BOYS BASKETBALL Warren JFK surmounts big deficit to turn back Hubbard

Warren JFK climbed out of a 16-point hole in the second half and held off Hubbard at the foul line.
By SAL MARINO
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
WARREN -- When an eagle invades another eagle's nest, something has to give.
It was the Eagles of Warren JFK High that soared to a big but close win over the Eagles of Hubbard, 68-65, in a boys basketball game Friday.
Two foul shots from Colin Clemente gave Warren JFK a 67-62 lead and provided the margin of victory.
Hubbard (4-4) pulled within 67-65 on Matt Smith's 3-point goal, while Chris Macali of Warren JFK (4-4) added a free throw for insurance to create the final score.
Great return: Macali had 16 points -- all in the second half after he entered the game following intermission -- to lead Warren JFK, while Keith Black and Luke Vincer added 14 points each and Clemente 13. Vincer also had 11 rebounds.
Macali just recently had a cast removed from his hand.
Anthony Smith led Hubbard with 20 points, while Jason Lenzi had 16 and Matt Smith 11.
"We should have played the second half like we did the first half," Hubbard coach Scott Grover said. "I think the JFK coach challenged his kids emotionally and they came out to play basketball. We have to play a full game, but we will be back."
Team leader: Coach John Condoleon of Warren JFK said, "Macali brings back so much to the team. He is a leader and he plays a great game. It was a total team effort.
"We played some good solid team defense in the first half," Condoleon added.
Hubbard held a commanding 42-28 halftime lead, thanks to Anthony Smith and Lenzi, who had 14 points each.
For Warren JFK in the first half, Black had eight points, including two 3-pointers, and Vincer seven.
JFK trailed by as many as 16 points early in the second half.
Rallied: But JFK outscored Hubbard, 23-10, to close the gap to 52-51, with Macali, Vincer and Clemente doing the damage.
JFK dominated the fourth quarter and tied the score at 57-57 on a basket by Christian Stinellis with 6:03 remaining. A basket by Clemente gave Warren JFK the lead, 59-57.
Warren JFK then went to the foul line 10 times, converting nine, with Macali getting five and Clemente four. Hubbard went to the line eight times and converted twice. The foul line was the margin of victory.