Brandon Coury helps Burrell outlast Deer Lakes, sweep season series

By: George Guido
Tuesday, February 1, 2022 | 10:04 PM

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It took an entire half for Burrell’s Brandon Coury to heat up.

After just two free throws in the first half, the senior guard scored 14 points in the second half, and classmate Donovan Callahan was 6 of 6 from the line in the fourth quarter.

It added up to a 56-53 victory over Deer Lakes on Tuesday before a large and raucous home crowd.

Burrell, with a season sweep over Deer Lakes for the first time since 2016, took command of second place in the Section 3-4A with a 7-3 mark, 11-7 overall. Deer Lakes dropped to 11-5, 5-4.

“This was an overall team win,” Bucs coach Mike Fantuzzo said. “We had three guys scoring, and our defense, we made a couple of switches and Donovan really stepped up for us offensively and defensively, and he came through as a senior with clutch free throws.”

Callahan finished with 15 points.

Burrell defeated Deer Lakes, 53-45, on Jan. 7.

Deer Lakes, which led much of the first half, got a 3-pointer from Billy Schaeffer with 4 minutes left in the second quarter to take a 24-14 lead. Bryce Robson, Deer Lakes’ leading scorer, scored his only basket of the night, a 3-pointer, with 1:30 to go in the half to put the Lancers in front 29-20.

Callahan’s steal when Deer Lakes was holding for a final shot of the half resulted in a drive at the buzzer to bring Burrell within 29-26 at the intermission.

A basket by Coury in the final minute of the third quarter gave the Bucs the lead for good, 39-37.

“The first time, we lost on tough plays; they out-toughed us,” Lancers coach Terence Parham said. “I think skill-wise, we’re there with every team in our section. But I think when you lose some of those 50-50 balls in crucial parts of the game, and they score off that. Particularly with Coury, I think that team feeds off his success.”

Meanwhile, Deer Lakes senior Armend Karpuzi had one of the best games of his career, pouring in 28 points and going 8 of 8 from the foul line.

With 2 minutes to go and Burrell trying to take time off the clock with a one-point lead, Karpuzi batted the ball away for what would be Burrell’s only turnover of the fourth quarter. The Lancers couldn’t convert, and freshman Brady Stone hit what would be his only field goal of the night, a 3-pointer that put the Bucs in front 52-48.

A three-point play by Karpuzi brought the Lancers within one, but Callahan canned four free throws in the final 30 seconds to give the Bucs the victory.

“We lost focus on Coury in the second half,” Parham said. “Other guys, though, started to hit and penetrate and lost sight of Coury. He got the opportunity at high-percentage buckets. This one is a tough pill to swallow.”

Travis Bitar scored 10 for Burrell.

“We were ready for this game,” Fantuzzo said. “We knew what this win would mean for our team. This sets the tone for the playoffs.”

The WPIAL said Tuesday that higher seeds could start the playoffs at home, and the league will send a list of requirements to contending schools next week.

Lucas Tiglio had 12 for Deer Lakes on four 3-pointers. Deer Lakes can clinch a school-record sixth consecutive WPIAL playoff berth with a victory at home Friday against Derry.

Tags: Burrell, Deer Lakes