Bees Dunk Settlers In League Finale
It was senior day at the Beehive last Thursday, and the Bridgehampton Killer Bees celebrated it to the hilt.
Carl Johnson, who coaches the two-time state Class D champions, started an all-senior lineup comprising Maurice Manning, Suffolk's player-of-the-year last season, Matt White, Nick Letcher, B.J. Walker, and Tat Picott against the designated victim, Southold, who by the end of a 24-2 first quarter was slumped on the ropes.
Extended Lead
Johnson let some underclassmen see action in the second quarter, and that crew, which included Mike and Courtney Turner, Daryl Fishburne, Nick Dombkowski, and Chris Ranum, extended the lead to 25 by halftime.
Having warmed up with a full repertoire of dunks before play resumed, Manning & Company continued to put on a show in the first half of the third quarter with Manning coming out following his second crowd-pleasing dunk of the game.
Undefeated Again
The senior guard-forward, argu ably the best all-around player in Bridgehampton's fabled history, who only played for about half the game, capped his final homecourt appearance with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals, said the Bees' statistician, Michael Jackson.
The win crowned the Bees' second straight undefeated league season, at 12-0. Twelve players got into the scorebook. Other double-figure scorers besides Manning were Walker, with 10 points, and Charles Furman, with 12. Furman also had 12 rebounds.
Looking Ahead
"These last two games we've looked like a playoff team," said Johnson. To which Jackson added, "The boys are starting to step up now. We had to light a fire under them, but I think they're ready." While it would be nice to go back to Glens Falls for the state Class D final four, "we really have our minds set on the county small schools game," he said. "We want to play Westhampton again."
In Westchester
In, which beat the Bees by five in a nonleague game in December, Bridgehampton, which is expected to breeze by Greenport in the county "D" game on Feb. 28, will have to beat, in all likelihood, Center Moriches in the C-D game at the State University at Stony Brook on March 3.
A win over Greenport, which would be the third time the Bees have defeated the Porters this season, will earn Bridgehampton a return trip to the state tourney. With that in mind, Johnson on Friday saw Alexander Hamilton and Tuckahoe play in Westchester County.
Good Athletes
"Hamilton was down by two at the end of the first quarter, but was up by 19 by the time I left, at the end of the third," said Bridgehampton's coach. "They've got some good athletes. Tuckahoe has only two legitimate players. All five of Hamilton's can play. They remind me of last year's LaSalle team. If we play them, it will be a very interesting game."
LaSalle stayed right with the Bees through most of three quarters in last year's county Class D championship game, the Bees pulling away, as Manning sat on the bench with his fourth foul, in the final minute of the third on their way to a 78-65 victory.
Covering The Bases
Making sure all the bases in the state tourney's downstate rounds were covered, Johnson was to have seen Edwin Gould Academy play Somers on Tuesday. Edwin Gould gave the Killer Bees their toughest game of the season in last year's southeast regional Class D final.
To keep his players sharp over the winter break, Johnson lined up scrimmages this week at Bay Shore (Tuesday), Smithtown (yesterday), and Newfield (today). He was also trying to line up a scrimmage with East Hampton.