The sounds of scuffed feet on gym floors and the pounding noise of shoes on the stands were the only sounds on Thurs. Dec 18 as the Buena Bulldogs faced the Saint Bonaventure Seraphs on their home court. Despite a hardfought game, the Bulldogs couldn’t pull through, falling to the Seraphs 46-48.
As parents, fans and students piled in shoulder-to-shoulder on the stands, the first quarter tip-off was blown, with Saint Bonaventure taking the first possession and points. An array of players had a hand in contributing to Buena’s success, with quick passes and multiple steals to keep the offense alive.
Junior and number 25 Caron Gervacio-Fitzgerald started the game up with a quick lay-up, Senior and number 32 Rook Johnson added six points, and Senior and number 12 Aaron Rodriguez led the pursuit with steals. The Bulldogs kept the energy high on the court and on the benches, ending the first quarter 15-10, Buena.
After a quick timeout from the Seraphs, the 2nd quarter kicked off. The Seraphs, hungry for baskets, added a few points right off the bat. Both teams went back and forth, shutting down offensive plays and keeping their defense tight. However, Sophomore and number 24 Mekhi Johnson gets a quick pass to Rodriguez who dunks in a point, ending the score drought.
Saint Bonaventure’s centers were strong, but Buena dug back at them, with Rodriguez and Senior and number 23 Nathan Boyd giving Buena over ten points throughout the quarter, finishing out in the lead, 28-22.
They say the third quarter wins games, and that could not be more true for the Seraphs. After halftime, they came out swinging, tying the score up from an eight point deficit within the first minute.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, seemed to let stress get the best of them, fumbling opportunities and just missing the basket. Gervacio-Fitzgerald and R. Johnson broke the streak, adding a three pointer and lay-up, respectively. Just when hope began to resurface for the Bulldogs with a wider gap, the fourth quarter rolled in.
Much like the last quarter, the Seraphs were quick to score, but Buena was ready to combat, adding three points after getting the Seraphs into foul trouble. Despite the hard hits Buena took, they couldn’t find the calls to compensate for them, ultimately allowing Saint Bonaventure to meet them 41-40, Buena, with only four minutes left in the game.
A timeout allows the Bulldogs to regroup, and the stands pound with cheers from anxious spectators. Despite the initial lead, the Bulldogs fumble their timeout and allow the Seraphs to tie it up. Later, in an unfortunate series of events, R. Johnson accidentally tipped the ball into his own basket, giving the Seraphs the points they needed to take a prominent lead.
With only 46 seconds left, Buena desperately tried to recover their points. Saint Bonaventure took their final timeout, one that would allow them to win the game; however,
Gervacio-Fitzgerald retaliated, making a steal within the first second of their timeout play and a combined effort of junior and number 21 Seth Miller’s free throw points and R. Johnson’s lay-up tied the game once again.
Despite all efforts, with only nine seconds left and high stakes, it was Saint Bonaventure that pulled through, adding a lay-up to finish the game off, 46-48.
As the Bulldogs shuffled off the court, they reflected on the tough matchup, however couldn’t help but feel grateful they were able to keep it as close as they did, ultimately finishing the year off with the best chemistry they’ve had yet.
