What’s better than watching tape of your first round playoff opponent just two days before the game?
How about taking the court against them.
The Bradford Owls took full advantage of that unique situation Monday, jumping ahead to an early lead and closing out a 49-38 victory over St. Marys in their regular season finale.
The same two teams will meet at Bradford High at 7 p.m. Wednesday for the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs.
“People were asking me, ‘What are you going to do?’” Bradford boys coach Brian Hobbs said. “Well, we want to win.”
Tyler Gigliotti poured in a game-high 20 points and Steve Knowlton added 17 for Bradford (10-12, 3-7), which won for the first time in five tries.
“The guys had good energy and good defense tonight,” Hobbs said. “We played well defensively when we played them in St. Marys (38-22 loss on Jan. 4) but we just couldn’t score.”
The Owls held St. Marys (7-14, 3-7) to just eight points in the first quarter and the Dutch could convert just five field goals in the first half.
Cahil Parrish and Anthony Cortina had nine points each for St. Marys.
Hobbs and the Owls will now have a quick turnaround before they need to win again with much higher stakes come Wednesday.
Hobbs knows that Bradford will see a different St. Marys team — with a few added wrinkles — with a trip to the D-9 Championship game on the line.
“I think they will throw some different things at us,” he said. “St. Marys will have some things in their pocket for us, but we’ve had some good film sessions and know what we are going to see.
“The guys need to go out and execute and hopefully we can come out with a win.”
AT BRADFORD
St. Marys (38)
Cahil Parrish 2 4-6 9, Cortina 3 2-2 9, Lasko 2 0-0 6, Catalone 2 0-0 5, Reiter 1 0-2 2, Walker 3 1-1 7. Totals: 13 7-11 38
Bradford (49)
Tyler Gigliotti 7 6-8 20, Steve Knowlton 6 4-7 17, Manion 0 1-2 1, Babcock 1 2-2 5, Pattison 0 1-2 1, Kane 1 0-0 2, Nuzzo 0 2-7 2, Bryant 0 1-2 1. Totals: 15 17-29 49
St. Marys 8 18 27 38
Bradford 12 24 36 49
Three-point goals: SM 5 (Lasko 2, Cortina, Parrish, Catalone), Bradford 2 (Babcock, Knowlton) ;total fouls: SM 17, Bradford 15; fouled out: Parrish (SM)
JV: Bradford won 52-41 (Gavin Piscitelli 23)
