UNION SPRINGS - After stumbling down the regular season's home stretch, the Union Springs' boys basketball team ignited its play and quickly sprinted out of the postseason gates.
Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
Harpursville's Tyler Hartman, center, looks to get a shot off between Union Springs' Julius McClary (15) and Nate Gavitt (23) in first-half action of Tuesday night's playoff game in Union Springs.
Harpursville's Tyler Hartman, center, looks to get a shot off between Union Springs' Julius McClary (15) and Nate Gavitt (23) in first-half action of Tuesday night's playoff game in Union Springs.
Bryan McClary used eight fast-break points to key a 19-4 second-quarter run as the No. 5 Wolves blew past No. 12 Harpursville, 71-43, in the first round of the Section IV Class C playoffs on Tuesday.
Harpursville had a distinct height advantage and Union Springs struggled defending the paint in the first quarter. Wolves coach Tim Darnell switched to a 2-3 zone defense in the second quarter, which ultimately stymied the Hornets' offense.
“I thought we did a good job in the man-to-man, but their big guys are hard to contain,” Darnell said. “They're very strong inside. I definitely believe (the switch to zone) helped us immensely.”
With Union Springs leading 19-12, McClary had two straight steals and converted two uncontested lay-ups to give the Wolves a 21-12 advantage. After another Harpursville turnover, Wolves point guard Nate Gavitt drilled one of his two 3-pointers to double up the Hornets, 24-12.
With just more than two minutes remaining in the half, Union Springs put on an exhibition, both offensively and defensively. In the midst of five straight Harpursville turnovers, Pat Crowley blocked a Hornets' shot into the hands of Tim Paoff who found Gavitt on a fast-break outlet. Gavitt was fouled as he went in for the bucket and tossed up a left-handed tear-drop that somehow found the bottom of the net. The circus shot elicited an ovation from the crowd and an emphatic fist pump from the coach.
“He took control of the game with his ballhandling and passing,” Darnell said of Gavitt. “He was very active in the zone; he's our floor general. He did it all tonight. He was active, didn't turn the ball over and even got himself to the basket a couple times.”
Gavitt, who averages only 3.6 points per game, finished with 15 points while Paoff finished with a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds. Crowley's biggest impact was on the defensive end as he accumulated five blocks.
“That's the way we play,” Gavitt said. “We feed off each other. When we're playing together as a team or one person makes a few big plays, we're all going to feed off it.”
Harpursville outrebounded Union Springs 32-30 but turned the ball over 16 times. The Hornets also missed 11-of-12 shots in the decisive second quarter.
Harpursville center and Syracuse University football recruit Jared Kimmel outmuscled the Wolves on the inside and had a quick six points and six rebounds midway through the second quarter before picking up his third foul. With Kimmel out of the game for nearly 12 minutes, Union Springs was able to extend its lead to 16 points.
“Our press really bothered them as well,” Darnell said. “That's very important; it's our main theme. When we're facing a team that's bigger than us we've got to get out and run and tire them out. We've got to use our quickness. We wanted to open the floor up and our press and defense allowed us to.”
McClary scored a game-high 22 points and finished with four steals. The lightning-quick senior sliced through the Hornets' zone and was able to get to the rim with ease.
“If we get into a half-court game then we're not taking advantage of our speed,” McClary said. “Once we were able to run, it opened everything up. We were able to wear them down, especially their big guys. But that's what we've got to do. This is our court. This is how we have to play.
The Wolves travel to No. 4 Newfield for a quarterfinal matchup on Friday.
Union Springs dropped both games against Newfield this season but Darnell said those losses mean nothing this time of year.
“This is sectional basketball,” he said. “It's not about records. It's about what team can get hot for four games. This (win) is only the beginning. I honestly feel we played our best basketball tonight. This was the steppingstone we needed. It gives us a lot of confidence.”
Harpursville had a distinct height advantage and Union Springs struggled defending the paint in the first quarter. Wolves coach Tim Darnell switched to a 2-3 zone defense in the second quarter, which ultimately stymied the Hornets' offense.
“I thought we did a good job in the man-to-man, but their big guys are hard to contain,” Darnell said. “They're very strong inside. I definitely believe (the switch to zone) helped us immensely.”
With Union Springs leading 19-12, McClary had two straight steals and converted two uncontested lay-ups to give the Wolves a 21-12 advantage. After another Harpursville turnover, Wolves point guard Nate Gavitt drilled one of his two 3-pointers to double up the Hornets, 24-12.
With just more than two minutes remaining in the half, Union Springs put on an exhibition, both offensively and defensively. In the midst of five straight Harpursville turnovers, Pat Crowley blocked a Hornets' shot into the hands of Tim Paoff who found Gavitt on a fast-break outlet. Gavitt was fouled as he went in for the bucket and tossed up a left-handed tear-drop that somehow found the bottom of the net. The circus shot elicited an ovation from the crowd and an emphatic fist pump from the coach.
“He took control of the game with his ballhandling and passing,” Darnell said of Gavitt. “He was very active in the zone; he's our floor general. He did it all tonight. He was active, didn't turn the ball over and even got himself to the basket a couple times.”
Gavitt, who averages only 3.6 points per game, finished with 15 points while Paoff finished with a double-double, 19 points and 10 rebounds. Crowley's biggest impact was on the defensive end as he accumulated five blocks.
“That's the way we play,” Gavitt said. “We feed off each other. When we're playing together as a team or one person makes a few big plays, we're all going to feed off it.”
Harpursville outrebounded Union Springs 32-30 but turned the ball over 16 times. The Hornets also missed 11-of-12 shots in the decisive second quarter.
Harpursville center and Syracuse University football recruit Jared Kimmel outmuscled the Wolves on the inside and had a quick six points and six rebounds midway through the second quarter before picking up his third foul. With Kimmel out of the game for nearly 12 minutes, Union Springs was able to extend its lead to 16 points.
“Our press really bothered them as well,” Darnell said. “That's very important; it's our main theme. When we're facing a team that's bigger than us we've got to get out and run and tire them out. We've got to use our quickness. We wanted to open the floor up and our press and defense allowed us to.”
McClary scored a game-high 22 points and finished with four steals. The lightning-quick senior sliced through the Hornets' zone and was able to get to the rim with ease.
“If we get into a half-court game then we're not taking advantage of our speed,” McClary said. “Once we were able to run, it opened everything up. We were able to wear them down, especially their big guys. But that's what we've got to do. This is our court. This is how we have to play.
The Wolves travel to No. 4 Newfield for a quarterfinal matchup on Friday.
Union Springs dropped both games against Newfield this season but Darnell said those losses mean nothing this time of year.
“This is sectional basketball,” he said. “It's not about records. It's about what team can get hot for four games. This (win) is only the beginning. I honestly feel we played our best basketball tonight. This was the steppingstone we needed. It gives us a lot of confidence.”
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