Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By SCOTT SPERNOGA; Times Leader Sports Correspondent
Friday, February 25, 1994 Page: 8C QUICK WORDS: BISHOP HOBAN CLINCHES
DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP
WILKES-BARRE — For the first 16 minutes of play Thursday night,
Tunkhannock had visions of pulling off perhaps the biggest upset in school
history — a victory over unbeaten Bishop Hoban.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Argents refused to play their part.
Bishop Hoban (24-0 overall) overcame a sluggish first half to post a 63-40
victory over Tunkhannock and capture the Wyoming Valley Conference Division I
title in front of a Senior Parents’ Night crowd.
In the process, Bishop Hoban recorded its first unbeaten regular season in
school history.
Hoban’s senior trio of Jay Williams, Matt Conway and Mike Barrouk combined
for 45 points and dismissed any thoughts of a Tiger upset early in the second
half.
With the score tied 31-31, the Argents went on a 16-2 run to put the game
out of reach. Conway, who tallied 15 points on the night, scored six, while
Williams and Brian Gryboski had four each during the decisive third-quarter
run.
Tunkhannock (5-18 overall, 1-7 second half) would not come closer than 14
points the rest of the way and the Argents had their championship.
“We picked up our defense and played a lot better in the second half,”
Hoban head coach Chet Hine said following his squad’s 24th straight victory.
“We executed well from the middle of the second quarter on.”
But, it was Tunkhannock that came out of the gates on fire.
The Tigers built a 27-19 lead midway through the second quarter, thanks
largely to a fine display of outside shooting.
Mike Boretti, who led the Tigers with 12 points, scored five points and
Jeff Flood nailed a long 3-pointer during an 8-2 run to build the eight-point
lead. Flood finished the contest with 10 points.
“Give Tunkhannock credit,” Hine added, “they came out hot.”
With the Argents trailing by eight with just over four minutes remaining in
the first half, Hoban standout Barrouk decided to take charge.
Barrouk combined a series of driving layups and low-post moves to score
eight of his game-high 18 points in a 10-0 Hoban run that gave the Argents a
29-27 lead at halftime.
Williams, Hoban’s floor general, netted 12 points for the Argents.
However, it was the third straight game in which the Argents struggled at
times.
“It has been a long season and because of our style of play, we do get
tired,” Hine said of his squad’s recent performances. ~~”We hope that by
substituting and having some days off we won’t be as tired.”
And, considering the dominating way the mighty Argents have played for 24
games this season, fatigue may be the opposition’s only strength against
Hoban.
TUNKHANNOCK (40)
Shepulski 0 0-0 0, Tinna 3 0-0 6, Flood 3 2-5 10, Boretti 4 2-2 12, Oakley
3 1-1 7, Carter 0 0-0 0, Regan 2 0-0 5, Zuma 0 0-0 0. Totals 15 5-8 40.
BISHOP HOBAN (63)
Williams 5 2-3 12, Conway 7 1-1 15, Finarelli 0 0-0 0, Barrouk 9 0-0 18,
Gryboski 2 0-0 4, Isaacs 1 0-0 2, Nilon 2 1-1 5, Salus 0 0-0 0, McDermott 0
0-0 0, Rutchauskas 0 0-0 0, Flower 0 0-0 0, Shuler 1 2-2 4, Andes 1 0-0 3.
Totals 28 6-7 63.
Tunkhannock 17 10 6 7 — 40
Bishop Hoban 17 12 18 16 — 63
Three-point goals: Flood 2, Boretti 2, Regan, Andes.