RHS Boys’ Basketball
No OT Necessary; Garnets Dispose of Harrison in Regulation

Led by a superlative 29-point effort from their unassuming senior star, captain Matt O’Neill, the Garnets defeated their archrivals 71-66 on the road in the Huskies’ hostile arena.

O’Neill’s performance in the January 9 rematch of December’s triple overtime thriller, which Rye won 95-90, was further evidence that the senior has fully taken over leadership reigns for the Garnets. Whenever his team needed him most, there was O’Neill draining a jumper, contorting his body on a drive to a hoop, or soaring for a rebound. Rarely one to show emotion, this silent assassin is exactly what Rye needed in the wake of losing 2007-08 scoring leaders James Bonsall and Remy Pinson.

“Matt has been tremendous, he’s really improved in his three years on varsity,” said head coach Chris Dicintio. “You don’t expect him to be quick, but he beats you with that first step. You don’t expect him to have a great shot, but he knocks it down consistently. You don’t expect him to be a standout defender with that thin frame, but he takes his man out of the game. You just can’t put your finger on what makes him great, but he truly is just that.”

O’Neill wasn’t the only Garnet who sparkled against Harrison. When the Huskies cut an 11-point lead to five late in the third quarter and appeared to have all the momentum, senior David Mintz stole the ball and dished it to senior Pat O’Callaghan for a basket with just seconds left.

That 47-40 lead ballooned to a 10-point advantage early in the fourth, but Harrison again fought back. As before, Rye answered. Up by just six points, O’Callaghan stole the ball and dished to O’Neill, who missed the lay-up. Fortunately, sophomore Brian Pickup grabbed the offensive rebound and put it back in while being fouled. He converted the free throw for the conventional three-point play, and the Garnets went up 55-46.

A few possessions later O’Callaghan once again snatched the ball, catalyzing a critical fast break for Rye. The senior quickly passed it to Pickup, who found Mintz for another “and 1” basket. Mintz missed the free throw, but Rye was now up 11. When the score reached 59-46, Harrison began fouling Rye on every possession, so the final two minutes of the game lasted an excruciating twenty in real time. In the end, the Garnets had dug too deep a hole for the Huskies to claw their way out of.
Along with O’Neill, Mintz and O’Callaghan scored in double figures with 15 and 10 points respectively.

“Although Pat has been on the team for three years, he didn’t always play much the last two years and I didn’t know what we would get from him,” said Dicintio. “But I think his experience on the football team has given him such confidence. Mintz was originally going to be our sixth man, but when Pinson transferred he became our starting two guard. He was excited at first, feeling a lot of pressure. Recently he has come to settle into his role more, and has averaged double figures over the last few games.”

Rye picked up their second consecutive victory – and fourth in their last six games – January 12 at home against Woodlands. The win pushed them to 5-4, and Dicintio is pleased with where his team stands.

“In my eight years as varsity coach, we’ve had all kinds of different teams here,” he said. “This particular team encompasses all of the ones from years past. We might not be the most athletic or offensively potent, but we do have athletes and scorers. What this team has in abundance, however, is chemistry. And I’m blessed in that area because it’s something you can’t teach.”