Boys Basketball: Blue Devils Tournament consolation game

Manor gets first win with defeat of Eldred

Eldred’s Kean and Manor’s Baker have huge games

By RICHARD A. ROSS

ROSCOE, NY — Even this early in the season when teams have played only one or two games, there is an urgency to get that first win. Both Livingston Manor and Eldred brought that intensity to the consolation game at the Blue Devils tournament on December 7.

Eldred’s Patrick Kean had a huge game, racking up a game-high total of 28 points, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Manor from starting its season at 0-3. Wildcats Rob Baker and Ethan McCann were key as Manor led the way from the opening tip. But Baker’s 19 points don’t tell the whole story. A strong player in the post and a good defender, Baker has great potential when he doesn’t rush the game. Coach Charlie Hicks is trying to send that message to Baker: “Don’t rush; let the game come to you.”

As for McCann, his defense is his strongest suit. A menacing defender, he often gets to guard the other team’s leading guard. In this game, he added 10 points of scoring to Manor’s cause.

Manor controlled the tip and it was McCann who notched the game’s first points. A strong post move by Baker made it 4-0. One of Eldred’s key weapons is forward Nick Klufas, who has an angelic touch for the three. He hit a beauty—the first of his five of the night—and Eldred was right in it. Unfortunately, the same ills from the charity stripe plagued Eldred for the second straight night. Settling for long shots early on, Eldred made a great run in the third quarter by taking the ball to the rack and drawing fouls. But going 7-for-19 from the line neutralized that strategy.

Manor pulled away in the second quarter. A pair of three pointers by Mike Perry and one from Baker helped advance the Cats’ cause. Eldred got threes from Kean and Klufas, but struggled in other facets of its offense. Manor took a 34-20 lead into half-time.

In the third quarter, Manor got a number of steals from Eldred’s long-pass attempts up the floor. Eldred committed a total of 15 turnovers to Manor’s 10, but the difference was that Manor converted a hefty number of steals into points in transition.

Manor led 48-39 after three as Eldred worked hard to trim the lead. Point guard John Scully produced points, while Manor took to hasty shots, which fueled Eldred’s revival. Had Eldred been successful from the line, they might have won this game going away.

As the third quarter wound down, Eldred’s tendency to collapse on the ball opened up some easy Manor passes to an open Bonilla, who got three straight lay-ups behind passes from Baker and McCann. Two of those came at the end of the third quarter.

Manor pulled away for good in the fourth quarter, but not before Eldred got within six at 61-55 after Scully scored on a beautiful floater down the lane.

As the final minutes waned, Baker rose to the occasion, scoring six straight points.

In addition to Kean’s 28, Eldred got 15 points from Klufas on five treys and 11 from Scully. Manor got 12 from Perry, 13 from Mike Hendrickson, nine from James Baker and six from Ryan Taggart, in addition to Baker’s 19 and McCann’s 10.

“Our defense looks good,” Hicks said, “but we struggled offensively. We only got 10 in the first quarter. So far this season, our offense has run hot and cold. I think some of our seniors are pressing too much but we really needed this win,” he said. Manor’s next challenge is an away game at Class C Tuxedo. The Wildcats are now 1-2, while Eldred falls to 0-2.

For additional pictures of the Livingston Manor versus Eldred consolation game, first round games of Livingston Manor versus The Family School and Eldred against Roscoe, click here.