Tri-Valley Boys Varsity Win Big Game

                                                  

  Senior Tri-Valley boys basketball players Jesus Lozada, Alex Brown and Sam Tingley celebrated Senior Night by scoring a combined 55 points which propelled the Bears into a big 75-66 OCIAA Division V win over Chester last Thursday night.

  The Bears win evened the league series as Chester won at home January 9 by two-points in overtime play and also gives Tri-Valley home court advantage against Chester in the first game of sectional play tonight. 

  Lozasa led  all scorers with 26 points with 18 of those points coming from six three-pointers. 

  Brown, who was celebrating his 18th birthday Thursday was a dominant factor both on the boards with rebounding, scoring 16 points and provided key blocks throughout the game.

  Tingley, usually noted for his patented three-pointer, pumped in five two-point scores and one tray. 

  Senior night honorees included Lozada, Tingley, Brown, Donte Brock, Devin Donnelly,  Mike Post and cheerleader Schuyler Kraus.

  Lozada started his three-point scoring spree at 7:45 of the first quarter and the Bears took a quick 5-0 lead on a two-pointer by Donnelly at the 6:53 mark but the Hambletonians got right back in the game when Chester's ace Lawrence Young popped a three-pointer and Daniel Wittekind added two more to close the lead to 7-6 at the 5:33 mark. 

  Tri-Valley went on to outscore Chester 20-16 in the first quarter with another Lozada tray, six points by Brown and four points by Brock. 

  Chester's Young also added a second three-pointer in the first eight minutes of play. 

  A determined Chester team led by Young with eight points and Brandon Sadlier with eight points outscored Tri-Valley 21-20 in the second quarter with the Bears Lozada scoring eight off two threes and a deuce and Tingley adding three two pointers. The Bears half time lead was 40-37. 

  Sadlier kept Chester in the game in the third quarter scoring nine points but Tri-Valley's Lozada added two more three-pointers and Brown had six points to outscore Chester 20-18 and a third quarter lead of 60-55.

  The Bears outscored Chester 15-11 in the fourth quarter  with Lazada adding five more points and Tingley scoring his only three pointer for the night. Young with five and Whittekind with four led the Hambletonians fourth quarter scoring.

  In the turnover category Tri-Valley had 15 to Chester's 13. 

  Chester coach John Marsilio credited Tri-Valley's Lozada saying, "you can't let a guy put up six threes and make all of them."

  Marsilio added, "they hit their shots and they got up on us and when they go on runs you've got to try and go on one of your own.

  Tri-Valley's defense played a role in this game with Marsilio noting, "they did a good job of switching up man and zone and we can't give up 75 points when we've been averaging in the 40's against us."

  Bears coach Brian Tingley pointed out that "we like to speed it up so we have a lot of possessions and on defense our first priority was to stop their fast break."

  Tingley added, "anytime we get them to have to set up in the half court that's to our advantage."

  When asked about Brown's defense and shot blocking Tingley said, "Alex is very intimidating as long as he doesn't get into foul trouble.

  Lozada led all scorers with 26, Brown had 16 and Tingley had 13 for Tri-Valley (13-4 and 3-3 in OCIAA league play.

  For Chester Young had 25 points and Sadlier added 19. Chester finished regular season play at 13-5 and 3-3 in league play. 

  PHOTO IDENTIFICATION

Tri-Valley's Jesus Lozada carried the smile and enthusiasm he had with his mom Angelica Lopez during Senior Night ceremonies into the Bears-Chester game by scoring six three pointers to lead his team with 26 points and a 75-66 win.                                                                    

Control of the boards, scoring and shot blocking could very well have been on the mind of Tri-Valley's Alex Brown, center, during Senior Night ceremonies celebrated with dad Thomas and mom Donna as the big center went on to score 16 points in Tri-Valley's 75-66 win over Chester last Thursday night.                                                                       

Tri-Valley's Jesus Lozada (15) scores two of his 26 points in the Bears 75-66 win over Chester. Attemping to guard him is Chester's Justin Feldman (11).

                                                      

 ADDITIONAL GAME AND SENIOR NIGHT PHOTOS