Rams' Playoff Run Ends in Electrifying Match Against Tornados

The Rams playoff run came to an abrupt end Thursday night when they lost to Lawrence, 67-58, in the first round, but West Hempstead's varsity boys delivered an exciting performance against the Golden Tornadoes. They made it clear they will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in their conference.

The Rams were hot early in the first quarter of the Class A playoffs first round game at Lawrence High School

Guard Tyree Glascoe hit a layup and Tom Valerio hit a three pointer to give the Rams the early lead.

Lawrence came back though, using their speed and athleticism to get steals and turned them into points at the other end.

The Golden Tornadoes lead 15-13 at the end of the first quarter and took a 33-31 lead into half.

The Rams were able to get going again in the third quarter with points in the paint from forwards Mike Mangino and Pat D'Haiti.

They had 19 points for the quarter compared to just 12 for Lawrence and took a 50-45 lead into the fourth.

Unfortunately the fourth quarter belonged to the Golden Tornadoes. The team rode the backs of their talented guards Eddie Robinson and Ahmad Shamseldin and outscored the Rams 22-8 in the quarter.

With the score 60-58 in favor of Lawrence, Shamseldin hit two big free throws with a minute and a half left to seal the deal for the Tornadoes.

Final Score: Lawrence 67, West Hempstead 58

Turning Point: It was a back and forth game for both teams. You could see the momentum begin to swing Lawrence's way in the fourth quarter after the Rams dominating performance in the third. Shamseldin's free throws gave the Golden Tornadoes the four point edge with a minute and a half left and the Rams were not able to overcome the late deficit.

Heroes: Senior forward Mike Mangino had a career high 14 points and 11 rebounds for the game. Pat D'Haiti also had a good night scoring 12 points.

Quotable: "Fouls were an issue tonight," said Coach Ed Cosgrove. "They got in a little bit of trouble early in the game and we got hit at the end. Their foul shooting at the end helped them pull away."

"Ten years ago we used to be a doormat in this league," said Cosgrove. "But that's not the case anymore. We've been to the playoffs 10 straight years and it's a tribute to the type of kids we have playing for us and the effort that we've put in."

Bottom Line: Lawrence got the best of the Rams with their quickness and athleticism down the stretch. They got into a groove in the fourth quarter and the Rams were not able to overcome the late deficit despite their best efforts, but they made it clear that they will continue to be team that should not be counted out.

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