The Pilgrim Patriots beat the Toll Gate Titans 58-51 on Friday night at Toll Gate to remain undefeated and improve to 9-0 this season.

Pilgrim forward Tyrone Weeks had 16 points, eight in the first half and eight in the second.

“Tyrone came up huge for us tonight offensively and defensively,” Pilgrim head coach Mike Batalon said. “He rebounds, he scores, he does a lot for us.”

Weeks’ teammate Ethan Schneider had 17 points, including four 3-pointers.

With 8:42 left in the first half, Damien Mendoza buried a 3-pointer for Toll Gate, giving the Titans a 9-7 edge. Weeks got revenge with a jumper of his own and he followed it with a big block down the other end.

The Titans’ Ryan Viti grabbed the lead back at 11-9 when his shot rolled in. However, Pilgrim took the lead back at 12-11 when Woods nailed a 3-pointer.

Weeks extended the Pats’ lead to 14-11 with a driving layup. Then, after Weeks came up with a big block on Kyle McGuire, he was fouled down the other end by Mendoza. Weeks, who was 8-of-8 from the free throw line on the night, made both and gave the Pats a 17-11 edge with 4:42 left to go in the first half.

The Titans’ Giard closed the gap after a layup off a dish from Mendoza, making it 17-13. Soon after, Mendoza buried a 3-pointer to pull Toll Gate within one at 17-16 with 2:50 left to play in the half.

Then, Viti found Austin Ouimette underneath for a layup, giving Toll Gate back the lead at 18-17. Next, Giard stole the ball and went coast to coast laying it up, giving the Titans a 20-17 edge with 2:00 left. Woods came up with a steal and he was fouled during the breakaway. He made one of two free throws at the line, pulling Pilgrim to 20-18.

After, Toll Gate’s Josh Coleman missed a jumper, Schneider grabbed the rebound and was fouled during a breakaway. He made one of two at the line, pulling the Pats to within 20-19. Toll Gate’s Viti extended the lead to 22-19, adding two free throws with 33.9 seconds left in the half.

The first points of the second half came when Giard made a layup for Toll Gate. After Weeks missed a 3-pointer, the Titans’ Viti made a hook shot to extend the Toll Gate lead to 26-19.

However, Pilgrim would make a run. First, Schneider buried a 3-pointer to pull Pilgrim to within 26-22. Next, after some good Pilgrim defense, the Titans’ Giard missed a 3 while the shot clock expired. Pilgrim kept up its stellar defense, when Weeks had a big block down low on Ouimette. Next, the Pilgrim offense passed the ball around the arc before Schneider buried another 3-pointer, pulling Pilgrim to 26-25 and forcing a Toll Gate time out.

“Ethan’s been our best outside shooter this season and he was able to have a good shooting night this evening,” Batalon said.

Pilgrim took the lead at 27-26 when Woods’ missed 3-pointer was tapped in by teammate Jadin Genao. After Weeks added two more free throws, Pilgrim led 29-26. Then, Pilgrim’s Brandon Lawton would come up with a big defensive play, forcing a jump ball after diving on a loose ball. Pilgrim got possession and once again, Schneider buried a three to increase the Pats’ lead to 32-26 with 10:52 to play.

Toll Gate’s Ouimette nailed a corner 3 to put Toll Gate up 32-29, but Pilgrim’s Schneider erased it when he buried a 3 to extend the lead back to six. Next, Weeks followed with a thunderous block down low on McGuire, who was driving to the basket. With 7:55 to play, the Titans’ Aidan Estrella nailed a 3-pointer, before Pilgrim’s Schneider made a layup, making the score 39-34 Pilgrim with 7:17 left.

Coleman picked the pocket of Weeks at center court and was fouled on the breakaway. Coleman made both free throws and pulled the Titans within 39-36. Next, Estrella stole a pass for Toll Gate and made a breakaway layup, pulling it within one. Toll Gate continued its stellar defense when Giard came up with a steal, but the turnover didn’t translate into points on the other end. Weeks would grab the defensive rebound before getting fouled by a defender. He made both free throws to put Pilgrim back up by three points. Then, Weeks showed off his range, when he made a 3-pointer from the corner, extending the Pilgrim lead to 44-38. Pilgrim extended the lead when Lawton made two driving layups, one off a steal. With 4:32 left, Joel Johnson made a 3-pointer for Toll Gate and pulled it within 47-41.

With two minutes to play, the Titans’ Ouimette was on the receiving end of an alley-oop layup, making the score 51-44. Then, Toll Gate’s Giard cut the lead to 51-46 with a layup. But, Pilgrim’s Genao responded by completing a 3-point play when he scored with a layup while he was getting fouled.

With 1:54 left, Ouimette buried a 3-pointer to pull Toll Gate to 54-49. After Pilgrim came up empty, Toll Gate’s Johnson made a spinning layup, pulling Toll Gate within three at 54-51. But, Toll Gate wouldn’t score the rest of the way and Pilgrim held on to win 58-51 following free throws from Schneider, Woods and Lawton.

Batalon was thrilled with the win.

“We’re proud of our victory tonight,” Batalon said. “Toll Gate’s a very well-coached team. They always play us tough. Coach [Tom] Rayko does a great job with them. So we’re excited to earn a hard-fought victory.”

Overall, Rayko was happy with his team’s effort in this one.

“I was happy with the way my kids played,” Rayko said. “I thought they showed a lot of heart, especially when we went down in the second half. To fight back and put it back into perspective.”

Rayko says no matter the records, whenever Toll Gate and Pilgrim meet, it’s always a big game.

“In this city, it’s always a big game, regardless of who has got what record,” Rayko said.