Lead Stories, Sports

Broncos edge Panthers

It’s no surprise that any young team will experience its share of growing pains, but over the past few weeks, it would appear that the Bronxville Broncos are beginning to hit their stride. On Jan. 17, the Broncos (4-9) picked up their third win in five games, edging a talented Rye Neck squad 53-50 at home.

Despite falling behind early, Bronxville rallied in the second quarter to take a 20-13 lead at the half. The persistent Panthers would cut into the hosts’ lead in the third and fourth quarters, but ultimately the Broncos’ defense helped fend off their opponents’ charges.

Tim McGrath shoots a three-pointer against Rye Neck on Jan. 17. McGrath led all scorers with 21 points.

“To be honest, we’ve had an up and down year with a lot of young kids, and everything built up to that Rye Neck game,” Bronxville head coach Bobby Russo said. “It was our ability to gel, to trust each other, that helped us withstand their runs and win the game.”

Bronxville was also buoyed by a terrific night from Tim McGrath, who netted a game-high 21 points in the win. McGrath’s performance came on the heels of a 22-point effort against Keio just two days prior.

“When [McGrath’s] feet are set, he’s one of the best shooters in the league,” Russo said. “He’s also probably our best defender and so many of his points build off the effort he gives on the defensive end.”

After starting the season 1-6, Russo believes that his team is finally beginning to play with confidence; the team has won three games since Jan. 1.

“I think at the beginning of the year, we were relying on a lot of young guys and the game was a step too fast for them,” he said. “But I think we’ve really settled in, they’re learning to trust themselves now that we have games like this under our belt.”

The Broncos will take on another league foe in Edgemont on Jan. 29, and Russo believes that his team’s newfound confidence will pay dividends in the second meeting between the two squads. On Jan. 9, Edgemont edged Bronxville 55-53.

“Edgemont is a team that tends to live and die by the three, and they’ve got a couple of guys who can really shoot it,” Russo said. “We’re going to need to do a better job of matching up with them a little more and put more pressure on their guards to make it harder for them to make a pass to an open shooter.”