McCown Keys Taconic's Win over Drury

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Isaac Percy had a big night with 19 points, and Robert McCown made a bunch of big plays to lift the Taconic boys basketball team past Drury, 77-65, on Monday night.

 

McCown had four first-half assists. In the second half, he scored nine points, including scores on back-to-back possessions in the middle of the fourth quarter with Taconic up by seven.

 

Then at the other end, he took a charge with 2 minutes, 45 seconds on the clock and Taconic ahead, 67-62.

 

Taconic went on on an 10-2 run after that turnover to put the game away and win its 15th straight.

 

“Robert was big,” Taconic coach Bill Heaphy said. “He’s been sitting for a while, and we put him back in, and he made an impact right away. He got some hoops. He was pretty active.

 

“We needed every bit of it, too.”

 

It was a much different game than the 68-42 Taconic win in North Adams back in December.

 

This time around, the Blue Devils were able to keep the margin in the single digits most of the way.

 

Drury closed the first half on a 7-0 run to make it a 36-33 margin going into the locker room. Three-pointers by Scott McGuire Jr. (game-high 27) and Obilio Rodriguez and a McGuire free throw served to trim what was a nine-point margin at one point.

 

Taconic (16-3) got a little bit of breathing room in the third quarter when Quentin Gittens threw down a dunk in transition and Percy scored in the post to push the lead to 50-38.

 

But Drury answered with a 5-0 spurt that spanned the third and fourth quarters to get the lead back to nine, 55-46, on a free throw by Reece Racette (21 points).

 

Taconic struggled to get good looks at the basket early in the fourth, committing turnovers on five of its first eight possessions.

 

“I give Drury credit,” Heaphy said. “We knew that was how they were going to play. That’s how they have to play. They do a good job pressuring and trapping.

 

“We dribbled into some spots that we shouldn’t have. We didn’t make ourselves available in the middle like we talked about. Just some focus and concentration mistakes. We’ll clean that up.”

 

Nevertheless, Taconic fans still were thinking rout when Mohammed Sanogo dunked in transition to re-establish the lead at 59-46.

 

But Drury scored the next six -- aided by two Taconic turnovers -- and got within seven with a bucket by McGuire.

 

That’s when McCown drove the baseline to get to the rim and end snap Drury’s run. After Racette scored at the other end, McCown put back an offensive rebound to make it 63-54.

 

Again, Drury rallied, drawing within three on a pair of McGuire free throws with 3:38 to play.

 

Gittens drove the lane to make it 67-62, and McCown took that charge on Drury’s next possession to get the ball back. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Christian Womble and Quincy Davis pushed the lead back to 73-62 with two minutes left, and Drury never threatened again.

 

Taconic finishes the regular season on Wednesday at Hoosac Valley.

 

Drury (14-5) is home for its final regular season game on Tuesday against Ludlow.