In a game where Greenport’s big three struggled to score consistently, two players not typically known for their offensive prowess played vital roles in the 65-56 Porter’s victory at Southold on Monday night.
Senior guard Jeremiah Smith, a defensive specialist averaging 6.7 points a game, pumped in 14; Daniel Rivas, who had scored only four points all season entering the Suffolk County League VII matchup, added 10. Their contributions helped the Porters (91, 8-1) stay on track in their quest to reach the Class C playoffs and beyond.
The Settlers (5-7, 4-6) held Greenport’s three key seniors to 36 points. That included guards Nelson Shedrick (team-high 19 points), who entered the game the fourth in the county, averaging 24.4 points, Kal-El Marine (13 points) and forward Taiquan Brumsey (four points).
“They took away our main scorers, making somebody else score tonight,” Greenport head coach Justin Moore said. “Daniel, Jeremiah and Matt [Malinowski] stepped up to the plate. It was big. We were able to escape with a win.”
Malinowski contributed two points to Greenport’s win.
“I’m glad some guys stepped up,” said Shedrick, who scored 16 first-half points. “Daniel Rivas, Jeremiah and Matt all got their looks and finished.”
Rivas made an impact by scoring six points in the second quarter, when the Porters climb built to a 3615 halftime advantage. Smith added six points in the fourth quarter, holding the Settlers at bay.
“He played amazingly, especially down low,” Rivas said. “We just played off each other extremely well — getting rebounds, looking for the screens. Even if we don’t touch the ball, just moving around the court helps.”
And scoring also helped Rivas’ confidence. “At first you start thinking it’s luck,” he said. “Then you score again, and you’re like, ‘Okay, maybe I can really do this.’ And it just keeps on building and building.”
Greenport defeated Southold for the second time this season, after posting a 42-37 home triumph on Dec. 13.
“It’s always big, because Southold’s our rivals,” Moore said. “They and the other Class C schools stand in the way of what we want to do, and where we want to go. They beat us in the big game last year. That’s always stuck in the back of our minds. We definitely have to respect them and come out ready to play.”
The Porters owned the opening half, extending the lead to 23 points.
“First half was amazing,” said Shedrick. “We did what we wanted, got all the looks that we wanted.”
Southold head coach Will Fujita said that the team “came out just flat-footed.” During halftime, Fujita decided to switch to a man-to-man defense and let his players talk things out.
“We needed to find something that was going to motivate us to play more physical on both ends of the floor,” he said. “I let my captains talk to the team before they came out at halftime. I don’t know what was said, but whatever they said worked really well.”
Southold roared back in the second half, outscoring the visitors 25-13, including a 12-0 tear to start the third quarter. Settlers senior forward Nik Talabadze scored 12 of his career-high 21 points in that stretch.
“That was the best game I’ve seen him play,” Fujita said. “He was a big reason why we were able to get back into the game.”
Settlers leading scorer, sophomore forward Kyan Olsen, averaging 14.9 ppg, struggled early, but tallied eight points in the fourth quarter to finish with 11.
After Southold sliced the deficit to 59-54 with 55.6 seconds remaining, Marine sank all six of his foul shots to seal the win.
“Free throws, it’s a big part of my game,” he said. “I’ve been in a little bit of a slump, but I’m out of it 1737153414. It was loud, but once I stepped in line, I tuned it out.”
Monday night was Green Out Night, in honor of the former Southold athlete Dylan Newman, who passed away from cancer in September 2022.
“Last Green Out game as a senior. I didn’t want to give up on the team,” Talabadze said. “It kind of hit me personally. It just came together, but we fell short. I believe we got it next time. It’s a loss, but it feels like a win.”
The third and final regular season encounter between the schools is set for Greenport High School on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 3:45 p.m.