There is little doubt that Greenport has had Southold’s number throughout the boys basketball season. Namely, three — as in the number of wins the Porters have notched over the Settlers.
Their latest came Saturday, Feb. 1, as Greenport recorded a 59-52 victory in a Suffolk County League VIII match up.
When asked about the Porters’ success against their archrivals this season, senior forward Taiquan Brumsey replied, “Just do what we normally do. We play our game. Just stick to the game plan.”
Which the Porters did for most of the contest.
“It’s more of our team chemistry and us working hard from start to finish, and just sticking together — not bringing each other down,” defensive specialist and guard Jeremiah Smith said. “When we have a turnover or missed shot, that’s where we bring each other up.”
Greenport enjoyed as much as a 20-point lead before Southold battled back in the fourth quarter.
“We came out a little slow in the first half,” Porters head coach Justin Moore said. “We picked it up in the second and third quarters, at the beginning of the second half. Southold fought until the end. That’s why they made it a seven-point game with 30 seconds to go, because they never gave up. We got complacent. You can’t do that when you’re playing a team like Southold that’s never going to give up. But we will always take a win. We’ll see what happens come playoff time.”
The Porters (15-2, 13-2) are assured of a Class C playoff berth, but the Settlers (7-10, 6-9) have yet to clinch.
The opening 12 minutes was an evenly played battle. The game was tied five times, and the lead changed hands seven times before the Porters went on a 9-2 tear.
Senior guard Nelson Shedrick, who finished with 19 points, snapped a 21-21 deadlock, scoring off a drive with 3:17 remaining in the first half. Senior Daniel Rivas added a driving shot, and Brumsey sank two free throws. Southold sophomore guard Nico Califano put in a layup with 35 seconds left to pull back to within four, but on the ensuing possession, Shedrick connected with Brumsey, who canned a 25-foot trey at the buzzer to give the hosts a 30-23 halftime advantage. The bucket came from way out of Brumsey’s typical shooting range.
“We were all hyped, jumping up and down,” Shedrick said.
“That just brought up our team morale,” Brumsey added. “We came out and started the third quarter strong.”
Indeed they did.
“It gave us a lot of energy coming into the second half,” Moore said. “Taiquan was definitely big today. When Taiquan is playing like that, we are a team that’s hard to beat.”
The Porters continued to build the lead, outscoring Southold, 14-6, en route to a 44-29 margin by the end of the period. Shedrick led the way with six points.
Greenport extended the lead to 53-33 on Brumsey’s layup with 5:45 remaining in the game.
One key was holding Southold’s outstanding sophomore forward Kyan Olsen to just two fourth-quarter baskets. Olsen, who averages 16.9 points game, scored 11 of his 15 points in the first half.
“They did a good job containing Kyan in the second half,” Southold head coach Will Fujita said. “He knows that teams are going to make him the focal point. He’s got to learn how to be effective when that’s happening. I’ve got to show him how to do it.”
The Settlers outscored the Porters, 19-6, the rest of the way. Senior Brady Woods (10 points) and junior forward Travis Sepenoski (8 points) each had six points during the surge.
Fujita was encouraged by his team’s never-say-die attitude.
“The last two minutes of the game, I think a lot of teams could have thrown a towel in,” he said. “We played every possession like it was a two-point game.”
Despite the loss, Southold can still qualify for the Class C final, scheduled for St. Joseph’s University in Patchogue on March 2. After recording a 66-52 home victory over Shelter Island Monday, the Settlers needed to defeat Smithtown Christian (7-10, 6-9) on Wednesday night, after The Suffolk Times went to press.
“Our playoffs start today,” Fujita said after the loss to Greenport, “because if we lose another game, we’re done.”
Moore felt Southold will reach the postseason.
“We’re going to prepare for them,” he said. “I think that they probably will win out, because they are a hard-working team. I definitely think we will see them in the Class C championship again.”