Suffolk Off Its Game, But Pushes
Streak to 39
By Gregg Sarra
Newsday Staff Writer
February 4, 2004
An emphatic timeout with 4:58 left signaled a night of frustration within
the Suffolk CC-Selden men's coaching staff. The coaches sat and watched
in disbelief as the No. 1-ranked team in the country struggled against Kingsborough
CC, a team it had beaten by 51 points in November.
Suffolk coach Rich Wrase took a step back from the bench as the players
settled in, then he came forward and offered nothing but a contemptuous look,
and the Clippers knew what to do.
Two of Kingsborough's sharpshooters, Tom Finale and Dustin Yeates, and
the inside play of Pierre Narcisse were giving Suffolk problems. A 21-point
second-half lead had shriveled to seven and it was time to regroup.
"There's going to be games like this, that they know they have to play
through," Wrase said. "Our body language was not good tonight. But we fought
our way through a bad game."
Suffolk gathered itself in time to put together a 13-4 game-ending run
and go on to a 97-81 victory last night before a crowd of 300 in Brighton
Beach. Suffolk (21-0, 12-0 Region XV) extended the longest winning streak
in the country to 39.
After the timeout, Marcele Street, who finished with 15 points and nine
rebounds, hit a free throw and Maurice Manning drained a long three-pointer
for an 11-point lead. Manning had 28 points and 14 rebounds.
"He [Manning] made the big shots when his team needed them," said Narcisse,
who led Kingsborough (8-11, 6-8) with 22 points and 13 rebounds. "He's a
big-time player, and they needed him tonight because we were on."
Suffolk, fresh off a 104-101 scare against Monroe CC on Saturday afternoon,
was put to the test again. The Wave was crushed at Suffolk, 115-64, in the
fourth game of the season. Last night was very different.
"We didn't have a feel for each other early in the season and they took
us lightly," said Narcisse, whose team had won three in a row. "We've been
coming on."
Suffolk almost didn't see them coming. Wrase pounded his chair in frustration
as the Clippers allowed Kingsborough to go on a 12-2 run and forge a 37-36
lead on Ed Washington's three- pointer with 4:14 left in the half.
Manning responded with a jumper that began a 14-2 run, putting the Clippers
in front 59-39 with 55 seconds left before intermission.
"We just had to pull together," said Suffolk's Vernon Alonzo, who had 18
points and six steals. "Teams have off nights. We had to fnd a way to win."
Suffolk did. Point guard Aaron Cummings, who had 14 assists, found Alonzo
in transition for easy baskets throughout the second half.
The Wave forced five turnovers in the first 3:43 of the second half, closing
to within 58-56 on a jumper by Finale (18 points). But Suffolk went on a
20-4 tear to open a 78-60 lead.
"Sometimes the other guys are knocking down their shots and putting the
pressure on," said Suffolk's Amiel Thomas, who had 11 points, 5 rebounds and
5 assists. "And good teams respond by taking the opponent's best shot ...
and still coming away with the win."
Suffolk did so again last night.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc
SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Return to Streak
Index
GODBLESSAMERICA