Bellows Falls Terriers v. Leland and Gray Rebels (Boys) 01/18/13

TOWNSHEND - Senior captain Drew Barnum and junior Jake Sherman led the Leland and Gray Rebels to victory over the Bellows Falls Terriers Friday, January 18.   After a slow first half that allowed the Terriers to tie the score, the Rebels came back regenerated to command the rest of the game.

Nupp guarding Moore

Both teams had no trouble putting numbers on the board at the start.  The Rebels dominated down low on both offense and defense while the Terriers covered the perimeter.  Sophomore Willie Moore put up back-to-back three pointers to tie the game at ten apiece with over three minutes to go, but Sherman countered with an easy fast break layup followed by his own three to give the Rebels a 15-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Mills blowing by Kenney

The game continued where it had left off as Barnum and Sherman extended the Rebel lead to 21-10 after just three minutes.  Although the Rebels seemed to have the game in the bag, the Terriers bounced back the remainder of the half to score sixteen points.  The impressive rally was led junior Kendrick Mills who scored eight points in under three minutes.  The two teams were tied 26-26 going into halftime.

Sherman 3-4 at foul line

The embarrassing performance in the latter part of the second quarter had given the Rebels enough reason to come back in the third.  Although the Terriers got the first basket to start the second half, Sherman and senior Riley Kenney countered with back-to-back threes to put the Rebels up 32-28.  Just when you thought that Sherman was done, he came back and hit another three to extend the lead further.

Nupp blocking LaBeau

Although the Terriers were initially stagnant, they began to rally again.  Moore hit his third three of the game while Mills and senior captain Michael LaBeau helped out the cause as well.  The come-from-behind performance, which seemed to be routine for the Terriers, had left them trailing just 46-40 by the end of the third quarter.

Conscious that six points was by no means a safe lead, the Rebels exploded on offense where Barnum and senior captain Billy Nupp accumulated a combined fifteen points.  The Terriers shots were finding their way in as well, but the fifteen points they managed to accumulate was insurmountable to the Rebels impressive total twenty-one, ending the game in a final 67-55.

Notable players of the game were Barnum, Nupp and Sherman who had a combined forty-nine points (73% of team total).  Barnum led the team with seven defensive rebounds, seven offensive rebounds, and was second in points scored with nineteen.  Nupp had a total nine points on the night but led the team with four steals, four assists and three blocks.

Barnum guarding LaBeau

Perhaps the most significant of three was Sherman, who had a total twenty-two points on the night with three three-pointers and came up successful in important clutch opportunities.  The most notable Terrier of the night was Moore, who had a total fifteen points with three three-pointers as well. 

The Rebels, now 8-1, are one game behind the undefeated Williamstown Blue Devils (9-0).  The Rebels next contest is against the Proctor Phantoms (4-3) away on Thursday, January 24.