Dalton News

Dalton Tiger Report: NYSAIS Basketball Playoffs

In an exciting week at the Dalton Gym, Dalton's two highly-seeded varsity basketball teams took on league rivals with hopes of advancing in the NYSAIS tournament and achieving hoops glory.
Girls Varsity Basketball

In a NYSAIS semifinals showdown between league rivals on Saturday afternoon at the Dalton Gym, fourth-seeded Trinity upset the first-seeded Dalton Tigers, ending Dalton’s hopes of repeating as NYSAIS champions.

Dalton started strong, maintaining a one-to-two possession lead for the duration of the first half. Caleigh Ryan ’18 caught fire from the perimeter, draining several difficult jump shots from the baseline, and Trinity’s guards struggled at times to keep possession of the ball against Dalton’s stifling half-court defense. But Trinity was kept alive by the play of a point forward who dominated the defensive glass and converted tough shots near the basket on offense. The score at halftime: Dalton up 24-22.

It was Trinity who controlled the game in the second half, scoring three straight baskets to open up the third quarter and extending its lead to as many as 8 points. Dalton would come back and even up the score, thanks to a series of trips to the foul line and free throws by Ryan, Ema Schumer ’18, Alana Eiland ’17, Elise Bousquette ’18, and Charlotte Leone ’19. 

But Trinity retook its lead in the 4th quarter by successfully navigating Dalton’s press and hitting two dagger three-pointers. Schumer connected on a three in the final seconds of the game, but it was too little, too late: Trinity won 57-46.

The loss followed a resounding 79-58 win in the NYSAIS quarterfinals over Columbia Prep on Thursday evening, in which Dalton jumped out to a huge lead and was able to rest its starters early on in the second half.

Though Dalton’s playoff run may have ended earlier than expected, the team’s season will largely be remembered for an impressive first place finish in the Ivy Preparatory League. The team was led by seniors Gretchen Doyle, Eiland, Nell Hurley, Grace Jaeger, and Brooke Zivitofsky.
 
Boys Varsity Basketball
 
Boys Varsity Basketball lost 52-48 in a thriller to the Riverdale Falcons in the NYSAIS quarterfinals on Thursday night.

Dalton, which entered the NYSAIS tournament as a #3 seed, split its two regular season matchups with the Riverdale Falcons, winning at home but losing on the road. Heading into the game on Thursday night, Dalton’s record since winter break was 14-1, with its only loss coming at the hands of the Falcons.

The two teams appeared traded leads throughout the first half. Riverdale scored primarily on three-point shots and free throws, while Dalton looked inside on offense to feed Max Peponis ’17 and Alberto Bitar ’18 in the post. Riverdale gained a 5-point edge late in the second quarter, but Ryan Kotin ’18 helped Dalton recover some of its mojo with back-to-back three-pointers which electrified the crowd minutes before halftime. On his first shot, Kotin fooled his defender with a behind-the-back crossover into a step-back three-pointer. Kotin hit the second three-pointer from far behind the three-point line. At half, Riverdale led by 3.

Riverdale extended its lead in the third quarter, capitalizing on Dalton foul trouble and continuing to bury three-point shots. But Dalton clawed its way back from a 7-point deficit, pressing Riverdale on defense to force turnovers and pounding the ball inside on offense. Dalton’s comeback was punctuated by a Ben Broner ’17 three-pointer that left Dalton down just 1 with 1 minute remaining in the game. 

On the possession after Broner’s three, a Dalton foul sent Riverdale to the free-throw line, where Riverdale’s center made 1 of 2 shots to extend Riverdale’s lead to 2. Jream Henderson ’17 was fouled on a drive to the basket on Dalton’s next possession, but Henderson could only convert 1 of 2 free throws. Dalton fouled Riverdale again to get the ball back on offense for an opportunity at a game-tying shot, but an errant pass by Dalton sealed the victory for Riverdale with just over 10 seconds remaining.

Dalton finished the season with a 19-6 record, winning 11 games and finishing 2nd in the Ivy Preparatory League. That record marks Dalton’s best finish in league since its 1991 regular season league championship season. This year's team was led by seniors Ben Broner, Oliver Glavin, Jream Henderson, Max Peponis, and Jacob Rose.
 
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