The St. Paul boys basketball team is always about being a team where every player does his job and everyone loves each other (“LEO”).
It took a team effort to down Woodland, 71-67 in overtime, on Friday evening in the Rev. Brian Monnerat Gymnasium on Maltby Street. Sure, Jamie Leggett had another monster game with 31 points (more on this later), but it takes all five guys on the floor, no matter who is out there at a given time, to have success.
For starters, freshman Logan Rembish came up with the game’s biggest bucket, a putback with 0.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, 60-60, and send it to overtime. Rembish scored six points, and all of them were big in a game his team won by four points.
On the big play, Ben Bocchichio fired a 3-pointer from in front of the Falcon’s Nest student section off the inbound pass. The shot was off, but Rembish was in position to make a play and did.
Rembish wasn’t the only player to offer up contributions. Bocchichio tallied 11 points to join Leggett in double figures. Matt Palmieri scored eight points and delivered key contributions down the stretch. Erik Suzio joined Rembish with six points. Dan Gaffney and John Gaffney combined for five points while Mekhi Petteway added four points.
More than points, what those contributions represent is key minutes played by many committed to one goal, winning a basketball game.
As for Leggett, how does 16 for 18 at the foul line sound? That’s 88.9%, and it represented more than half of the junior standout’s 31 points.
St. Paul improved to 7-3 with the win. The victory was a great way to bounce back following a loss at Crosby on Tuesday, and it gives the Falcons momentum heading into a tough week. St. Paul hosts Holy Cross on Tuesday before facing Naugatuck (12-0)on the road Friday in a rematch of the closest game of the season thus far for the undefeated Greyhounds, 66-63 on Jan. 11 in Bristol.
Photo caption: St. Paul freshman Logan Rembish (4) had a putback with 0.5 seconds left in regulation in Friday’s home game against Woodland. The basket tied the game and send it to overtime, where the Falcons won it, 71-67. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69)
