Short-handed McCann Falls to Pathfinder
PALMER, Mass — With five players out due to either injury or illness on Thursday night, a short-handed McCann Tech boys' basketball team couldn't keep up with Pathfinder, who outscored the Hornets 28-17 in the fourth quarter to pull away for a 69-60 win at home.McCann's small roster of seven battled the Pioneers hard for three quarters, earning a two-point lead heading into the final frame. Pathfinder hit four of its seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, however, and the Hornets (8-9) never had an answer for 6-foot-9-inch Jesse Bishop, who finished with a game-high 28 points. Last time the two teams met, a 60-44 win for McCann, Bishop was held to just 10 points.
"It was a hard-fought game, but we were extremely short-handed tonight," Hornets head coach Justin Kratz said. "The fourth-quarter score tells it all. We just couldn't run [Bishop] off the floor like we did at the home game versus them. The guys played hard, but we just didn't have enough bodies or experience to throw at them to be able to pull away with a W."
Cam Pelletier added 15 points for the Pioneers, while senior point guard Nate Gutmann led McCann with a 17-point, six-assist effort. Senior center Zach Giron added 14 points and five rebounds for the Hornets, who also got 10 points from senior forward Mike Chappell.
McCann will try and regroup on Monday night, when its hosts Dean Tech at 7 p.m.