Blue Devil Basketball Cruises
on Senior Day
After dropping two straight league games the Huntington High School boys’ basketball team needed a win badly and the Blue Devils got it, toppling visiting Eastport-South Manor, 66-38 on Senior Day in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
Huntington was coming off losses to West Babylon (60-42) and Deer Park (59-55) and at times struggling on both ends of the court. The Blue Devils hadn’t tasted defeat in league play until the recent rough patch. The team put all of that behind it on Tuesday night, building an insurmountable lead and improving to 13-3 overall and 10-2 in league play.
During pre-game festivities, the coaching staff and the team’s underclassmen honored Huntington’s seniors. The parents of Andrew Hampton, Kenny McCarthy, Shyheim Brewster, Scott Gulizio and Matt Reed met the seniors at half court, where they were presented with a flower by each of the teenagers. The group posed for photos before taking the floor and playing their hearts out.
“These five young men have been giving us everything they have, day in and day out,” Carey said. “Because of them, we are having a great year. They have been working hard for months and putting their egos aside for the benefit of the team. I’m proud to be their coach.”
Huntington jumped out to an early 19-11 first quarter lead and was never seriously threatened the rest of the way. The Blue Devils held a 40-17 halftime advantage, which expanded to 54-24 after three quarters.
Kenny Charles scored a game high 17 points. McCarthy dropped 16 points and snagged 10 rebounds. Brewster had seven points and 12 rebounds and Hampton added six points from the foul line and four steals. Gulizio was also sharp, picking up six steals to go with two points and a series of key assists.
“Tonight’s game went as expected,” McCarthy said. “It was a well-needed victory after two tough losses. For the rest of the season, we need to be consistently unselfish. If we do that, then we’ll finish with a league title and a playoff run.”
Despite holding a 23 point halftime lead, Huntington head coach Brian Carey was his typical fiery self in the locker room, urging his team to keep playing hard. The Blue Devils heeded the veteran coach’s message and did just that.
Huntington’s reserves turned in strong performances when Carey inserted them one-by-one into the game. Quincy Nelson had eight points, including two three-pointers and a pair of steals. Shane McGuire scored five points and Dan Mollitor added three points. Nat Amato had two points from the foul line. Reed was effective distributing the ball and playing tough defense as well as giving the team a strong inside presence when needed.