Clinton Leads Pearl River Past Mahopac (VIDEO)

The Pearl River boys basketball team needed somebody to make a play as it clung to a one-point lead in the final minute of Friday's home game against Mahopac.

Senior point guard Joe Clinton gave it to them, draining a 3-pointer as the shot clock was running out to push the Pirates' advantage to four with 30 seconds left.

Clinton finished with 28 points to lead Pearl River to a 67-60 victory over Mahopac, one of the top teams in Class AA, in the final game of the regular season for both teams.

"The word tonight was Joey Clinton," Pearl River Head Coach Jerry Houston said. "It wasn’t too much of me calling plays. He had it going. He did a good job of being selective with his shots and knocking down some really tough shots. The shot he hit to seal it was pretty incredible."

"Coach ran a good play and got me open and I stepped up to hit the shot," Clinton said.

It wasn't that simple. Mahopac gave Pearl River trouble in-bounding the ball, but senior Sean Wilson finally got open. He dished off to Clinton and set a screen, giving him the opening to hit the shot.

"It was a bit of an adventure getting the ball in," Houston said. "Fortunately, Sean had the presence of mind not to panic and shoot up a shot. There were still seven seconds. Sean gave him the ball and a screen. It was a good play by Sean to get him free. The shot by Joey was just ... that shot capped off a great game for him."

Pearl River improved to 12-6 with the victory, which the Pirates needed to have a shot at a home game in the first round of the Section 1 playoffs next week. They will find out for sure if they got one when the pairings are released Monday.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game, but we needed a test before the playoffs and we needed this game because we want a home playoff game," Clinton said. "We are in decent shape now. Nothing is guaranteed, but I like our chances.

"It's a huge confidence-booster. That's a really good team we beat."

Mahopac (13-5) should be among the top three seeds in Class AA.

"Mahopac is very good," Houston said. "They are very hard to guard. Very strong. It turned into a real physical game. I thought it really said a lot about us to physically be able to match up with them. We may play teams as strong as they are, but I don’t know if we will play anybody who is stronger overall."

Brendan Hynes led Mahopac with 16 points, while Zach Ankier scored 14 and Ryan Simone added 12.

Pearl River also had three scorers in double figures. In addition to Clinton's 28, senior guard Austin O'Toole had 15 and junior Tom Davis scored 13.

"It's the exact kind of game you want going into the playoffs," Houston said. "You got the bench contributing. You had seniors stepping up and making shots and you got the win.

"We had three guys in double figures. When we get three guys in double figures, we win a very, very high percentage of those games."

Pearl River needed its bench with the physical nature of the contest putting the Pirates in the worst foul trouble they had faced all season. Sophomore forward Kevin Degnan fouled out with just under two minutes remaining.

Senior Recognition

Pearl River honored the seniors on the boys basketball team and the Pirettes before Friday's game.

Editor's note: Be sure to check out Carol Dyer's pictures from the senior recognition ceremony and the game.