UPDATE: Monday, January 11, 2010
by John Sadik-Khan
“Go west, young man,” Horace Greeley famously advised in a New York Tribune editorial in July 1865. Well, the young men of Narbonne High School returned east (from greater Los Angeles) to meet Horace Greeley’s Quakers in a boys’ basketball showcase at Peekskill High School on Friday night. Despite a short bench (Robert Cross and Justin Ciero were unavailable), the Greeley boys maintained their poise and defeated the Narbonne Gauchos in a tough and physical battle. Adam Honig’s 22 points and Matt Townsend’s 17 points led the way for Greeley.
Sturdy interior defense helped the Quakers build a 13-4 at the end of the first quarter. Townsend dominated play in the quarter with 7 points, four boards, and a steal. Greeley shooting turned cold at the end of the first half – the team made only one of its final six shots – allowing Narbonne to close the deficit to five at halftime. Greeley’s front line of Townsend, Billy Sadik-Khan, Harrison Brown, and Matt Xie frustrated the Narbonne’s big men on numerous occasions, leading several key Gauchos into foul trouble at the end of the half.
Greeley pushed its lead to 10 points midway through the third quarter on a couple of steals (by Honig and Townsend) and a greater commitment to inside scoring. The defenses for both teams stiffened in the second half – the Quakers forced eight turnovers on five steals and three blocks (including one by Brown that led to a 35-second violation near the end of the third quarter). The Gauchos used a full court press in the second half in a desperate bid to close the gap. However, Greeley’s patience and success in breaking the press – despite the absence of three guards (Cross, Ciero, and an injured Gibby Graves) – kept the final margin at double digits. To view the box score, click HERE.
Greeley resumes section play at Byram Hills on Tuesday (January 12th) at 4:30 p.m.
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