Pembroke downs Kendall in C1 playoffs

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s CJ D’Agostino goes in for a layup during the Dragons sectional quarterfinal loss to Pembroke at Oakfield-Alabama this evening.

Combining a fast start with a strong finish, No. 3 seed Pembroke downed No. 6 Kendall 59-46 in the quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C1 boys basketball playoffs this evening at Oakfield-Alabama.

Nolan Peterson scored 17, Lennox Kohorst 16 and Luca Baker 14 to spark Pembroke which will take a 20-2 record into Monday’s C1 semifinal against No. 2 Geneseo.

Vinnie D’Agostino took game high honors with 20, CJ D’Agostino 11 and Noah Morehouse 8 to lead Kendall.

Unleashing a barrage of five early threes, including two each by Peterson and Baker and one by Owen Schultz, Pembroke jumped out to a 17-5 lead at the outset.

Pembroke’s Owen Schultz (0) and Mason Weatherbee (11) try to block the drive to the basket by Kendall’s Vinnie D’Agostino.

The Eagles did close the opening period with a 9-2 run including 5 by CJ D’Agostino and 4 by Vinnie D’Agostino to cut the deficit to 19-14 but the Dragons went on to hold maintain a 10 point, 31-21, lead at half-time.

Kendall though came battling back with a 14-5 scoring surge to open the third period to rally back to within one at 36-35.

Morehouse hit two threes, Vinnie D’Agostino and Sammy Conte one each and Jonny Conte a two during that rally.

However, the Eagles could not pull even as the Dragons went back up 40-35 at the end of the third period and then put a lock on the victory with a 19-11 scoring edge in the decisive final period.

Kohorst spearheaded that late Dragons surge with 11 points including three huge threes as Barker also hit a big three.

Kendall finishes the season at 15-7.

Kendall’s Noah Morehouse looks to put up a shot as Luca Baker (5) and Lennox Kohorst (43) defend for Pembroke.