CHESTER — Livingston Manor drew Chapel Field in the opening round of the Class D Sectionals on Saturday afternoon. The Lions defeated the Wildcats twice in the regular season, with the first match being a tightly contested battle, and the second being a much more one-sided affair. 

They say it’s tough to beat a team three times, and the Wildcats gave the Lions all they could handle in the home of the Hambletonians, but the Lions would come out on top with a 45-41 victory.

The teams were evenly matched to start out the evening, with both teams accruing 12 points in the first quarter and playing to a draw.

The second quarter, however, went to Chapel Field. The Lions’ defense kept the Wildcats off balance and Livingston Manor was only able to put up three points in the quarter as the Lions took a 23-15 lead into halftime.

The Lions, who made it all the way to the Class D State Championship last year before losing, continued to apply pressure in the third quarter, outscoring the Wildcats 15-9 and increasing their lead to 14, heading into the fourth up 38-24.

The Lions and Wildcats scored two buckets early in the quarter, but the Wildcats put together a 13-0 run in the following minutes to cut the Lions’ lead to just one point with time winding down. With under 25 seconds remaining in the game, and the Lions up 42-41, the Wildcats inbounded the ball and looked for an open man for the go-ahead score. Aiden Johnston, who led the team with 12 points, pulled up for a mid-range jumper from the baseline, which rimmed out and was rebounded by the Lions.

A quick foul sent Chapel Field to the line with 6.6 seconds left and a chance to extend the lead to three, which they did after sinking both free throws.

On the ensuing inbounds, a deep pass from half court was intercepted before the Wildcats could launch a potential game-tying shot, and were forced to foul Chapel Field again, hitting both free throws and securing the 45-41 victory and the chance to play Mount Academy for the Section IX Championship.

“This was a tough one to swallow,” Livingston Manor Coach Charlie Hicks said after the game. “We played a tight first quarter, struggled in the second and third but played very well in the final four or five minutes of the game. We were one play away.”

Chapel Field is a good team,” Hicks continued, “and I really wish for my seniors that we could have kept playing.”

This year was unique, as it was the first look at a merged unit of hoopers from Livingston Manor and Roscoe, and despite the early hiccups of acclimating to each other’s play style, the team quickly exceeded expectations, earning four league wins to just two losses (both to Chapel Field) in Class D.

“I really enjoyed all these kids. Anthony [Zamenick] and Aiden [Johnston] were great leaders. We have a great group of young guys coming through the program as well, and the future is bright if we can stay together.”