Suffolk Edge Out FCHWPO in Chippy Battle

This game was fierce, with lots of chatting, pushing, and shoving boiling over into some serious beef. From unnecessary transition fouls, to throwing the ball off opponents’ heads, I really thought a fight might break out at any moment late in the second half. Fortunately nothing escalated too far, and it made for a competitive game. Suffolk led 42-36 at the half behind 16 points from Grillakis, who was unstoppable at the rim, and three threes from Liban. FCHWPO had a bit more balanced attack, as Sellew and Che had 8 points each while McCarthy added 7 points and 5 assists. Even with some strong second half performances from FCHWPO, Suffolk proved to be too much, as they pulled out the 75-64 victory.

Grillakis’ hot start set the tone for this game, as he finished with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal. He hit only three of his five free-throw attempts, but his constant rim pressure is the key to this offense going, as he’s an insanely good finisher and added 4 assists in this game for a well-rounded effort. Sam Holze came alive in the second half, ultimately propelling his team to the win with 21 points of his own, plus 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 4 steals. Holtze shot four of six from range, made his only free-throw, and was a menace defensively with 4 steals, which doesn’t even account for all the pressure he applies to opposing lead guards. With a few middies and finishes at the rim, FCHWPO was lost guarding him in pick and roll, and he made them pay with some clutch shots. Yusuf Liban had a huge game, going five of eight from deep for 15 points and 1 rebound. After an active first half, FCHWPO adjusted to limit his touches, but he responded by hitting two huge threes late in the game, including one that was more or less the final dagger. Logan O’Donnell continued his strong play with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. O’Donnell has become more consistent around the rim and also hit a three in this game, pairing well with Holze and Brace in P&R situations due to his versatility. Bret Edwards hit a three for 3 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal, while Bolden Brace went scoreless, but added 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, playing a major role in the victory despite being washed and unable to muster up even one bucket. Nice win for Suffolk, who pick up their second consecutive victory to move to 3-3 on the season.

FCHWPO lose their third game in a row, playing pretty well but giving up a few too many TOs and hitting only five threes in the game despite shooting a respectable percentage. Johnny McCarthy continues to do his thing, finishing with 22 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists. McCarthy shot four of seven from deep, but outside of him, the rest of the roster shot one for six. As the sole shooter on his team (C. Sellew and Phelan both out this game), McCarthy got a lot of attention and was only able to get up seven attempts, giving Suffolk a 23 to 13 edge in attempted threes, which was ultimately the difference in this game (11 makes to 5). Fru Che finished with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal. Che is the clear second option on this team, as his physicality inside and high-release jumper in the mid-range make him a reliable scoring threat. He’s also strong on the glass and a plus defender, as he continues to have a strong session for this team. Eric Sellew went for 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, starting off super aggressive inside with 8 first half points. Sellew is an excellent passer (over 5 apg), but is capable of scoring way more, especially inside. If this team isn’t going to hit many threes, they may as well dominate inside more than they already are. Joe Schneider finished with 6 points, 14 rebounds (6 offensive), 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in this game, making his presence and physicality felt defensively while dominating the glass on both ends. He leads the league in offensive boards and is top 5 in twos made at the time of writing. Aidan Cyr chipped in 6 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. Cyr is a strong defender with his athleticism and good for a few tough buckets inside every game, while consistently making the right play. In a similar vein, Meech Ramirez hit his only three-point attempt for 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal, playing very well in his role. FCHWPO fall to a disappointing 2-4 on the session, as they’re clearly capable of much more and are now fighting for a playoff spot.