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Boys Basketball: McFarland’s career-high 37 not enough for Southold

Southold basketball player Pat McFarland 011317

Pat McFarland had a career night. But even that wasn’t enough for the Southold High School boys basketball team on Friday the 13th.

In the first quarter of Friday’s game, McFarland nailed a three-point shot. A few moments later he hit another triple, all net, before swishing yet another trey in succession to the delight of the home fans.

One started to get a sense that it could be a special game for the Southold senior guard.

It was. By halftime McFarland had 21 points to his name, and by the time the whole affair was done with, he was left with 37 points and eight three-pointers (both career-high numbers) — and Southold was left with a 74-58 loss to Bridgehampton.

Neither McFarland’s exceptional performance or the second-quarter ejection of Bridgehampton coach Carl Johnson was enough for Southold (2-8, 0-3 Suffolk County League VIII) to withstand a third-quarter surge by Bridgehampton (7-4, 2-0).

Bridgehampton extended a one-point halftime lead with a 16-3 run for a 54-42 advantage with 41.8 seconds left in the third quarter.

After McFarland rattled in a three-pointer, Nae-Jon Ward put in a buzzer-beater for Bridgehampton. J.P. Harding then opened the fourth quarter with a pair of free throws and a field goal for the Killer Bees, whose lead was safe.

McFarland canned 8 of 17 attempts from three-point distance and shot 11 for 23 overall from the field. He sank 7 of 8 free throws. In addition, he had three rebounds, three steals and two assists.

The problem for Southold was its big dropoff in point production. Anthony Klavas was the First Settlers’ second-highest scorer with eight points. Jake Dominy and Gus Klavas had four each.

Bridgehampton, shooting 45.8 percent from the field, had no such problem, with five of its players scoring in double figures. Elijah Jackson led the way with 16 points, followed by Elijah Harding with 15, J.P. Harding with 14, Ward with 11 and Nykell Dean with 10. Elijah Harding, a senior power forward, was a force on the boards, pulling down 12 rebounds.

Bridgehampton’s mild-mannered, veteran coach, Johnson, apparently said something that wasn’t to a referee’s liking and was assessed a technical foul with two minutes and 43 seconds left in the second quarter. A short while later, with 37.9 seconds left in the half, Johnson said something else a referee took exception to, was handed a second technical and ejected from the game.

As Johnson walked across the court and into the locker room, assistant coach Ron White took over the reigns.

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Photo caption: Senior guard Pat McFarland scored 37 points and hit eight three-point shots — both career-high numbers — for Southold in its loss to Bridgehampton. (Credit: Garret Meade)