Chris Baccaro launched a 3-point shot that would have – if successful – pulled the Wallkill boys’ basketball team to within 10 points of the Goshen Gladiators.

Baccaro’s shot was off the mark, and the Gladiators widened the lead back out, handing the Panthers a 64-43 non-league loss on Thursday at Goshen High School, preserving the Gladiators’ unbeaten record and giving them their 11th win of the season.

“I thought we played really hard,” Wallkill coach Hunter Andrews said. “There was a stretch there at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half where the game was decided. Other than that, defensively, I thought we had a good game plan. Offensively, I knew they were going to be throwing a lot of defenses at us. They’re really tough.”

Baccaro did his part, leading the Panthers with a game-high 22 points.

“He hit a few 3s and got it down to 13 late in the fourth,” Wallkill coach Hunter Andrews said. “He’s been a great shooter and a great scorer for us all season. The other guys have stepped up as well. It just wasn’t enough tonight.”

The meeting with the Panthers was a rematch of last season’s Section 9 Class A championship game at SUNY Sullivan, a game the Gladiators won, 55-46 on March 3.

Jaidyn Rutling, who did most of the damage to the Panthers’ in the last meeting, scored 16 points but was outdone by Luke Michalski and Tyson Clark.

Michalski and his 6-foot-7 frame scored all team-high 18 points in the second half.

“It’s tough to simulate 6-7 in practice,” Andrews said. “I’d love to see these guys again down the road and make a couple of adjustments, but Luke’s a really good player, skilled down low and on the outside. He really hurt us.”

So did Tyson Clark, who gave the Panthers’ fits with his quickness on his way to 17 points.

“He’s quick, a really good athlete getting to the rim, and he can shoot the three,” Andrews said. “They’re really skilled.”

Baccaro’s fourth-quarter 3-pointer would have cut the Gladiators’ lead to 56-46, but instead a rebound by Goshen’s Tyler Kropp started an 8-0 run to end the game.

The Panthers finished the week on Friday night with another tough Class A loss, 65-48, to the New Paltz Huguenots.

Baccaro scored 12 points, and Sean Perrin had 10.

“We can play with what is right now the best team in Class A in Section 9,” Andrews said. “We lost by 21, but I think the game was a closer game than that. I know they realize we can play with a really talented team.”