AUBURN - The Auburn boys basketball team has appeared to have completely turned around its season, stretching its win streak to four games with a 77-66 victory over Johnson City at Auburn High School, Friday.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Auburn's Nick Granato shoots over Johnson City's Jake Spalik and Ronald Teekasingh during the second half of Friday's game at AHS.
Auburn's Nick Granato shoots over Johnson City's Jake Spalik and Ronald Teekasingh during the second half of Friday's game at AHS.
“It was a very intense game,” Maroons junior Manny Brooks said. “We had it early in the game, we were really coming together. We lost it after that for a little bit, but it's getting better.”
Brooks said that the reason the Maroons, now 4-3, are starting to pick up the momentum on the court is due to the team practicing harder and taking things more seriously.
“When we play together more,” Brooks said. “We work a lot harder out there and it shows.”
The Maroons were led by Malcolm Bryant, who earned 17 points, while Kenny Byrd added 15 points, LeRon Agee contributed 12 points and Julaun Richardson, Brooks and Nick Granato each finished with nine points.
“We were scoring the points,” Maroons coach Al Giannone said. “We just were giving up too many as well. We have to stay consistent defensively.”
Giving up too many rebounds and letting shots slip by them nearly cost the Maroons a 26-12 lead after the first quarter, as they were outscored 23-16 by the Wildcats in the second.
“They cut it down to a two point difference,” Giannone said. “We can't let them get up like that, and that is our main problem, just staying consistent.”
The Wildcats were paced by Troy Robinson who tallied 17 points, Ronald Teckasingh collected 11 points and Zach Matuszak ended with 10 points.
“We knew it would be a good game against them,” Giannone said. “They are a Section IV, Class AA team, we knew it would be a battle. They know how to score baskets and we knew that going in there. That's exactly what it was, a good game.”
The score was 42-35, in the Maroons' favor at the half and then Johnson City tied the score early in the third before Auburn reclaimed the lead permanently.
“We had to work hard out there,” Bryant said. “We got after them but we didn't step up our defense until the second half. We let them get too many rebounds and then they got it and ran with it, they put on a lot of pressure.”
The Maroons travel to Oswego, Tuesday.
“(Oswego) always shoots the ball well,” Giannone said. “They have a much improved team and are always scrappy, so we will have to be ready for them. We can't turn it off and on like a faucet again, we have to be consistent.”
Giannone said that consistency will be the main concentration at practice, which some of the players said they are prepared to give their all for.
“We are going to keep coming to practice to work hard,” Agee said. “We need to keep working together and give practice 100 percent. It was a nice, hard earned victory today but we had them down by double digits and let them get back in, we can't afford to do that anymore. We need to work on getting it together for all four quarters.”
“We are scoring,” Giannone added. “We just have to lock down the defense and that is what we will be working on the next few days. We just weren't smart with the ball, weren't strong with the ball and we lack that consistent pressure. They are coming together much better so it will be nice to see how we do the rest of the season.”
Maroons 77
Wildcats 66
Brooks said that the reason the Maroons, now 4-3, are starting to pick up the momentum on the court is due to the team practicing harder and taking things more seriously.
“When we play together more,” Brooks said. “We work a lot harder out there and it shows.”
The Maroons were led by Malcolm Bryant, who earned 17 points, while Kenny Byrd added 15 points, LeRon Agee contributed 12 points and Julaun Richardson, Brooks and Nick Granato each finished with nine points.
“We were scoring the points,” Maroons coach Al Giannone said. “We just were giving up too many as well. We have to stay consistent defensively.”
Giving up too many rebounds and letting shots slip by them nearly cost the Maroons a 26-12 lead after the first quarter, as they were outscored 23-16 by the Wildcats in the second.
“They cut it down to a two point difference,” Giannone said. “We can't let them get up like that, and that is our main problem, just staying consistent.”
The Wildcats were paced by Troy Robinson who tallied 17 points, Ronald Teckasingh collected 11 points and Zach Matuszak ended with 10 points.
“We knew it would be a good game against them,” Giannone said. “They are a Section IV, Class AA team, we knew it would be a battle. They know how to score baskets and we knew that going in there. That's exactly what it was, a good game.”
The score was 42-35, in the Maroons' favor at the half and then Johnson City tied the score early in the third before Auburn reclaimed the lead permanently.
“We had to work hard out there,” Bryant said. “We got after them but we didn't step up our defense until the second half. We let them get too many rebounds and then they got it and ran with it, they put on a lot of pressure.”
The Maroons travel to Oswego, Tuesday.
“(Oswego) always shoots the ball well,” Giannone said. “They have a much improved team and are always scrappy, so we will have to be ready for them. We can't turn it off and on like a faucet again, we have to be consistent.”
Giannone said that consistency will be the main concentration at practice, which some of the players said they are prepared to give their all for.
“We are going to keep coming to practice to work hard,” Agee said. “We need to keep working together and give practice 100 percent. It was a nice, hard earned victory today but we had them down by double digits and let them get back in, we can't afford to do that anymore. We need to work on getting it together for all four quarters.”
“We are scoring,” Giannone added. “We just have to lock down the defense and that is what we will be working on the next few days. We just weren't smart with the ball, weren't strong with the ball and we lack that consistent pressure. They are coming together much better so it will be nice to see how we do the rest of the season.”
Maroons 77
Wildcats 66
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