By Allison Goldsmith
I&M Sports Editor
Jordan Ferreira was lights-out in the first quarter. Gunning for a spot on the 1,000-point scorer’s banner that hangs in the Nantucket High School gymnasium, the senior guard put up 14 points in the first eight minutes and totaled 19 in the game, as the boys basketball team defeated Sturgis 60-39 at home Saturday.
 |
Photo by Bevin Bixby
Carl Stevens dribbles around a Sturgis defender during Saturday’s 60-39 boys basketball victory. |
Ferreira was still 19 points short of the milestone after Saturday’s game, but the Whalers were scheduled to face Cape Cod Academy at home yesterday, too late for this edition of Sports. Nantucket is scheduled to hit the road twice this week, visiting Blue Hills on Friday and South Shore Voke on Saturday.
Paced by their leading scorer last weekend, the Whalers improved to 6-5 overall and 2-0 in the Lighthouse Conference.
Against Sturgis, the Whalers got out to a hot start with an 18-0 lead before finishing the quarter ahead 23-3. Ferreira drained four three-point shots in the first eight minutes of play. Adam Spencer countered the outside game with four points inside.
“It is the total opposite from the way we have been playing this year. Usually we start out slow and then we get things going in the second and third quarter, so it was nice to get some points fast,” head coach Beau Almodobar said.
After the opening explosion, the Whalers were able to settle down, work the offense and get their bench players some action.
“It is always good to get everyone in the game and get good minutes. They work so hard in practice and sometimes they don’t get in as many minutes when we play a team like Dennis-Yarmouth,” Almodobar said.
Eddie Coffin came in and provided a spark for the Whalers off the bench with three points and some solid defense. The senior hit a basket and the foul shot to put Nantucket on top 34-3.
“He comes to practice every day and he works real hard. He is one of those guys that knows his role on the team. He is smart and he always runs the play the way it is supposed to be run,” Almodobar said.
Sturgis’ Ben Porter and Christian Champny hit three-pointers late in the second quarter as the Storm trailed 38-11 at the break.
In the second half, Evan Hourihan and Eric Lowell controlled the perimeter, while Delroy Lawrence and Josh Butler scored in the paint.
“We tried to be patient and move the ball. We didn’t want to rub it in anyone’s faces. We were slowing it down and tried to get more high-percentage shots in the paint and just outside the paint,” Almodobar said.
“We really moved it from side to side and hit the open shots.”
After putting up 17 points in the first half, Ferreira was limited to only two points after the break to finish with a game-high 19. Lowell scored 13 and Carl Stevens added six. Mike Aucoin contributed 11 rebounds and five steals to go along with three points. Spencer had five points and five rebounds.
Champny led Sturgis with 10 points.
|
