Freeport defense makes stand, stops Burrell

By: George Guido
Friday, January 29, 2021 | 9:40 PM

Freeport found a higher gear for its defense in the third quarter, and it resulted in the first Yellowjackets win of the season.

Freeport forced 14 Burrell turnovers in a frantic third period and held the Bucs scoreless for 4 minutes and 30 seconds during one stretch to come away with a 54-47 victory in Section 1-4A play.

Cole Charlton scored 16 points, 13 in the second half , and pulled down eight rebounds for the Yellowjackets, now 1-2 in the section, 1-4 overall.

Freeport didn’t play its first game until Jan. 15 and had three games postponed in the last eight days.

“We didn’t do anything different than what we’ve been practicing and focusing on,” said Yellowjackets coach Wayne Greiser. “Guess they got a little fire underneath them, and I’m proud of the effort.”

Charlton agreed.

“We talked at halftime about how we started out pretty bad,” the junior swingman said. “We kind of got mad and picked up the energy all together.”

Brandon Coury had 23 points to lead the Bucs, who fell to 1-4, 1-3.

After Burrell took a 31-21 lead on a Coury field goal, Freeport went on a 19-1 surge to take a 40-32 lead with 7:35 left in the game.

The Bucs committed seven turnovers in nine trips down the floor and missed shots on the other two possessions.

“We just had difficulties handling their pressure there for a while,” said Burrell coach Mike Fantuzzo. “Their pressure got to us, and we didn’t have anybody who could take over.”

Freeport had several seven-point leads in the fourth period. Burrell cut the lead to 44-43 on a basket by Coury with 4:48 to go, but the Yellowjackets made 8 of 11 free throws in the final minutes to seal the victory.

Vinnie Clark had 12 points, all in the second half, while Ben Lane had 10. Lane suffered a leg injury early in the fourth quarter and played sparingly after that.

“We made a little adjustment with Cole, put him inside a little more on the perimeter,” Greiser said. “He actually came to us and asked for it. We believed in our guys and let them play.”

Up to the midway part of the third quarter, Burrell had been playing well. The Bucs committed just two turnovers in the second period as the Bucs built a 25-16 halftime lead. Burrell was charged with only three team fouls in the first half.

“We’ve been in some close games this year, and we’ve won some close games,” Fantuzzo said. “It’s just a mental toughness thing, and I hope they get that shortly. It’s coming, but there are still times when we lose focus.”

Travis Bitar and Coury had seven rebounds each for the Bucs.

Connor Holloway had 10 rebounds to pace the Yellowjackets.

It’s been a difficult season for players and coaches at many schools.

Said Charlton: “I hate it. Coach says we could be getting on the bus and we get called with someone having a positive case and we can’t go to the game.”

Greiser was whistled for a pair of technicals in the span of 1½ minutes of the third period, but it didn’t stop his team’s momentum. The veteran coach will be sitting out Saturday’s 2 p.m. nonsection game at North Clarion.

Freeport was supposed to play Keystone Oaks in a section make-up game Saturday, but school officials in Dormont called Freeport on Friday to postpone the game for a second time.

“We just want to play,” Charlton said of the trip to Tionesta.

Tags: Burrell, Freeport