Hudson boys basketball downs Mayfield on Senior Night

It was a perfect night for Hudson boys basketball's Class of 2023.

Hosting Mayfield in the final home game of the 2022-23 boys basketball campaign Feb. 10 the Hudson squads couldn’t have asked for a better evening.

A sweep of the Wildcats began with the freshman squad pulling away from a see-saw first half to win going away from the visitors 56-45. The junior varsity was up next with a 61-48 victory.

Finishing off the year’s second sweep of the year (Kent Roosevelt, Dec. 20) would be up to the varsity on Senior Night. They would not disappoint, after letting an early 11 point lead slip away the Explorers rallied from six down early in the fourth to topple Mayfield 62-55.

Hudson has won two straight and three of the last four to improve to 7-14 on the year. Mayfield, the second place squad in the Western Reserve Conference, dropped to 12-8.

Senior Night at Ray Hyser Gymnasium began with an emotional moment as their four seniors were announced in the starting five before the game. For three of the seniors (Luke Brennan, Nathan Miller and Michael Steel) it was not a surprise to start in the final game at home.

The fourth starter came about in a classy move by Hudson coach Tommy Stockard and Wildcats mentor Will Brand. With a cast on his left wrist Jagger Pallay returned to the court for one last time. Pallay, who had a 23-4 record in two years as the starting quarterback of the football team, was injured in practice in early January and missed the last 10 games.

Pallay’s moment was memorable for all.

“Jagger’s (situation) was a tough one. Last year as a junior he didn’t get a ton of minutes. He worked his butt off this summer. He became a starter and was playing really well. He was a big piece for us, he’s a great leader on and off the court,” Stockard noted. “It (the injury) was tough for him personally.”

“I felt it was owed to him to start tonight. To hear his name announced one last time in front of a crowd; he got a good standing ovation. I saw him starting to tear up and I had to fight back tears on the sideline,” Stockard added.

“It was really upsetting getting hurt and not being able to play but I love all these guys,” Pallay related. “To get the chance to go out there; Mayfield and their coach letting me do that and Coach Stockard giving me the opportunity to do that …it really did feel amazing to be able to go on the court one last time.”

While Pallay cheered and helped out on the bench two of his teammates had big nights. Tino Yli-Junilla scored a career high 32 points and Brennan had 14 points.

“It was amazing; he’s been upset the whole year about not being able to play. To get to go in and see all the support he has from the community was great to see. It was a little emotional,” Brennan said afterward.

“It was amazing for him. It was very unfortunate that he suffered that injury,” Yli-Junilla related. “For him to get to play was amazing.”

Amazing could also describe the Explorers efforts on this night.

The Blue and White started out strong after Pallay’s final exit. Yli-Junilla hit a three on that first possession. Steel scored inside and added a triple from the right corner for a quick 8-2 lead. The advantage ballooned to 18-7 after one when Yli-Junilla closed out a personal best 13-point first quarter with another three-ball.

A blowout seemed possible with Yli-Junilla on fire and Hudson’s zone defense stymying the Wildcats.

That all changed in the second quarter when senior Perry Adkins came off the bench to spark the Cats. Adkins gave the Explorers a steady diet (pun intended) of outside bombs and drives down the lane. Adkins tallied 13 of his team-high 22 points on the night during the second quarter.

Hudson’s lead was only 32-29 at halftime and the hosts soon found themselves facing a deficit. Adkins had eight more points in the third frame including two late treys.

Fortunately the Explorers had an answer from Brennan. The 6-4 second year starter sandwiched Adkins two deep balls with two of his own …none bigger than the last when he beat the third period buzzer with a bomb from way, way downtown. That made the score 43-46 in favor of the visitors after three.

“We did a great job of holding strong; we didn’t break. Brennan hit a huge three at the end of the third quarter. At that time we were in survival mode. That three was massive,” Stockard praised.

The Wildcats pushed their advantage back to six with a three early in the fourth. The Explorers then withstood back to back steals from Adkins that could have ended in breakaway lay-ins but both times the hosts chased down the breakout and denied easy buckets.

Brennan and Yli-Junilla hit threes from the same spot in the left corner at the 5:57 and then at the 5:03 marks to knot the score at 49-49. Yli-Junilla went 4-4 at the foul line and added a put-back score and suddenly Hudson was on top 55-49 with 3:22 to play.

Steel got a press breaking layup off a pass from Jayden Carlton and then Brennan closed out the win making 5-6 at the stripe on three one-and-one opportunities.

“I’m really proud of how we finished,” Yli-Junilla nodded. “That’s what we have been struggling with; not finishing games and not getting over that hump. I feel like this is really good for us now going to Stow (Feb. 17; regular season finale) and going to the playoffs (at Massillon; Feb. 22); getting over the hump, getting the win and learning how to close out a game.”

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson defeats Mayfield on basketball Senior Night