SHILLINGTON – The season that united a community came to an abrupt end, but the memories created by this year’s Catasauqua boys basketball team will live on.
Cody Fisher drained a tiebreaking fadeaway jump shot with 5.2 seconds left Wednesday night as Lancaster Mennonite ended Catasauqua’s magical season with a 51-49 victory in a PIAA Class 3A boys basketball second-round game at Governor Mifflin High School.
Catasauqua (19-11) had a potential game-winning 3-point shot blocked at the buzzer as Lancaster Mennonite (22-3) prevailed in a game in which neither team led by more than five points.
“It was a great year,” said Catasauqua coach Eric Snyder. “These kids united, they united the town, the school, the community, the alumni. Sports unites communities.”
Frankie Pujols scored 14 points to lead the District 11 champion Rough Riders, who rebounded after a 2-6 start that included four straight losses to open the season.
Hamaad Jenkins made a layup midway through the third quarter to break a tie and Pujols followed with a 3-pointer with 2:20 left in the quarter to give Catasauqua its largest lead at 39-34.
But the District 3 champion Blazers closed the third quarter on a 6-2 run to pull within a point, then opened the fourth quarter with a deep 3-pointer by Fisher. Fisher finished with a game-high 26 points, including four 3-pointers.
The game stayed tight the rest of the way with Matt Fotta hitting two free throws with 1:53 left to tie the game for the final time.
After a Blazers turnover, Catasauqua had one chance to take the lead but missed a layup with 45 seconds left. The Rough Riders forced a missed field-goal attempt at the other end with 9 seconds left, but Lancaster Mennonite got an offensive rebound to set the stage for Fisher’s game winner.
“We were a heartbeat away from moving on to the third round on Saturday,” Snyder said. “That’s the hard part.”
Instead, Lancaster Mennonite will play in the state quarterfinals against District 2 runner-up Holy Cross, a 58-55 winner over Audenreid Charter.
But when the pain subsides for Snyder, seniors Fotta and Jeremiah Cofie, and the rest of the Rough Riders, Catasauqua can look ahead to a promising future and reminisce about a memorable season.
“The game (PIAA opener) on Saturday was packed,” Snyder said. “It was great. There were people there from all ages from Catasauqua. That’s what you want to see, good old-fashioned school spirit, community spirit. That’s what these kids did.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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