Sports

Boys Basketball: Bridgehampton stings Porters on opening night

Greenport's Matt Drinkwater looks for someone to pass to while being guarded by Bridgehampton's Matt Hostetter. (Credit: Garret Meade)
Greenport’s Matt Drinkwater looks for someone to pass to while being guarded by Bridgehampton’s Matt Hostetter. (Credit: Garret Meade)

KILLERS BEES 59, PORTERS 33

The early start to the Suffolk County League VIII boys basketball season places a premium on a quick start. Perhaps more than ever, it’s important for teams to bolt quickly out of the starting blocks.

The Greenport Porters tripped at the starting line.

Both the Porters and their rival, Bridgehampton, will play five league games before the new year. The first of those came Friday night when Bridgehampton christened the new season by gaining a measure of revenge on the Porters, beating them soundly, 59-33. Call it a little payback for the Porters defeating Bridgehampton in a Suffolk Class D semifinal in February.

A D.J. played blaring music in a corner of Greenport High School’s Dude Manwaring Gymnasium, lending a festive atmosphere to the occasion. The top two scorers in Greenport history, Ryan Creighton and former Porters coach Al Edwards, were on hand to watch the proceedings.

But the Killer Bees crashed Greenport’s party. With not a single senior on the roster, Bridgehampton is a team on the rise. It has three talented juniors: Tylik Furman (21 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals), Josh Lamison (11 points, 21 rebounds, 3 steals, 1 block) and Charles Manning (17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists, 2 blocks), a transfer from Riverhead.

Not surprisingly for a first game, there was ugly play on both sides. Both coaches, Carl Johnson of Bridgehampton and Ev Corwin of Greenport, lamented the sloppy play. The game was marred by 47 turnovers, almost evenly divided.

The shooting was off, with both teams barely making over 30 percent of their field-goal attempts. Combined, the teams shot 2 of 22 from 3-point territory.

Bridgehampton had a size advantage, and the Killer Bees made good use of it. They outrebounded the Porters by 43-20, giving up only 7 offensive rebounds.

The Porters continually seemed to be in foul trouble. They were whistled for 29 fouls and sent Bridgehampton to the foul line 44 times.

That’s not a recipe for victory, either.

The Porters’ difficulty scoring was a concern for Corwin. Angel Colon led the Porters with 11 points. The team’s next highest scorer was Tim Stevens with 6.

A 3-pointer by Manning left Bridgehampton with a 27-20 lead by halftime. But it was in the second half when the Killer Bees really stung. Lamison scored 14 points and Manning netted 10 during a paralyzing 25-1 run that gave Bridgehampton a 56-26 advantage with 4 minutes left in the game.

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