Deer Lakes squeaks past upset-minded Derry
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Tuesday, January 23, 2024 | 10:23 PM
Deer Lakes’ Aiden Fletcher celebrates after defeating Derry, 55-53, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love scores during the fourth quarter against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Aiden Fletcher celebrates after scoring late in the fourth quarter against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love drives past Derry’s Colin Bush during their game Tuesday.
Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love (24) celebrates with Nate Moore and Colby Sutch after taking an offensive foul against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Nate Moore scores past Derry’s Stanley Rajkovich during their game on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Nate Moore celebrates after scoring against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love dives into the cheerleaders for a loose ball during the fourth quarter against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Derry’s Colin Bush scores past Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Colby Sutch battles Derry’s Stanley Rajkovich for a rebound during their game on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Collin Rodgers works against Derry’s Brady Angus on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Collin Rodgers celebrates after scoring against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Derry’s John Wasnick works against Deer Lakes’ Brayden McCoy on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Wayne Love drives to the basket to score against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Derry’s Nathan Papuga shoots a three-pointer against Deer Lakes on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Luca Mangieri scores past Derry’s Nathan Papuga during the fourth quarter on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Luca Mangieri (4) celebrates next to Brayden McCoy after defeating Derry, 55-53, on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes’ Aiden Fletcher celebrates after scoring late in the fourth quarter against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Deer Lakes head coach Albie Fletcher gestures from the bench during a game against Derry on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
Derry head coach Tom Esposito watches from the bench during a game against Deer Lakes on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in West Deer.
It wasn’t exactly the way Deer Lakes boys basketball coach Albie Fletcher drew it up, but down a pair of players from the starting lineup, he’ll certainly take it.
Wayne Love scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, helping Deer Lakes erase a six-point deficit and fend off a strong challenge from Derry in a 55-53 win Tuesday night, keeping its Section 3-3A record unblemished.
The Lancers were without Billy Schaeffer and JT McCue but grinded through to improve to 13-2 overall and 8-0 in section play.
“We were resilient,” Fletcher said. “We got huge minutes off the bench from three sophomores (Brayden McCoy, Colby Sutch and Luca Mangieri). Not only were we short to start, but we had foul trouble, (Nate) Moore got banged up and missed half a quarter, and we were resilient. I told our guys it isn’t easy to win a section, but champions find a way. The next man up has to be ready and they were. I’m super proud of them.”
The Lancers didn’t make it easy on themselves. They missed a dozen free throws in the fourth quarter and turned the ball over on an inbounds play with 15 seconds remaining. That gave Derry (8-5, 3-4) a chance to tie or take the lead, but Nate Papuga’s off-balance 3-pointer fell short.
The Trojans led 41-37 after three quarters but ultimately fell short of pulling off a signature victory.
“We needed this one badly. We’re at the hump, but we can’t get over it,” Derry coach Tom Esposito said. “We battled a very good basketball team in Deer Lakes that’s ranked third in the state, but if we could’ve got this one, it would’ve been a huge boost to us. Credit both teams. They played hard. I wanted our guys to be the ones to do it, but we didn’t do the little things down the stretch to win.”
Aiden Fletcher scored the go-ahead basket to put Deer Lakes up 49-48. Love followed with the next four points and the Lancers forged ahead 53-48, but Papuga nailed a 3-pointer to cut it to two points. Those were the final points of the game.
Strong rebounding from Moore and Love and good defense helped offset the poor night at the charity stripe for Deer Lakes.
The game was physical from the opening tip, and both teams navigated foul trouble. Colin Rodgers fouled out for Deer Lakes early in the fourth. Derry had four players foul out in the final frame, including their two primary ball handlers in Brady Angus and John Wasnick.
Love picked up two early fouls and sat for most of the first half. He scored all of his team-high 14 points in the second half.
“It was definitely hard to sit that first half personally, but with how many guys we already had out, I knew I could trust those younger guys to go in and do a good job,” Love said. “They kept us in it, and that allowed me to go back in and contribute.”
Derry led 13-11 in the first quarter but scored only five points in the second quarter after Deer Lakes ramped up the pressure. That allowed the Lancers to take a 25-18 lead into the locker room.
“I thought our defense was lights out in the second quarter and that probably made the difference,” Fletcher said. “They made plays at the end, and if we don’t have that buffer, that could’ve gone a different way.”
Papuga finished with a game-high 21 for the Trojans and freshman Stanley Rajkovich scored 10. Rogers had 13 and Moore scored 10 for the Lancers.
Jerin Steele is a freelance writer
Tags: Deer Lakes, Derry Area
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