Boys Basketball: Tuckers enjoy payback against Wyandanch

TUCKERS 66, WARRIORS 53

Mattituck avenged an elimination loss from last year’s Suffolk County Class B boys basketball playoffs, recording a 66-53 League VII victory over Wyandanch at home Friday night.

Junior guard Joe Tardif was the Tuckers’ spark plug, scoring 21 point and making 4 steals while leading a ball-hawking and alert defense.

Tardif spread out his scoring, collecting 5 points in the first quarter, another 5 in the second period, 7 in the third and 4 more points in the final quarter.

His shot from the just inside the key broke a 19-all tie and lifted the Tuckers (5-1, 2-1) into a 2-point lead they never relinquished, although Wyandanch (1-5, 1-2) came close twice.

When the Warriors climbed within 39-36 with 61 seconds remaining in the third period, Tardif and Chris Dwyer (14 points) sank back-to-back treys within 15.5 seconds to lift the hosts to a 45-36 advantage.

When the visitors moved within 45-43 only 51 seconds into the fourth quarter, Dwyer sank a layup and Parker Tuthill (8 points) hit a 3-point shot and Will Gildersleeve (11 points, 8 assists) canned a foul shot for a 51-45 lead for one of his 5 fourth-period points with 4:43 left in the game. The Tuckers outscored the Warriors, 15-8, the rest of the way.

Kashawn Charles led Wyandanch with 12 points.

Wyandanch defeated Mattituck in a Class B outbracket game last year, 77-68.

The Tuckers will play their next three games away before returning home to host Bishop McGann-Mercy on Jan. 13. They will visit Greenport on Dec. 30, Center Moriches on Jan. 6 and Hampton Bays on Jan. 9.