BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s boys’ varsity basketball team wasted no time jumping all over visiting Saint Michael’s at home on senior night on Tuesday on their way to an 89-6 win.
Before the game on Tuesday, the Seahawks honored its senior players and managers with ceremony involving family members. Among the seniors honored in the pre-game ceremony were Mihail Beja, Shamir Church, Ryan Danaher, Hayden Frazier, Joel Niles, Kevon Voyles and Tah’jeem Woodland.
Coach B.J. Johnson then started an all-senior line-up against St. Michael’s and perhaps revved up by the pre-game festivities, the Seahawks jumped all over the Saints and the game was essentially decided in the first quarter. Danaher got Decatur on the board quickly with a layup and an early 2-0 lead. Niles followed with a fast-break layup and a steal and an easy basket by Frazier made it 6-0 before many in the big home crowd had settled in.
Niles scored again on a layup after a steal, much to the delight of the home crowd who rose to their feet for the senior reserve. Another basket after a rebound for Niles made it 10-0 just two minutes or so into the contest. Frazier then launched a long three-pointer to make it 13-0. Two more baskets by Niles made it 17-0 about halfway through the first quarter.
The Seahawks weren’t finished with the early game onslaught, however. Danaher brought the crowd to its feet with a resounding dunk to make it 19-0. Beja then got on the board with another long three-pointer and the Seahawks led 22-0. Saint Michaels finally got on the board with a basket at the 2:20 mark in the first quarter.
In the next sequence, Danaher scored on a fast-break layup, then stole the ball and converted again to put the Seahawks up 26-2. Another long three by Beja made it 29-2. Danaher tipped in a missed shot to make it 31-2.
Niles scored again on a nice assist from Frazier to make it 33-2 and Danaher scored on a layup to make it 35-2 as the first quarter ended. Niles and Danaher led Decatur with 12 points each in the first quarter.
With the game well in hand, the Seahawks put on the breaks the rest of the way, but could not keep from putting points on the board. When the dust settled, Decatur had thrashed the visiting Saints, 89-6, largely with reserves and part-time players with most of the regular starters barely getting off the bench.
The win was the second straight in impressive fashion for the Seahawks, who a day earlier routed Bennett, 76-48, to close in on the top seed and possible home court advantage in the state 3A-East region sectional. In the Bennett game, Voyles led the Seahawks with 32 points, while Churchill Bounds scored 12 and Frazier added 10. With the win, the Seahawks improved to 14-7 on the season with only a road game against Parkside remaining in the regular season finale. The Parkside game on Thursday was played too late to be included in this edition.
