BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team cruised past visiting Mardela, 78-34, on Monday and appears to have put a little mid-season malaise behind them.
The Seahawks lost three straight to Woodbridge, Snow Hill and Bennett over the period of about a week from January 26 to February 1 and perhaps more importantly lost a little of the swagger they had on their way to a 10-1 regular season record. Last Friday, however, the Decatur boys snapped that mini-streak with an impressive 68-57 win over Washington on the road.
On Monday, the Seahawks were back in action at home against Mardela and jumped all over the Warriors early on their way to a 78-34 win. Decatur already led 8-3 about half way through the first quarter when Kevon Voyles slashed through the lane for a fast-break layup. On the next possession, Voyles nailed a long three-pointer to extend the lead to 10 points at 13-3.
Much of the first half featured mini scoring runs for different Decatur players. With three minutes left in the first quarter, Zion Shockley scored a layup and was fouled in the process. Shockley converted the free throw to put the Seahawks ahead, 16-3. On the next possession, Shockley went strong to the basket again and put the Seahawks up 18-3.
A nice runner by Tah’Jeem Woodland put Decatur ahead 20-3 as the Seahawks were getting everybody involved in the offense. A pair of free throws by Brett Berquist put Decatur ahead 22-3 with just over a minute left in the first quarter. Mardela would not quit, however, and scored three baskets in the last minute of the first quarter to cut the lead to 22-9.
The Seahawks put the game away for good in the second quarter as they continued to get scoring from up and down the roster. Churchill Bounds started the quarter with a layup on a nice assist by Voyles to extend the lead to 24-9. On the next possession, Voyles launched another long three to push the lead to 27-10.
Decatur’s Joel Niles then got in the action with a nice jumper from the corner to extend the lead to 31-10. Niles scored again on a put-back on the next possession to push the lead to 33-10. Mardela responded with a three-pointer to cut the lead to 33-13, but Voyles again had the answer with a three-pointer of his own to put the lead at 36-13 with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Decatur’s Antonio Collins slashed through the Mardela defense and converted a layup to push the lead to 38-13. Seconds later, Collins came up with a steal on the defensive end and went coast-to-coast for a fast-break layup to make it 40-13. Another layup by Bounds made it 42-13, but Mardela again rallied late in the second.
The Warriors scored the last seven points of the second quarter to cut the Decatur lead to 42-22 at the half. However, the damage had been done and the Seahawks coasted through the second half on their way to a 78-34 win. With the win, the Seahawks improved to 12-6 on the season.
