Isaac Percy's 35 Lift Taconic Boys in City Rivalry Game
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A strong second half Wednesday saw the Taconic boys basketball team take care of business at home with an 83-54 win over Pittsfield.
It’s always an entertaining matchup when these city rivals meet, and Wednesday was no different. Pittsfield (3-4) tried to play the underdog on Taconic’s home court, but the Generals ran out of steam in the second half.
The game started the way most people thought it would, an 11-2 opening start with Isaac Percy scoring six of the first eight points by Taconic (7-2). Percy finished the game with a dominant 35 points on very efficient shooting. What helped Pittsfield battle back before letting this get out of hand early was Kymani Harley, who had the team’s first eight points. Harley finished the game with 15 points -- all the first half. The rest of the team settled in and were able to close the gap to just five points at the end of the first quarter.
After weathering that early storm from Taconic, Pittsfield continued to force issues going back and forth with Taconic on the offensive side. It was an even matchup throughout the second, and, at times, it felt like Taconic was pulling away just to be denied by a run from Pittsfield.
“It actually felt like we were ahead big and then you would look at the score it was two-point game, four-point game in the end, so I give credit to Pittsfield because we tried to knock them out early and they kept coming back. They gave us a tough first half.” Taconic coach Bill Heaphy said.
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The half finished 33-31, Taconic and had the Generals going into the locker room with a lot of momentum. Although Pittsfield came out of the half with an early 3-pointer from Craig Jackson to give them their first lead of the game, it didn’t last long as Taconic stepped up the pressure defensively.
Taconic exploded for 23 points in the third quarter and held Pittsfield to just 11. Taconic was scoring in every way possible, inside and out and even off of second chance opportunities. Isaac Percy once again had a big quarter with nine points including a couple nice and-1’s.
“Isaac was pretty tough to guard tonight,” Heaphy said. “He was feeling it and was excited, It’s a tough matchup when he’s going like that and we needed it he kept us going.”
Going he did as they never looked back after that impressive third quarter. After coming off a tough beginning to the schedule followed by a win a couple nights ago against a tough Monument Mountain tea,m it seems like Taconic is starting to find its rhythm, winning seven consecutive games.
“I was a little worried about the wear and tear from that early schedule, but the county is tough, this game regardless of what the score said it was a tough game with two athletic teams going at each other,” Heaphy said. “I was on edge a little bit with the big game on Monday and this being a city rivalry, I knew we were up for it I was just hoping we would execute.”
Taconic will continue its tough run with a matchup with Wahconah on the road Friday.
Pittsfield will hope to get a result in their next game against Holyoke at home, Friday, after putting up a few good performances but just falling short.