Experience pays off

By Zack Bellerdine / The Citizen

Monday, December 22, 2008 11:56 PM EST

MORAVIA - Dillon Langtry's first two points of his five point run put the Moravia boys basketball team up 15-10 in the first quarter and the Blue Devils never looked back as they defeated defending Section IV, Class C champs Union Springs 55-42, Monday.
Jill Connor / The Citizen!----BYLINE-------->
Moravia's Jeremy Stewart tries to hold on to the ball as Union Springs' Josh Coleman tries to take it away in the second quarter of a game against Moravia on Monday.
Langtry finished with 10 points, but that was just a share of their offensive production. Pat Mott led the Blue Devils offense with 20 points, while also having seven assists.

“It's a tough job to create some of those assists,” Mott said. “However the rest of the team does a great job of finishing the shots.”

The problem turned out to be the ability to transition and create fast breaks for the Wolves to defend the Blue Devils. Despite a close score in the first quarter and the close finish, the Wolves had they found themselves down 27 at one point.

“Our guys didn't give up at all,” Wolves coach Tim Darnell said. “They made the score respectable and battled back. It was nice to see how we finished.”

Moravia lacks a senior on its experienced team, but the leadership is evident on and off the court. Junior Jeremy Stewart scored 19 points, while assisting three shots.

“This is a special group we have,” Blue Devils coach Todd Mulvaney said. “They work hard throughout the season. They are very willing and excited to get better.”

Moravia (4-1) will have some time off before their next test in the Skaneateles Holiday Tournament against an athletic Solvay team on Monday.

“We just need to play our game,” Mulvaney said. “We'll make adjustments to a few of their weaknesses, while adjusting to their strengths.”

That is what they did against Union Springs.

“We wanted to set the tone,” Mott said.

One key part of the Blue Devils' game is their ability to limit opponents' scoring opportunities.

The Wolves scored just three points in the second quarter as they were pressured.

“That's just our kids for you,” Mulvaney said.

“They try to have quickness and are willing to play hard. They really turned the heat up though that quarter and that was something we wanted.”

Another positive for Moravia is its offensive scoring.

They were able to mix up the points and get every player involved.

“It felt good offensively today,” Mulvaney said.

“We set up easier shots and the kids played hard throughout. This is a very hard working good group we have.”

Union Springs was able to spread its scoring out with Jim Burns, Michael Bean, Josh Coleman and Ryan Fronce each pitching in with six.

Eric Hlywa had two and led the offense in assists with four. Bean and Fronce each came down with five boards.

“Moravia just got a lot of transitional points,” Darnell said. “It was a lot like a track meet. We didn't score and they caused turnovers. We turned it over way too much.”

That has also been a problem for Union Springs (2-4) and will have to be worked on as they prepare for the Cayuga County Tournament against Port Byron, Monday.

“We just need to try and value the ball better,” Darnell said. “We need to go back to the basics and work on controlling the ball better.”

Blue Devils 55

Wolves 42

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