Knights surge past host Hawks to win Holley Tournament title

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 6 January 2014 at 12:00 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Josh Porter (2) drives past Mike Jones of Northstar during the host Hawks tournament title game loss to the Knights this evening.

HOLLEY – Putting together a huge 25-2 scoring burst during the middle two periods, Northstar went on to defeat the host Hawks 64-41 this evening in the championship game of the Holley Holiday Tournament.

Trailing 19-12, Northstar put together a 15-2 run to close the second quarter and rally into the lead for good, 27-22 at the half. Mike Jones, who was named to the All-Tournament team, scored seven points and Victor Cavalieri, who was named the tourney’s MVP netted six to lead that surge.

Keeping the momentum, the Knights then opened the second half with s 10-0 run to extend the advantage to 15 at 37-22. A three by Jones and a layup by Cavalieri capped off that uprising.

Holley did cut the deficit to 11, 42-31, at the three-quarter mark after two layups by Corey Winter along with a three by Josh Porter and a rebound bucket by Vic Odeychk but the Hawks could get no closer.

Holley though did get off to a good start in the contest grabbing a 14-12 lead at the end of a sea-saw first period which saw five ties and three lead changes. Winter had three buckets and John Bower two to lead the Hawks in the early going.

A three by Winter followed by a layup by Zach Vaccarelli upped the Holley advantage to seven, 19-12, at the outset of the second period. However, it was all Northstar for the final six minutes of that quarter and the first four minutes of the third as the Knights used the marathon 25-2 run over that stretch to break the contest wide open.

Cavalieri finished with 21 points and Jones 18 to lead Northstar.

Winter set the pace for Holley with 18 as Bower added 6, Odeychuk and Joey DeFelice 5, Vaccarelli 4 and Porter 3.

Vaccarelli also grabbed off 11 rebounds and Winter 10.

Winter and DeFelice were both named to the All-Tournament team.