EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was authored by Dan Werner.
MOUNT VERNON — Despite frigid temperatures hovering just below 20 degrees and a game that tipped off 20 minutes earlier than scheduled, a near-capacity crowd packed The Hive on Saturday night to see two ancient rivals duel.
When it was over, once-beaten Newark earned a 66-52 victory at Mount Vernon in a tough boys basketball clash.
For the first half, Yellow Jacket fans had plenty to cheer about. The Yellow Jackets (5-4) jumped out to a 13-8 lead.
However, the tide began to turn when a technical foul called against Mount Vernon sparked a quick run for the Wildcats (9-1) and the two squads struggled to a 25-25 halftime tie.
Newark came out of halftime strong, scoring the first six points of the third quarter and rolled from there to a commanding 53-33 lead.
Jacket head coach Nick Coon faulted lack of execution for the change in fortune.
“In the third quarter, their pressure was relentless, and that’s a Newark basketball staple,” Coon said. “I noticed right away the physicality of both teams. That’s just a typical Mount Vernon-Newark game.”
The Jackets battled back in the final period, outscoring the Wildcats 19-13, but the damage had already been done.
“They capitalized on our turnovers,” Coon said. “Once they got in transition, we couldn’t set our defense and get stops when we needed to.”
Despite the loss, Coon was optimistic about his team’s performance.
“I think we got a lot better tonight. We had really good prep for this game, and we showed a lot of fight,” he said. “Looking back at the third quarter, we need to execute for four quarters, not just two or three.
“I’m really proud of these kids. Hopefully, we can use this game as a springboard. We have a long stretch of conference games ahead of us.”
The Jackets were led by three players in double figures: Zane Barber with 18 points, Isaiah Columber with 14, and Quentin Rowland, who contributed 12.
Looking ahead, the Jackets will host the Newark Catholic Green Wave on Wednesday, Jan. 8, with tip-off scheduled for 7:15 p.m. at The Hive.