive final stanza, and one by Golisano then put a lock on the victory for the Hawks.

Kendall did jump out to a 17-9 first quarter lead highlighted by a 13-1 run which included three threes by Kwiatkowski and a pair of jumpers by Zarpentine.

The Eagles maintained a five point, 31-26, lead at the half as Edick, Barrett and Zarpentine all hit threes in the second period. Tette, Lang and Silpoch each had a pair of baskets and Golisano a three in the stanza to keep the Hawks close.

“They were on fire in the first half,” said Prince.

Holley finally pulled even at 31-31 at the outset of the third period on baskets by Ostrom and Tette.

Kendall answered with an 11-4 run, including two baskets by Zarpentine and a three by Kwiatkowski to regain a seven point, 42-35 lead.

However, Holley closed the period with a 5-0 run on a layup off a steal and a three by Ostrom to slice the deficit to just two at 42-40.

Keeping the momentum, the Hawks then outpointed the Eagles 16-8 in the final period to claim the win as Kendall managed only three points over the final four and a half minutes.

Holley, which is now 2-3, next visits Byron-Bergen on Monday while Kendall, which is 2-2, hosts Alexander on Tuesday.

Kendall’s Braxton Zarpentine (23) and Zach Barrett (11) battle with Holley’s James Tette for a rebound.

Kendall’s Jeffrey Pratt puts up a shot against Holley defender Broek Ostrom as Erik Lang (3)  moves in for the Hawks and Jacek Kwiatkowski (22) for the Eagles.