Thurgood Marhsall Academy had a 15-point third quarter cushion dwindle to a single point, but held on to defeat PSAL Bronx AA power Wings Academy 67-66 in Harlem on Friday night.
The Panthers took a 57-42 lead on a fast break layup by Nelson Sanchez with 1:30 to play in the third frame and, after a pull-up jumper by Tyronne Myricks of Wings, TMA held a comfortable 57-44 lead heading into the fourth.
End of 3rd Q: Thurgood Marshall Academy 57 Wings Academy 44. #PSAL #HSBB pic.twitter.com/K7DZSkxGHI
— HS Box Scores NYC (@hsboxscoresnyc) January 10, 2020
Wings opened the final quarter on a 16-2 run, pulling within a point at 59-58 with just over 4:00 to play after a pair of 3-pointers by Jose Cuello. Brandon Mendez put TMA ahead 66-60 with a pair of free throws and a drive down the lane, but Wings answered with a eurostep by Brian Tejada and a putback by Davon Anderson, making it a one possession game at 66-64 with 1:35 on the clock. Jonathan Saravia made one of two from the stripe to give the Panthers a 67-64 lead with 50.1 ticks left, but a putback by William Ruiz made it a one-point game at 67-66 with 34.3 seconds remaining.
Wings Academy came all the way back to pull within a point and had a chance to win it on the last possession, but Thurgood Marshall Academy defended the play with a tie up and held on 67-66. #PSAL #HSBB pic.twitter.com/yMlKXwf8kl
— HS Box Scores NYC (@hsboxscoresnyc) January 11, 2020
Wings got a critical defensive stop and suddently found themselves with a chance to win it, taking possession under their own hoop with 1.3 seconds to play. Davon Anderson took the inbound pass in the lane, but Brandon Nesmith and Saravia came up with the defensive play of the game, preventing Anderson from getting a shot off as time expired.
Kevin Dinkins Jr. led TMA with 21 points, as the Panthers improved to 10-0 in PSAL league play, tops in the Manhattan AA Division.
Cuello had 18 points for Wings, which is now 7-3 in the PSAL Bronx AA standings, second behind Eagle Academy (9-1).