BOYS BASKETBALL: Hampton Bays, Cavallo block Mattituck's path to victory

BY BOB LIEPA  |  SPORTS EDITOR

Pete Meehan knows better than to take anything for granted. That includes qualifying for the playoffs and walking out of the Mattituck High School gym with a win. Neither is easy.

So, Meehan's Hampton Bays Baymen, who in their previous high school boys basketball game clinched their first postseason berth since 2005, went about the task of working on a favorable playoff seeding on Friday night. The stubborn Mattituck Tuckers made things difficult for Hampton Bays, but the Baymen still managed to eke out a one-point win, 60-59, in the Suffolk County League VII contest.

"Leaving here with a one-point win, I'll take it any time," said Meehan.

Hampton Bays senior Bruno Cavallo made two big blocks in the final minute to help preserve the victory in the Coaches vs. Cancer game. Cavallo had sunk a free throw for a 60-57 Hampton Bays lead with 1 minute 53 seconds remaining.

"He's a great player," Mattituck Coach Paul Ellwood said. "He made two great blocks in the fourth quarter. The best player won the game down the stretch."

Mattituck had pulled to within one point at 60-59 on a basket by Yianni Rauseo after he grabbed an offensive rebound and went up strong.

Following a missed free throw by Hampton Bays with nine seconds to go, Mattituck managed one final attempt that banged off the glass before being collected for a rebound by Cameron Booth of Hampton Bays as time expired.

After the game Meehan paid tribute to the Tuckers and their coach.

"Nothing that happened tonight surprised me," the Hampton Bays coach said. "I think they're scrappy. I think Paul Ellwood is as good of a coach as there is. You know, good coaching doesn't always show itself in wins and losses. He prepares his team as well as anybody, and they battle right to the end."

Cavallo, who missed almost his entire junior season because of a skull fracture, scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Hampton Bays, which improved to 11-5, 8-4 with its third straight win, also received 16 points and seven rebounds from Luke Mercurio and 11 points and six assists from John Martinez.

Tom Ascher was the high scorer for Mattituck with 17 points. He hit three three-point shots. The Tuckers, who dropped to 5-11, 3-9, also had some good performances by Rauseo (16 points, 12 rebounds), Steve Ascher (11 points) and Cody Huntley (seven points, 11 rebounds).

But Mattituck had its hands full. This is the best Hampton Bays team in at least a few years for a reason.

"They control rebounds," Steve Ascher said. "They can shoot. They can do everything."

Actually, Hampton Bays was outrebounded by 39-22 and pulled down only five offensive rebounds. But what made a difference was the way the Baymen protected the ball. They committed only seven turnovers, 10 less than Mattituck .

It was a bit of a wild game, with 10 lead changes. The score was tied five times, and the largest margin in the second half was six points when Hampton Bays was up, 45-39, in the third quarter. Whenever Mattituck hit a shot to tie the score or take the lead, Hampton Bays responded almost immediately.

"When we needed to answer, we answered," said Meehan.

Of course, that didn't mean there were no uneasy moments for the Baymen. Mercurio was well aware that Mattituck has some good shooters. He said, "I was just afraid any time one of the twins [Steve Ascher or Tom Ascher] got the ball that they were going to hit another three on us."

Mattituck can take consolation in the improvement it has made since the first half of the season. Ellwood said he has started 10 players over the course of the season, and players have settled into their roles. That could be good news for next season. The Tuckers will lose only two seniors, Colin McCoy and Zach Tyler.

In addition, Mattituck has a good deal of depth. "I have a lot of guys on the bench who in previous years would have been starters for me," said Ellwood.

Hampton Bays hopes it will not be out of its depth in the upcoming Suffolk Class B Tournament.

"It's a special time of the year when you're playing and half of the teams are home," Meehan said. "The object isn't to get into the playoffs. The object is to win a championship. That's the opportunity that the playoffs afford you."

bliepa@timesreview.com