Blue Devil Basketball Stuns
Central Islip
It was a game of many twists and turns, but the Huntington High School boys' basketball team did enough things right to stun No. 4 Central Islip before a crowd of about 400 last Friday, 56-50.
The Blue Devils took it to the Musketeers from the opening whistle, hustling up and down the court and hitting enough shots to stay close. Central Islip led after eight minutes, 10-9, but Huntington proceeded to go on a 10-3 run to gain a 19-13 halftime advantage.
The Musketeers, one of Suffolk's top teams this winter and the fourth seed in the Section XI Class AA bracket, weren't about to fold so early in the game. Central Islip went on a 16-4 third quarter spurt to throw the Blue Devils on the defensive.
Huntington steadily clawed its way back in a wild fourth quarter that will go down in the history books as one of the best ever for the Blue Devils. Senior Patrick Reilly scored 20 of his 29 points in the final frame including a series of long jumpers, lay-ups and foul shots. It was a performance that will always be remembered by the 100 Huntington fans at the game.
Reilly's heroics helped Huntington go up by double digits, but Central Islip again mounted a comeback. As the minutes ticked down, the Musketeers forced a series of Blue Devil turnovers. Huntington struggled to bring the ball upcourt, repeatedly losing possession.
Huntington regained its composure and hit enough shots to maintain its lead, even in the face of Central Islip's withering full-court press. The Blue Devils hung tough in the wild final minutes, sinking shots from the foul line and coming up with several big defensive plays.
While Reilly clearly was the team's leader, Huntington's well-balanced attack featured fine performances from several players, including Kieran McGovern, who dropped in three 3-point baskets and scored 12 points. Devon Nelson (nine points and 11 rebounds), Kenny McCarthy (four points from the foul line), Skylure Pannell (seven assists) and Connor Birchard (two points) added some horsepower to Huntington's offensive engine.
The Blue Devils' victory stunned the Suffolk basketball community, but Huntington head coach Brian Carey knew his team was capable of a big performance after a week of excellent practice sessions. Now the team is squarely focused on its next game at Longwood on Tuesday (Feb. 19). The Lions advanced by pulling off an upset of No. 5 Riverhead, 61-51.
Blue Devil Notes: Reilly had four 3-point baskets and scored seven points from the foul line . . . Huntington alum and State Supreme Court Judge W. Gerard Asher watched the second half from behind the Blue Devils' bench . . . Each of the teams scored 37 points in the second half . . . Huntington scored 15 points from the foul line . . . Dozens of Huntington High School students attended the game . . . Several Blue Devil girls' basketball players were at the game including Katie Nugent and Julie Forster.