Feb 20, 2012 4:53 PM
As he stepped to the foul line, with his team’s playoff life on the line, Anthony Annunziata just proceeded with business as usual.
With 13 seconds left on the clock and his team leading by two, the Eastport South Manor guard had an opportunity to give his team a two-possession advantage with a one-and-one free throw attempt. The senior made both shots look effortless, finding nothing but net to give his team a 43-39 advantage, where it remained for the final in the opening round of the Suffolk County Class AA playoffs against Connetquot on the road on February 17.
“I just went up there and went through my normal routine,” Annunziata said with a smile following the win. “I focused on keeping my rhythm and making the shots.”
The 18th seed Sharks weren’t as lucky the following day when they suffered a 20-point defeat at the hands of second seed William Floyd (see separate story).
Against Connetquot, it was all ESM in the first half.
The shots were falling for the visitors. Their defense was forcing the Thunderbirds into poor shot selection. And the ESM fans, while smaller in numbers, were noticeably louder than the home team’s supporters.
After the first quarter, ESM held a 12-4 advantage and then built itself an 11-point lead, 23-12, going into the locker room at the half.
But then things changed.
The swing in momentum was slow to change but evident as the Thunderbirds chipped away methodically, cutting the lead to 32-26 after three quarters.
Then everything started going the way of the home team, and Connetquot pulled to within two points with a minute to go in the game as Thunderbird Ryan Reidy found himself wide open under the basket, making it 39-37 ESM.
Dalton McCarthy returned a four-point lead to his squad 20 seconds later.
On the next trip down the floor, Connetquot’s James Higgins put his team back to within one possession with just 15 ticks remaining in the game. Annunziata was immediately fouled on the inbounds pass to get a stoppage of the clock.
With the bleachers full of Connetquot students filling the gym with as many distracting noises as possible, Annunziata stepped to the line and just went about his business, stretching his team’s lead to 43-39, giving them breathing room with just 13 seconds to go.
Connetquot’s Greg Silvestro missed an opportunity keep his team’s hopes of victory alive, failing to sink a layup with just six seconds remaining in the game.
“They came out strong in the second half but we held it together and persevered,” Annunziata said.
McCarthy finished with 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and senior Sean Karl added 13 points.
Connetquot and ESM did not play one another during the regular season. Connetquot finished the League II season 8-6 and went 11-7 overall while the Sharks went 8-4 in League V and 13-5 overall.
