Staff reports
iBerkshires Sports - Print
12:04PM / Saturday, February 11, 2012


DALTON, Mass — There's been a lot of long nights for the Hoosac Valley boys' basketball team this season, but Thursday night was not one of them. 

Led by a career-high 20 points from sophomore Sean Ryan-Kut, the Hurricanes overcame a four-point deficit with just over a minute to go to force overtime against Wahconah. Hoosac took over in the extra frame, outscoring the hosts 13-5 to walk away with a 57-49 win. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Hurricanes, who improved to 2-14 with the win. 

As was everything else this season, Thursday's win was definitely a challenge for Hoosac. The visitors fell behind 14-7 after the first quarter, only to respond with a 21-7 scoring edge in the second. Ryan-Kut drained three of his six 3-pointers in the frame, helping the Hurricanes to a 28-21 lead at the half. The Warriors (1-16) bounced back in the third quarter, however, going on a 17-7 run to earn a three-point lead going into the fourth. 

"It was a very competitive game throughout, another typical HV-Wahconah game that went down to the wire," Hoosac head coach Bill Robinson said. "We came out on fire to start the second quarter, but Wahconah came out and took it to us in the third, just outhustling and creating second- and third-chance opportunities."

Robinson said the fourth quarter was a back-and-forth battle until Greg Horth (13 points) made a basket with a minute and a half to go to put Wahconah up by four. Ryan-Kut missed on an open look on Hoosac's trip down the court, but freshman Austin Milesi came up with a steal off the dribble at midcourt and took it in to cut the lead to 44-42 with just under a minute to play. The 'Canes then forced a turnover with 32 seconds left to play, giving them a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession. Milesi missed on a three from the right wing, but the ball bounced to Trevor Alibozek on the opposite side of the rim. The sophomore forward laid it in with 20 seconds remaining to tie the game, and the game went into overtime after the Warriors' missed on a long 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation. 

Ryan-Kut got things started in the extra period with an nice penetrating jumper before sophomore guard Matt Braman hit a big trey from the left wing to put Hoosac up by five with two and half minutes left. Horth scored on a reverse layup to cut the lead to three, but Ryan-Kut nailed his sixth triple of the game from the left side of the key to answer right back. Braman then made 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to ice the win. 

Braman finished with 15 points and three assists, while Alibozek added 14 points, 11 rebounds and four helpers. Ryan-Kut also came up with five boards and four assists in what turned out to be his coming-out party on Thursday.

"It was a well played game by both teams, but Austin Milesi came up with the big steal and lay-up that gave us just enough of a push to overcome a four-point deficit late in the game," Robinson said. "It was a good win by our young team, as we were led by three sophomores. And we can't forget about Milesi, who made the play of the game with his steal at midcourt." 

Steve Shea scored eight of his team-high 14 points in first quarter for Wahconah. The Hurricanes next play at Taconic at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.