A Pirate Junior Varsity Victory. Senior Night. A key basket made by a Senior made thing look like it was going to be the Pirates way on Saturday as Continental hosted Holgate in the last regular season home game of the 2023-24 season. The night started with the Junior Varsity taking the Tigers 34-16. Then Senior night festivities started with Senior Cheerleaders Delany Bowers and Maddy Grant being introduced followed by Senior Boys Basketball members Peyton Wilson, Carson Etter, Jonathon Etter, and Mason Rayle.
The game started with the 4 seniors and Junior Monty Rayle making up the starting 5. The scoring started with Senior Mason Rayle hitting a 3 for the Pirates which the Tigers matched. A Monty Rayle 3 and free throw and a free throw from Senior Jonathon Etter spotted the Pirates with a 5 point lead 8-3. The Tigers would match that 5 point run with a 3 and 2 to tie it at 8. Pirates put in the next 3 with a Brady Thomsen free throw and a basket by Senior Carson Etter. Pirates 11-8. A three by the Tigers tied the score at 11. Mason Rayle 3 would finish off the scoring in the first quarter and the Pirates would have a 14-11 lead.
The Pirates would expand their lead to 5 when Carson Etter would put in a basket, Pirates 16-11. A basket by the Tigers put the game back to 3, 16-13. Another 5 point Pirate run, a Jonathon Etter basket and a Carson Etter 3 point play would put the Pirates lead a game high 8, 21-13. A 5 point Tiger run, a 3 point play and a basket, would reduce the Pirate lead to 3 21-18. 3 points by the Pirates on a Monty Rayle basket and a Jonathon Etter free throw and it was back to a Pirate 6 point lead 24-18. The Tigers would put in the last 8 points of the half to take their first lead 26-24.
A spirited halftime dance by the Pirate Cheerleaders put the crowd in a mood to look forward to exciting basketball in the second half. It was the Tigers who hit the bottom of the net first in the second half as a basket pushed their lead to 4 28-24. The Pirates would roar back and take a 30-28 on baskets by Monty Rayle, Brady Thomsen, and Carson Etter. The Tigers would retake the lead on a pair of baskets, Tigers 32-30. A Pirate 3 by Monty Rayle put them back in the lead 33-32. A Tiger basket and the lead changed again Tigers 34-33. A 3 by 3 point play by Carson Etter and the Pirates were in the lead 36-34. The Tigers would tie the game with a basket but the Pirates would head into the fourth quarter with the lead thanks to a Brady Thomsen basket. Pirates 38-36 after 3.
After a third quarter that had the lead change 5 times had the crowd was looking forward to an exciting fourth quarter. The Tigers would put in the first 5 points of the fourth with a 3 and 2 to take a 41-38 lead, the 6th lead change of the half and the last one. The Pirates would make it a 1 point game when Carson Etter would make a basket. The Tigers and Pirates exchanged baskets with Carson Etter hitting for the Pirates. Tigers 43-42. A 3 by the Tigers put them up by 4, 46-42. Senior Peyton Wilson would sink a key 3 to make it a 1 point game 46-45. The Pirates had a couple of opportunities to tie the game or take the lead as the Tigers would go 1-4 from the line in the waning seconds. The game ended with Monty Rayle getting a good look at a distant 3 but it banged off the rim. Tigers 47-45.
Senior Carson Etter led the Pirates with 16 points while Monty Rayle put in 11. Senior Mason Rayle scored 6, Brady Thomsen 5, Senior Jonathon Etter 3, and Senior Peyton Wilson 3. The Pirates made five 3s with Mason and Monty Rayle both making 2 and Petyon Wilson made 1. The Tigers made six 3s. The Pirates were 6-10 from the foul line while the Tigers were 2-5.
Continental falls to 2-18 and will travel to Pandora Gilboa on Thursday for a key Putnam County League game as the Rockets attempt to secure a sole PCL Championship. Holgate improves to 6-15.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
