Sports

Polished Porters too much for Island Indians

Andrew Belt-Cappellino puts everything into a drive for the basket during the varsity loss to Southold last Thursday.

VARSITY OUT-MATCHED


No unlucky shots, bad referee calls or heartbreaks here.


When asked why the varsity Indians lost their match-up with the Greenport Porters last Monday, Coach Michael Mundy gave a simple response: “Well, I think Greenport’s a better team.”


The outcome of that game was of little surprise to anyone who’s been keeping track. In fact, the final score of Monday’s game, 68-41 Porters, was just a couple of points away from the final of the Indians’ last match-up with Greenport on January 13: 67-42, Porters. Greenport (10-3) will finish its season third in the league.


The game could be the last of the season for the varsity Indians, if yesterday’s cancelled game against Smithtown Christian (1-11) is not rescheduled. If it isn’t, the squad will finish the year with a 4-9 record.


“Greenport’s a good, strong team,” Mundy told the Reporter. “I’m not overly upset about [the loss].” Especially when the Indians had such a strong showing in the first quarter.


Senior Mike Mundy got the first points on the scoreboard 24 seconds into the game with a 3-pointer. About a minute later, Connor Needham sent a quick pass to Doug Binder, which he sent soaring through the basket for another two points: 5-0, Indians. Greenport answered with three consecutive baskets of its own to take the lead.


The boys were doing an impressive job of swinging the ball around the perimeter and mixing things up to keep the Porters defense on its toes. At 4:28, Needham sent the ball to Mundy, who whipped it around to Andrew Graffagnino in the corner. He bounced a pass through defenders to Dustin Mulcahy under the net, who missed his shot but got his own rebound and scored.


Binder was fouled on the next play and sank a free throw, bringing the score to 8-6, Indians. Greenport then sank a free throw of its own, followed up by a 3-pointer from Teddy Stevens to give the Porters the lead.


On the next play, with just a minute left in the quarter, Mundy passed the ball to Phil McEnroe. McEnroe found Binder open on the perimeter, who sank a jump shot to tie it up.


On their next possession, Mundy dribbled the ball in and immediately sent it sailing into the net, getting the crowd on its feet. But then Greenport answered with a 3-point play on a layup and the resulting free throw.


“That first quarter is the best you’re going to see us play,” said Coach Mundy. 


But the Indians had trouble keeping their momentum, and let up a 15-point run in the second quarter and a 12-point in the fourth quarter.


Still, the team’s highlights show how far they’ve come. Coach Mundy said that the team has demonstrated “huge improvement from the beginning to the end of the season,”


Before the game, Coach Mundy pulled aside Doug Binder and announced to the crowd that he wanted to recognize one of the most-improved players who wouldn’t be present for the senior send-off: “He’s been a constant performer and a big part of our program, so thanks, Doug.”


Coach Mundy also added that he’s looking forward to next season with the returning varsity players and the players joining the team from JV, such as Jimmy Read and Alex Graffagnino. 


Readers can check sectionxi.org to see if the game against Smithtown Christian has been rescheduled.


“We definitely want to play them,” said Coach Mundy. “It would be a great way for us to end our season.”


JV FALLS SHORT


The JV Indians had a tough time sinking shots in their final game of the season against Greenport, which they lost 49-31. Shot percentage continues to be a problem for the team.


“We probably missed 25 points worth of easy shots,” said JV Coach Jay Card. “Focus, rushing, nerves — for whatever reason they’re just not comfortable to follow through to get the ball in,” although he thinks the shooting will improve with game experience.


Lennon Sarfati led the team in scoring with 13 points, followed by Chandler Olinkiewicz with 6 and Jimmy Read with 5. Foul trouble meant Olinkiewicz and Read had to hit the bench at the end of the game.


Coach Card noted that the small amount of gym time made for fewer opportunities to fine-tune some of the team’s problems this season, and so those problems “compounded on us as the season went on” and contributed to the team’s losing season.


Still, he noticed improvements across the board: “Chandler [Olinkiewicz] has made some progress, he’s going pretty strong to the basket … Hunter Starzee is a hard worker on the boards … Aaron Johnson is a hard worker and good under the boards … Wyatt Brigham’s improved, Jay [Card] is probably one of our most improved players and he played an aggressive defense. Brendan [Olinkiewicz], considering he’s never played before, has come a long way.” 


The crowd gave senior Brendan a cheer when he banked a jump shot off the backboard in the second quarter, his final points as a Shelter Island player.


Coach Card looks forward to the next season. “I love working with the kids,” he said.