By JOHN LIKANJE
IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. – Tony Arnold had never beaten Pittsford Mendon in his high school career. Wednesday night on the Al Masino Court, the senior guard changed the narrative with a season-high 32 points in Eastridge’s 56-49 victory.
“Monday, I told the team to just follow my lead,” Arnold said after his highest scoring output in the past two seasons. “I wanted to get the win. They did that. They bought in and we played team defense tonight and it worked out for us.”
Arnold spearheaded a 14-2 surge in the third quarter as the Lancers turned a five-point deficit into a seven-point lead. The senior guard finished three acrobatic layups in the lane.
“We had to calm down,” Arnold said. “We came out a little fast and it didn’t work out really well. So we had to calm down and just play our game.”
Jalen Rose-Hannah knocked down a pair of three-pointers. Percy Robinson made a putback as the Lancers took a 41-34 lead they would not relinquish.
“We like to get out in transition and push,” Lancers head coach Dan Roser said as his squad forced five missed field goals and three turnovers during the run. “We did a pretty good job of that tonight.”
“We ran a little press where we got some steals. Just try to fluster them because they’re such a good team. They stay really calm and just do whatever we can to fluster them a little bit on defense.”
Arnold scored four in the opening period, eight in the second, 12 in the third and eight in the fourth. Eight of the senior guard’s 13 made field goals were layups. Arnold connected on 6-of-6 free throws as well.
“My teammates, they allow me to do what I can do and they trusted in me tonight,” the senior guard said.
“They were playing a little full court 2-3 (zone) where they were pushing their top guys up,” Roser explained. “We just thought if we could get past those two guys, we would have a good situation. Tony did a good job of beating those two guys up the court and just making good decisions from there. Tony made some really tough shots.”
.@SecVBBasketball – @mendonbball vs. @EastridgeHoops: Tony Arnold gets the bounce. The senior guard has 24 points through 3 quarters. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/TTzOa2EThi
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) December 19, 2019
Rose-Hannah scored eight of his 13 points in the third quarter. Robinson netted 10 points. Jalan Young (1) rounded out the scoring for the Lancers.
Eastridge is the first Section V team to defeat Pittsford Mendon since Greece Athena accomplished the feat on February 28, 2018 in the Class A1 sectional semifinals.
For Pittsford Mendon, Jackson Green scored 15 of his team-high 22 points in the first half as the Vikings took a 25-21 lead into the locker room. The freshman guard swished a pair of long-range shots and 6-of-8 from the charity stripe.
.@SecVBBasketball – @mendonbball vs. @EastridgeHoops: Jackson Green putback. The freshman guard has 20 points through 3 quarters. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/3srvIRbWvb
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) December 19, 2019
Jacob Shadders netted 10 of his 18 points in the second half. Caleb Arena (4), Nate Strauf (3) and Isaiah Cotton (2) rounded out the scoring for the Vikings.
.@SecVBBasketball – @mendonbball vs. @EastridgeHoops: Jacob Shadders beats the 1st quarter buzzer. Pittsford Mendon 14 Eastridge 10. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/Fo7ZEcTMHO
— John Mitchell Likanje Junior (@jml5798) December 19, 2019
Eastridge travels to Monroe Friday evening at 6:15 p.m. Pittsford Mendon takes on crosstown rival Pittsford Sutherland in the Rainbow Classic Friday night at 8 p.m. on the campus of the University of Rochester.
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