Hudson watched as a young, hard-fighting Chatham basketball team came from behind to take the lead Friday night in Hudson, but the Bluehawks fought back and won. Bluehawks’ Larrell Roberts converted a lay up and a free throw down low with a minute and a half left in the game to put Hudson up 58-57 for good. Hudson went up by as many as ten in the second half, but the Panthers used a big 19-4 run at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth to overtake the Bluehawks before Hudson staged a comeback of their own.
The Bluehawks used the strong play of Barry King, Roberts, and Justin Brantley to jump out to a first-half lead, while the Panthers struggled to score. Luckily for Chatham, senior Brian Gauthier came ready to play and paced his squad with eight first-half points, but Hudson held a five-point lead going into the half.
Hudson started the third on the right foot with Jacori Anderson going coast to coast for a lay up and free throw and Darien Moore adding to the lead with a follow-up lay up. With their deficit extended to ten, the Panthers young squad came together and staged a furious comeback. With four minutes left, Gauthier scored a hoop and a free throw, and then Josh Keyes, who was held to just two first-half points, exploded—going off for eight third-quarter points. With twenty seconds left in the quarter, Keyes notched his sixth and seventh points with a driving lay up to slice the lead to one.
Chatham continued their run at the start of the fourth, with Keyes scoring on another drive to overtake the Bluehawks. A quick Hudson turnover and another Keyes score extended the Panthers’ lead to three. Finally, Hudson scored again, with Anderson scoring down low. Then King got inside to retake the lead. The teams traded hoops down the stretch, with the lead flipping back and forth. With Chatham up five, Nevin Sheldon hit a three-pointer for Hudson to cut the deficit to two with 2:50 left. On the ensuing possession, Brantley stole the ball and walked it up the court. As he reached the top of the arch, he unloaded a three that found nothing but the bottom of the net, to give Hudson the lead. A minute later, Gauthier stole the ball and raced for a lay up that he made and was fouled on. The free throw was good, and Chatham retook the lead. Then, with 1:50 left, Roberts finished down low and was fouled, converting the free throw to take the lead for good.
Both teams had chances in the final minute and a half, but neither could net a hoop as the Bluehawks held on for the victory. The win is a big one early in the season for Hudson. They improve to 1-1, just half a game out of first place, while the Panthers fall to 1-1 after their win over Taconic Hills earlier in the week.
Up next for Hudson are two road games this week: first, a trip to Coxsackie-Athens on Tuesday; then a big showdown at Maple Hill on Thursday. Chatham’s road gets no easier as they host Rensselaer on Tuesday before traveling to upstart Catskill on Thursday.
Hudson's Jacori Anderson drives and draws a foul
Chatham's Will Gauthier tries a 3 to take the lead in the final seconds
Josh Keyes full court heaves just misses at the horn
