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Terrell Ard Jr. by Jeremy Useted
Considering how the two earlier meetings went, this one counts as a shock.
The Putnam Science Academy girls’ varsity team had twice beaten Springfield Commonwealth Academy this season, winning those games by an average of 35 points. So when the teams met on Feb. 27 in the semifinals of the Postseason Invitational, few people were expecting it to be a close game. Turns out, it was.
The top-seeded Mustangs were down six points at halftime, ran off eight straight points to close the third quarter up one, and had the lead in the final minute before succumbing in startling fashion, 62-60.
Zanashia Croft scored 19 points and Sofia Marcos added 15 for PSA (12-4). Fourth-seeded Commonwealth took the lead with about 15 seconds to go on an offensive rebound putback, though replay shows the Tornadoes player got away with a push in the back to get herself an uncontested rebound and layup. PSA had a chance to tie with about five seconds to go, but Aden Edebali’s shot in the lane wouldn’t go down, and Commonwealth ran out the clock to end it. May Santiago finished with nine points, Edebali eight and Bri Mead seven in the loss.
Boys’ Prep
On the boys ‘side, the prep team, ranked No. 2 in the country, improved to 32-3 with a pair of blowout wins and one overtime nailbiter. The Mustangs overwhelmed Bridgeport Prep with their size Feb. 25 enroute to a 103-61 win. Frontcourt players Josh Gray (18 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks) and Elijah Hutchins-Everett (19 points, seven rebounds) set the tone early and dominated the paint for PSA.
The backcourt got into the act a little later, and contributed plenty. Johnnie Williams went for 16 points, Hassan Diarra had 13 points, seven assists, and four steals, and D’Maurian Williams finished with 11 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Terrell Ard Jr. added six points and eight rebounds in the win.
Four days later, PSA needed every bit of Marty Silvera’s big game to escape from Cushing Academy with a 78-76 overtime victory. Marty Silvera had 20 points, four rebounds, and four assists to lead PSA, which won despite making just eight-of-27 3-pointers and 19-of-41 free throws.
Diarra finished with 18 points, eight assists, and six rebounds, while Gray added six points and 11 rebounds. Vlad Goldin had 13 points for PSA.
The Mustangs didn’t have a lot of time to think about that one, as about 20 hours later, they hosted Dohn Prep of Cincinnati, a program in its third year. The Mustangs were a bit sluggish in the first half, as reflected in their four-point, 53-49 lead. But the second half was a different story and PSA went on to win, 108-73, behind a monster performance from Ard Jr.
Ard, playing with his motor running at a high level, went off for 23 points and 15 rebounds, and second-ranked PSA rolled to the win with a dominant second half. Ard Jr. is averaging 11 points and 9.6 rebounds over his last seven games.
D’Maurian Williams knocked down five 3-pointers to account for his 15 points, Diarra had 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists, and Johnnie Williams got back on track with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Mustangs (32-3). Melvyn Ebonkoli pulled down 14 rebounds and Gray 10 in the win.
Varsity Boys
The varsity boys’ team split a pair of games, falling 71-53 to Pomfret Prep Feb. 25 and dropping Pioneer Academy 86-75 on March 1.
Darryl Simmons scored 11 points and Luc Brittian 10, but PSA went ice cold shooting the ball in the second half of the loss to Pomfret Prep. Abdul Seck finished with nine points and Ty Drummer added eight for the Mustangs.
March 1, a day when PSA recognized its seniors and postgrad players playing in their final home game, saw Brittian, one of those postgrads, go off for a career-high 29 points.
Darryl Simmons added 18 points and Amir Sanders 15 for PSA (20-10). Abdul Seck scored 11 points, including two big 3-pointers, all in the final minute of the game to seal the victory.
By Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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