Andrew Galantuomo-Gov. Mifflin

This is what high school basketball is all about. Two arch rivals going toe-to-toe in a double overtime classic. “It was unbelievable. The gym was rocking. I was shooting free throws and I couldn’t even hear myself dribble,” said Andrew Galantuomo. The 5’7 senior came up large as Gov. Mifflin outlasted Wilson 65-59 in West Lawn. Galantuomo led a balanced attack with 17 points. He made three of the Mustangs’ five 3-pointers and went 6-for-8 from the foul line. Jahmair Johnson, a 6’3 senior forward, added 15 points. “He’s a big dude so getting him down low, that’s where he’s gonna be effective,” noted Galantuomo. Matt Koehler, who averages a team-high 15 ppg., provided 13 points. The 6’3 senior showed his versatility by scoring inside and on the perimeter. Koehler hit a step-back triple to end the opening quarter and put Gov. Mifflin on top 14-10. The Bulldogs outscored the Mustangs 11-to-5 in the second quarter. Wilson was in front 21-19 at halftime and went on a 11-to-4 run to begin the third quarter. Gov. Mifflin, however, responded immediately and rattled off the final nine points of the period. It was even at 32-32 with eight minutes left. Johnson stepped out and splashed a trey from the left wing to pull the Mustangs within 41-40 with 3:05 remaining. Koehler’s three-point play gave them a 45-44 edge with 1:29 to go. Correll Akings split two free throws with 1:10 to play to tie the game. The 5’10 junior had ten points. Gov. Mifflin tried to hold the ball for the last shot, but threw it away with four seconds left. Madyx Gruber raced up the center of the court and let a 3-pointer fly while on the run from the top of the key. His shot bounced off the front of the rim which meant overtime was coming. Gruber led everyone with 23 points. He played with Galantuomo on the West Reading Summer All-Star team. “He’s a great player. We went to California together so he’s my good friend. I love playing against him. It’s always gonna be a tough matchup,” replied Galantuomo. The crafty point guard made a pair of foul shots with 1:55 remaining in the first overtime period to give the Mustangs a 51-45 cushion. A 3-pointer by Tommy McFadden from the right corner made it 55-53 with 30 seconds on the clock. Five of McFadden’s nine points came in overtime. After Ian Fleming missed two free throws, Stephen Mayo fouled Gruber in the backcourt with eight seconds to play. The All-County guard sank both foul shots to even the score at 55-55. Galantuomo nearly ended the marathon, but his triple from the right wing rolled around the rim and fell out as time expired. With 2:27 to go in the second overtime, Fleming made his first free throw and missed the second attempt. Gov. Mifflin grabbed the offensive rebound which led to a layup by Fleming. The 6’ junior guard then converted a steal into a breakaway layup. Fleming gave the Mustangs a 61-55 advantage with 1:35 to play. Six of his seven points came in the second overtime session. “He’s kind of the missing piece to our team. He plays a big role, good on defense and came up big tonight,” explained Galantuomo. Fleming recently returned from an ankle injury. Gov. Mifflin limited the (16-4, 7-3) Bulldogs to just four points in the second overtime. Galantuomo split two foul shots with 25 seconds left to put the Mustangs on top 63-59. Wilson misfired on a couple of shots from beyond the arc before Mayo went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe to ice it. Mayo, a 5’11 senior, chipped in with nine points. Gov. Mifflin went 20-of-32 from the foul line, while the Bulldogs were 19-of-31. Wilson missed a dozen free throws in regulation, including seven during the fourth quarter. The Mustangs ended a six-game losing streak to their rival. “It’s huge. I don’t think we like each other…Hopefully we can see them again,” stated Galantuomo. Gov. Mifflin improved to (13-6, 6-4) in Garrett Etzel’s first year as head coach. “He’s definitely bringing a lot of energy, changing the culture. We definitely have a lot more confidence this year,” said Galantuomo. The Mustangs have bounced back from a (8-14, 3-8) campaign a season ago. Regardless of how this year ends, the ten seniors on the roster have a memory that will last a lifetime.