OVERTIME!! PEQUANNOCK GOLDEN PANTHERS VICTORIOUS ON SENIOR NIGHT

PART I OF IIBy Ed Rumley

Never ceasing to amaze and continue to live up to their reputation as The Cardiac Kids, the Pequannock Township High School varsity boys’ basketball team’s performance on Thursday evening, February 15, 2018, was certainly not for the faint of heart. In a nail biting overtime thriller, the Golden Panthers squeaked by the determined Lancers from Lakeland Regional High School by a score of 74-70.

Before the epic contest began, 12-graders Ethan Weiss, Sean Vaccaro, Dave Jachera, Ryan Hitchcock, Grant Borovskis, and Humberto Cuadrado (from left to right in photo), were honored in a moving pregame ceremony. Each member of the senior sextet walked with their proud parents to the Panther paw logo at midcourt and paused for photos. The final home court game of the dedicated players was special before it even started.

Senior Dave Jachera at PTHS 2018 Senior Night.

Senior Sean Vaccaro at PTHS 2018 Senior Night.

Senior Ethan Weiss at PTHS 2018 Senior Night. However, with the above being said, a valid argument could be made that the Most Valuable Player of the evening (MVP) had little experience in the game of basketball. Nor did the recipient participate in pre-game warmups. In fact, neither did this person wear a basketball uniform. For a further clue, this PTHS senior is not even a member of the round ball squad. In what could be called the moment of a lifetime or a one-in-a million happening, a never to be repeated event (and whatever other superlatives may be created) occurred. The phenomenon (defined as a fact, an occurrence or observable circumstance, or something that is impressive or extraordinary) transpired at halftime. Soon after the second quarter buzzer sounded, in what PTHS officials said began just this year, any soon to graduate students were invited to convene at midcourt. The volunteers were asked to attempt what many in the crowded gymnasium considered to be nearly impossible…to make a half-court shot. At least 25 seniors accepted the challenge. Amazingly, not only one, but two of the long shots found their marks. Panther seniors Samantha Corbo and Matt Gallo both sank their improbable 42-foot attempts. As fellow classmates returned to the bleachers the two successful participants were beckoned back for a second try. Samantha’s valiant effort fell

tantalizingly short. However, incredibly, Matt’s second half-courter found its mark.

PTHS sharpshooting seniors, Matt Gallo and Samantha Corbo, at halftime of the Lakeland game To put Gallo’s accomplishment in perspective, consider the following: According to Chris Hamman, founder and odds assessor at SCA Promotions in Dallas, the chances of making a half-court shot at a halftime competition is, “one in 50.” SCA Promotions have been specialists in sweepstakes marketing, as well as event and sports promotion, for 28 years. The last time SCA had a contestant hit a shot from half-court was on Friday, August 19, 2011. A 23-year old Oregon resident accomplished the feat at halftime of an NBA Portland Trailblazers’ game. The shot was featured on ESPN’s Sport Centers Top 10 plays of the day. However,

an article that appeared on the sports website, SB Nation, entitled, “The Half-Court Heave: Celebrating Sports' Greatest Miracle”, escalated the difficulty. The report stated, “In the NBA, players try desperation shots from beyond half-court hundreds of times each season. Only about 1 in 100 make it. Nowhere else in sports is something so futile, attempted so often. And when it works, it is a revelation.”

PTHS senior Matt Gallo’s follow through after his second successful half-court shot on February 15, 2017. Following his spectacular demonstration, Gallo returned to the Pequannock student cheering section, also known as The Peanut Gallery. Upon receiving congratulatory handshakes from fellow students, the star senior football player sat down to somehow collect his thoughts and gather in what he had just accomplished.

Halftime hero, Matt Gallo (center, in striped dungarees and pink T-shirt), with members of PTHS Peanut Gallery.

Interestingly enough, the photo of Gallo, immediately after he had launched his sensational shot, may be the only that was taken. The freeze frame moment possibly ranks second in historic significance only to the picture that Sam Phillips, the proprietor of Sun Studios, in Memphis, had the presence of mind to snap on December 4, 1956. Referred to as The Million Dollar Quartet, the image represents the only known instance that music legends Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash, convened for a sing-a-long.

Meanwhile, back at the varsity game ranch, an epic struggle continued to ensue between Pequannock and their visitors from Wanaque. The entire PTHS squad excelled, in particular the honored seniors. However, ala Adam West and Burt Ward, tune in soon, same high school page, same PTHS website, for Part II--the details of the Golden Panthers’ exhilarating win. It was not known at the time of this writing if Matt Gallo was aware of prizes awarded those who had previously connected on half court shots. A lucky fan at a Los Angeles Lakers game garnered $100,000 for doing so. In 2016, University of Kansas student, Jordan Steirs, was granted $10,000 for swishing a half-courter during half-time of a Jayhawks’ game. Also in 2016, a fan of the Minnesota Grizzlies that notched a half-court attempt was awarded an Audi A3 sedan, complete with 17” alloy wheels, a turbo-charged 1.8 liter four cylinder-170 horsepower engine with 200 pound-feet torque, and 10-speaker audio system. However, Gallo seemed content to be surrounded by family, friends, and the reward of yet another Golden Panthers’ victory.