BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s girls’ varsity basketball team gained the upper hand in the Bayside South standings, beating Mardela, 60-54, on the road on Tuesday.
Both teams entered Tuesday’s big showdown with just one conference loss, Decatur’s coming to the Warriors way back in the second game of the season at home in what felt like a playoff atmosphere. The seeds of the new rivalry were planted last year when the Seahawks beat the Mardela to ruin the Warriors’ unbeaten season.
In Tuesday’s showdown, both teams exchanged baskets early on and the lead changed several times. Decatur turned up the defensive pressure, which created scoring opportunities on its offensive end, and took a 34-27 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Seahawks steadily pulled away with its relentless press creating turnovers and scoring chances down the other end. Decatur went on a 9-0 run in the third to extend its lead to 49-32 with time running down in the period.
Decatur continued its run into the fourth and built a 20-point lead at one point during the period before Mardela began to battle back. The Warriors chipped away and actually finished the game on a 10-0 run to cut the lead to six, but the damage had been done and the Seahawks hung on for the 60-54 win.
With the win, Decatur improved to 11-1 overall including a 7-1 Bayside South record. Mardela fell to 11-2 overall with the loss, but has won one more conference game and currently holds an 8-1 conference mark.