WALLENPAUPACK, PA -- Riveting basketball was front and center as Monticello and Wallenpaupack squared off in the championship game of the annual Lake Region Tip-Off Tournament. Both teams were coming off convincing wins over their first-round rivals. Monticello handily defeated East Stroudsburg North 76-42 while Wallenpaupack won by a similar margin over Stroudsburg.

The Montis were hoping to win the tourney title for the first time since 2015 and they nearly pulled it off. It's always a challenge for Monticello to wrangle with Pennsylvania's absence of a shot clock. It calls upon teams to have patience on offense and to be able to defend for extended periods of time.

In a game that was tied six times including deadlocks of 26-all and 37-all at the conclusion of the second and third quarters respectively, Monticello got key stops when they needed them down the stretch. Trailing by five with 5:09 to go, the Montis tied the game with a late flourish by junior Jordan Ruggiero. A timely three and then a pair of made free throws knotted the game at 44. Wallenpaupack's Gabriel Springer, the six-foot, seven-inch center and tournament MVP, scored a quick two in the paint.

The Monti's defense held strong down the final 1:06 and they had two chances to tie or win the game. The first came on a shot by senior Alonzo Stergis whose missed shot drew contact that was not seen by the officials. In the final possession the Montis rotated the ball around the perimeter and found senior standout Josh Gattling whose potential game-winner rimmed out as time expired, with Wallenpaupack winning 46-44.

Monticello fell to 1-2, their two losses including their season opener against Middletown were by a combined six points and one could easily muse that for a key play here or there, they could be 3-0. In the opening round game Ruggiero was on fire with 17 points and 12 assists. Gattling had 18 points, Trevon Gray netted 12 and Stergis had 11. Monticello jumped out the early lead over East Stroudsburg North and never looked back.

In the championship game, Wallenpaupack's two-three zone was more challenging. Coupled with great play by senior 1000-point scorer Elijah Rosenthal and standout Izaiah Santiago, as well as Springer in the paint, the Buckhorns were a tall order, but Monticello's defense was certainly up to the task.

Wallenpaupack led 18-14 at the end of the first quarter but Monticello ripped off a 6-0 run to tie the game at the half. The Panthers took a four-point lead early in the third period only to have Wallenpaupack surge ahead once again.

Gattling led the Montis with 14 points, Ruggiero had 12. Both were named to the All-Tournament team.

“We played extremely well, I'm proud of the effort. We got key stops down the stretch when we needed them, and we had two chances in the last 20 seconds to tie or win the game,” said Monticello Coach Chris Russo.

Monticello travels to Warwick on December 10 for a league game and then hosts Minisink Valley in the opening round of the Dick O'Neill Jingle Ball Classic Holiday tournament on December 13. Ellenville and Wallkill will play the other opening round game.