BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team used a big 13-2 run in the second quarter to pull away from visiting Indian River, 83-52, in the second game of the Mason Dixon Tipoff Classic double-header in front of a boisterous bipartisan crowd on Monday afternoon.
Decatur came out fired up from the first tipoff. P.J. Copes scored on a layup, and after a big block by Tyler Hunter brought the crowd to its feet, DuPont and Torrey Brittingham each scored to extend the lead to 6-0. Indian River got on the board with 6:20 remaining in the first, but a pair of free throws by Colen Gaynor extended the lead to 8-2. After another fast break layup by DuPont, Gaynor took over in the second, scoring seven points in a two-minute stretch to extend the Seahawk lead to 17-6.
Indian River converted two free throws and then scored on the ensuing possession to cut the lead to 17-11. Gaynor answered with a jumper, but Indian River came right back down and scored to cut the lead to 19-13 with time running down in the first. Hunter scored on a layup at the buzzer and the Seahawks took a 21-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Indian River scored two quick baskets to start the second to cut the Decatur lead to 21-19 and the Indians’ crowd was suddenly back into the game. However, DuPont went on a torrid stretch to settle the issue once and for all. DuPont scored a long three-pointer from the top of the circle to extend the lead to 24-19, Down the other end, DuPont blocked a shot and then drained another long three to extend the lead to 29-19.
Copes then buried a three from the corner to extend the lead to 32-21. Copes then scored on a fast break lay-up and Gaynor followed with another three pointer to extend Decatur’s lead to 41-27 with just over a minute remaining in the half. Hunter made a strong move to the basket to extend the lead to 43-27. Hunter added a free throw just before the half to extend Decatur’s lead to 44-29 at intermission.
The Seahawks started the third much the same way the ended the second. DuPont hit a three-pointer from the corner to extend the lead to 47-29 and a put back by Gaynor pushed the lead to 49-29. DuPont then hit another three from exactly the same spot with no defenders on him to extend the lead to 52-29. Brittingham then found Gaynor with a great pass underneath the basket to push the lead to 54-29. Indian River stopped the bleeding with a layup to cut the lead to 54-31, but Hunter answered with a layup of his own to push it back to 56-31. A Gaynor jumper followed by a strong basket inside by Hunter extended the lead to 60-37. Indian River scored with under a minute left in the third, but Eley nailed a jumper at the buzzer and Decatur took a 62-39 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter including another three by DuPont. Gaynor then went on one of his patented runs, scoring the last six points for the Seahawks, including a big dunk that brought the house down and finished off the Indians at 83-52.