Beacon falls short

Bulldogs lose to Amityville

By Sean T. McMann
Poughkeepsie Journal

 

Darryl Bautista/Poughkeepsie Journal Beacon High School's Roberto Macklin is consoled by Wayne Griffin of the Beacon Summer Basketball League on Saturday after Beacon's 65-59 loss to Amityville in the Class B semifinals in Glens Falls.

GLENS FALLS -- Roberto Macklin left everything he had on the Glens Falls Civic Center floor Saturday morning.

The Beacon High School senior point guard poured his sweat on the court. He left his high-school career on the hardwood as well.

And in the end, after his Bulldogs fell to Amityville, 65-59, in the state Class B semifinals, Macklin left a few tears on the floor.

Falling to his hands and knees, Macklin could use only his white basketball jersey wrapped tightly over his head to cover the pain within.

''I just couldn't believe we lost,'' said Macklin, his eyes red and puffy, the obvious side effect of his emotion. ''We worked so hard to get here. We got stopped by a 'Stop' sign.''

Magic is over

That metaphoric, red-and-white hexagon came in the form of three-time defending state Class B champion Amityville, which ended Beacon's magical season and the Bulldogs' march to a first-ever state title.

''We played a great game,'' said Beacon senior center Bryan Ortquist, who scored 11 points. ''They played a better game. They played a level above us.''

Indeed, as well as Beacon (20-5 overall) played Saturday, it seemed the Warriors from Section 11 (22-2) played just a little better.

Beacon's leading scorer, Macklin poured in 23 points; Amityville's A.J. Price led all with 36.

Where three Beacon players scored in double digits, the Warriors only needed Price to accomplish the feat.

The Bulldogs took a lead after the first and second quarters; Amityville grabbed the lead for good.

''That's part of sports,'' Beacon coach Tom Powers said. ''I had an idea it would go down to the wire.''

It did.

The game tied 53-53 on an Ortquist put-back with 3 minutes, 28 seconds left, Powers said he felt his team was on the verge of something special.

''I thought we had a great shot,'' he said. ''I thought we had momentum going our way. I thought, 'We've got them right where we want them.' We just needed to get a steal, make a shot.''

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, the Warriors doubled Beacon's scoring output from that point on, 12-6, including six unanswered points, earning a spot in today's state Class B title game against hometown favorite Glens Falls.

''It's so great when you play in a state championship (tournament), and you have a hard-fought battle,'' Amityville coach Jack Agostino said. ''That really helps you earn your victory, and I felt like we definitely earned it.''

Not that Beacon made it easy for the Warriors.

In fact, the Bulldogs showed no fear in the face of Amityville's pedigree, taking an early advantage before going into halftime with a 26-25 lead and enthusiasm.

''We knew we could play with them then,'' Powers said. ''We got a surge of confidence, even though we weren't playing our best game.''

Collin Powers (six points) said that he and his teammates were cautious heading into the final 16 minutes, never taking the opposition lightly.

''We went into the second half like it was 0-0,'' the senior forward said. ''I wouldn't say we played our 'A' game.''

Hit by barrage of 3-pointers

The defending champs capitalized on Beacon miscues to take a 46-40 lead into the final quarter, on the strength of three straight three-point field goals by Price, including a three-pointer from the top of the key that beat the horn separating the third quarter and the fateful fourth.

''They converted, which hurt,'' Collin Powers said. ''To play that even, it hurts.''

Ortquist, too, said that the loss ''hurt'' more because his team played so hard for so long.

''It just wasn't enough in the end,'' he said. ''The balance weighed more on their side today.''

Macklin said that Price, a junior, was too much to overcome, scoring 20 points in the second half.

''He was the main player of the team. He did everything. He was difficult to stop,'' said Macklin, who tried to match Price's heroics. ''I knew I had to be a strong leader. I had to go out and play my heart out.''

All of the Bulldogs did just that, their coach said.

''I told each player he has nothing to be ashamed of,'' Tom Powers said. ''This (loss) will stay with us for a while, but I wanted them to handle the loss with class and dignity.

''I think we put Beacon on the map, basketball-wise. It's been a tremendous ride.''