Neuqua Valle opens with win over Oswego East
John Poulakidas offered a knowing smile at the mention of the last meeting.
Poulakidas, Neuqua Valley's 6-foot-7 junior, didn't need to be reminded of his team's first opponent Monday. Oswego East ended the Wildcats' season last year in dramatic fashion. Ray J Dennis, now a freshman at Boise State, hit two 3-pointers in the final five seconds, the second a buzzer-beater in a regional quarterfinal.
"The last two weeks, that's all we've been talking about," Poulakidas said. "We needed to remember how we felt in that locker room after that loss. We used that as motivation."
Poulakidas this time got the last say.
He scored 21 of his 23 points in the second half, including 12 straight Wildcats' points to rally them in the third quarter.
Neuqua went on to a 64-60 win in the opening night of the Hoops 4 Healing Tournament at Oswego High School.
Neuqua trailed by 9 at half, by 11 in the third quarter, surged ahead to lead by 9 late in the fourth. Then held on, unlike last year.
"Yeah, that game was going through my mind a little bit," Poulakidas said. "But I had faith in my guys that we'd be able to close it out this time."
Poulakidas, a smooth lefty wing, is an intriguing college prospect. He holds 14 offers, including TCU, Wake Forest, Loyola and Bradley.
But he was very quiet in the first half. He missed his only two field-goal attempts, scored just 2 points and sat nearly the entire last 13 minutes of the half with two fouls while being razzed by a boisterous Oswego East student section.
That changed after halftime.
Poulakidas knocked down a 3-pointer, then hit a twisting runner while being fouled and converted the three-point play. Poulakidas went on a personal 10-0 run, turning a 10-point deficit into a 33-33 tie.
"Hitting that first shot was everything," Poulakidas said. "Once I see that first shot go down my confidence just went through roof."
He also hit tough shots against a tough defender, 6-foot-2 Tremont Brewer, who guarded him in the regional game.
Poulakidas hit two deep 3-pointers to get Neuqua separation in the fourth quarter. Nonso Obduefi added 10 points, his basket giving the Wildcats their first lead 37-35, and Connor Davis 9 for Neuqua.
"I've been working hard on making tough shots over people," Poulakidas said. "I knew I had to do something new this year."
Oswego East, which graduated three starters off last year's 24-win sectional finalist, is very new this year.
Sam Schultz, a 6-foot-7 senior and one of two starters returning, is out until Christmas with a torn meniscus. Will Wolfe, a transfer from Aurora Christian, scored 19 points in his Oswego East debut. Seven came in the first quarter, the Wolves getting out to an early lead, but he like Poulakidas sat the entire second quarter with two fouls.
"These guys were hungry to get out there. I thought they competed for four quarters," Wolves coach Ryan Velasquez said. "We had some defensive lapses, especially in the third quarter. It's a learning experience."
Rithik Ganesan added 11 points for Oswego East. Two newcomers to varsity, juniors A.J. Johnson and Odin Lithium scored 7 and 6 points, respectively, all of the scoring in the first half before Poulakidas took over.
"I feel like we fell apart as a team, started fouling, John hit a couple shots," Johnson said. "We just lost it. Got a little tired or something."