BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team swept three games this week, beating county rival Pocomoke last Friday before toppling Mardela at home on Monday and Crisfield on the road on Tuesday to run their win streak to eight games.
The Seahawks beat Pocomoke, 75-51, last Friday after getting out to a big early lead, withstanding a few runs by the Warriors and pulling away late. Decatur led 19-11 after one quarter, but Pocomoke pulled closer after outscoring the Seahawks, 16-14, during the second quarter. Decatur led 33-27 at halftime. Decatur used a 17-8 third quarter to gain some separation from Pocomoke and outscored the Warriors, 25-16, in the fourth to cruise to the 75-51 win.
Back in action at home against Mardela on Monday, the Seahawks used a different formula, getting out to a huge early lead and playing the Warriors fairly close for the rest of the contest on the way to the 68-44 win. Decatur already led 9-0 in the first quarter when Tyler Hunter converted a lay-up with 3:26 remaining in the period to push the lead to 11-0.
A pair of converted free throws by Colen Gaynor and a steal and lay-up by Danny Beck extended the Seahawks’ lead to 15-0. Mardela finally got on the board with a free throw to cut the lead to 15-1 with 1:47 left in the period. Torrey Brittingham scored for Decatur to push the lead to 17-1. Chase Sams then made a strong move to the basket, converted the lay-up and was fouled. Sams converted the free throw for a three-point play and Decatur led, 20-1, with time running down in the first. Gaynor grabbed a rebound and converted the put-back to push the lead to 22-1 at the end of the first quarter.
Decatur’s P.J. Copes scored on a lay-up to start the second quarter and was fouled. Copes knocked down the foul shot to complete the three-point play and pushed the lead to 25-1. Mardela went on a mini five-point run to cut the lead to 25-6 before Decatur’s Keyon Eley knocked down a jumper to extend it to 27-6. Mardela cut the lead to 29-9 before Gaynor scored on two straight possessions to 33-9. Mardela cut the lead to 33-13 near the end of the second quarter, but Gaynor found a wide open Hunter on the baseline on a fast break and the big man converted the lay-up to extend the Decatur lead to 35-13 at the half.
Mardela played Decatur fairly even the rest of the way, especially after Coach B.J. Johnson emptied his bench for long stretches, but the damage had been done. Decatur only outscored Mardela by two points in the entire second half, but the damage had been done early and the Warriors could not recover.
The Seahawks traveled to Crisfield on Tuesday and continued their winning ways. The two teams played a back-and-forth contest with neither gaining a significant advantage. The game came down to the final minute when Decatur’s Torrey Brittingham scored a long three-pointer with 10 seconds left to put the Seahawks ahead, 64-63. Decatur held on for the late win to improve to 11-3 on the season. The Seahawks have now won eight in a row, there last loss coming to Pocomoke back on December 20.