The East Hampton, Bridgehampton, and Pierson High School boys basketball teams continued on playoff paths this past week, with East Hampton defeating Hampton Bays and Sayville, Bridgehampton defeating Greenport and Smithtown Christian, and Pierson defeating Mattituck after having lost to Babylon.
The Whalers’ 79-64 win last Thursday over Mattituck, a game during which Luke Seltzer scored a career-high 37 points, improved Pierson’s record to 11-3.
Bridgehampton’s Killer Bees improved to 11-1 as the result of defeating Greenport 51-41 and Smithtown Christian 63-48. Those wins kept Ron White’s team in second place in league play, behind undefeated Southampton.
East Hampton improved to 10-1, tying it with Mount Sinai atop Division IV. Toby Foster, a freshman guard, led the Bonackers with 20 points in their win over Sayville. Others in double figures were Luke Reese, with 16, Jack Dickinson, with 12, and Finn Byrnes, with 10. Hitting from the 3-point range were Foster (two), Reese (two), and Liam Fowkes (one).
Alex Davis led Bridgehampton in its win over Smithtown Christian with 25 points, presumably a career-high. Savion Ward, a fellow guard, had 13, and Kris Vinski, 12.
Hampton Bays, a team that is enjoying a good season, came in to East Hampton looking for a victory on Jan. 24, and, for a while things were nip-and-tuck in the early going. The Baymen led 24-23 near the end of the second quarter, but Dan White’s team proved to be too strong in the end, running the visitors out of the gym in the second half.
Actually, the comeback began with a 15-5 East Hampton run that closed out the second quarter. A 3-pointer by Reese, and a 3-point play by Dickinson got it going. The Bonackers took a 38-29 lead into the locker room at halftime, and built on that lead in the third, which ended with East Hampton up 54-40. The final was 70-48.
Dickinson led the Bonackers with 21 points, Fowkes had 18, Byrnes 12, and Reese 11.
“We did a good job going out and winning — it was a great team effort,” White said afterward. “Hampton Bays is a good team. Luke played Pensar Johnson man-for-man, limiting him to 10 points, his lowest point total, I think, this season. . . . I’m happy where we’re at.”
The boys were to have played at Eastport-South Manor Monday and at Rocky Point yesterday. Westhampton Beach is to play here tomorrow, and the Bonackers are to wind up league play at Comsewogue Tuesday.
As for Pierson, the Whalers were to have played at Southampton Monday and were to be at home to Port Jefferson yesterday. Will Fujita’s team is to play its regular-season finale at Southold Tuesday.
The Bees were to have played at Greenport Tuesday, at Shelter Island tomorrow, and are to finish the league campaign at home with the Ross School Tuesday.
Looking ahead to the county playoffs, the Class A tournament will begin Feb. 13. The Class C and D title games are to be played at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue on Feb. 15.