Sports

SWR Wildcats collect on Turano’s long-range shooting

ROBERT O’ROURK PHOTO | Kevin Turano, going up for a close-range shot, knocked down a pair of 3-point field goals in the final 61 seconds for Shoreham-Wading River.

WILDCATS 56, BONACKERS 55

Kevin Turano saved his best for last on Thursday.

The senior guard sank a pair of 3-point shots in the final 61 seconds to boost Shoreham-Wading River to a 56-55 Suffolk County League VI boys basketball win over visiting East Hampton.

The Wildcats (6-4, 2-2) squandered a 12-point advantage at the start of the fourth quarter as junior guard Dan McKee hit a trey to give the Bonackers (7-2, 2-1) their only lead of the game at 52-49 with 1:18.

But Turano (14 points) hit a 3-pointer of his own to deadlock the game at 52-52 with 1:01 remaining. After sophomore forward Jonah Caldwell rebounded a missed East Hampton shot, Turano canned another trey to lift Shoreham-Wading River into the lead at 55-52 with 32.1 seconds left.

Senior guard Tim Rotanz sank the front end of a one-and-one with 9.1 seconds remaining — his only point of the game — to give the hosts some breathing room before East Hampton guard Thomas King (14 points) fired in a long 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Shoreham-Wading River sophomore forward Daniel Hughes scored a season-high 19 points and added a game-high 11 rebounds. Sophomore forward Brandon Neff collected 14 points on the strength of four 3-pointers for the Bonackers and junior forward Thomas Nelson added 10.

The Wildcats will next play at Miller Place on Tuesday.