Lights go out on GM boys’ charge Blackout halts game after three quarters

By Evan Chadwick
© 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

With momentum swinging firmly in their favor after closing an eight point halftime lead to one at the end of the third, the Green Mountain boys basketball team looked poised to make a run at their tenth win of the season hosting White River Valley on Thursday night. Despite the 12-5 3rd quarter run, a motor vehicle crash on Rt. 103 near Trebo Road plunged the school – and the rest of downtown – into darkness and left both teams wondering what could have been.

“We were finally clicking on both sides of the ball,” said Head Coach Brian Rapanotti. “Just when that happened, the lights went out.”

Points were few and far between for the Chieftains in the first half, as the Wildcat zone raised havoc, limiting GM to 10 first half points.

Despite their offensive woes, the Green Mountain defense held firm, limiting WRV to only 18 points of their own, which kept Rapanotti’s squad firmly in contention.

“Our defense was solid all game,” said Rapanotti.

Trailing by 9 with 2 minutes remaining in the third, the Chieftains went on a frantic 8-0 run to end the quarter. Branden Rose hit a layup off a steal, Eben Mosher drew a charge and then, as time was winding down, Everett Mosher finished a contested floater just before the buzzer sounded, and at nearly the same moment, the entire gym went pitch black. The score was Wildcats 23 and Chieftains 22.

GM Athletic Director Todd Parah told The Telegraph that the final quarter could be played if the school was able to find officials to work it and the Wildcats came back to Chester to finish the game. If not, it does not count as a game.

If the truncated game is not finished, the Chieftains remain at 9-7 on the season, and sit at 10th in the division 3 standings. They still have a good chance to grab a top 8 seed and a first round playoff game. Those chances could be bolstered significantly if they are able to grab a home victory against Mill River on Saturday at 2 p.m.