(March 6, 2015) The Stephen Decatur boys’ basketball team’s season came to an end last Saturday in Berlin when the Seahawks fell to the Huntingtown Hurricanes, 65-54, in Section I first round action of the 3A South Regional tournament.
Points were traded in the first quarter, but the Hurricanes came out ahead 9-7.
Sophomore Tyree Henry evened the score and a three by captain Will Sass, a sophomore, put Decatur on top 12-9.
Sass then passed to Henry who scored and was fouled. He hit his free throw to make it a three-point play. Decatur led 15-9 with 4:44 remaining in the first half. Huntingtown battled back to make it 15-all with three minutes to play before halftime.
The fourth-seeded Seahawks had a 22-20 advantage as the clock ticked down, but a three by the No. 5 visiting Hurricanes with three seconds left gave the team a 23-22 lead at the break.
Decatur outscored Huntingtown 19-14 in the third quarter to pull in front 41-37.
“The first three quarters I thought we were where we needed to be to win the game. Then the wheels fell off,” said Decatur Coach Byron “BJ” Johnson.
The Hurricanes chipped away at the Seahawks’ lead and cut it to one about a minute into the fourth quarter. Over the next three and a half minutes, Huntingtown scored 13 points and held Decatur to five to pull ahead 53-46.
The Seahawks battled but they were unable to regain the lead.
“They hit shots and we didn’t. They got hot at the right time,” Johnson said. “In my opinion that was the difference in the game.”
Henry scored 15 points and had six rebounds. Ja’Quan Johnson, a sophomore, tallied 13 points and Keve Aluma, also a sophomore, logged 13 rebounds and eight points.
Decatur finished the season 8-15.
“With such a young team, you hope the kids play hard and they did. The team came together and got better,” Coach Johnson said. “We have great kids. I saw a lot of improvement and the kids are still developing. I was happy with their effort this year.”
Four sophomores and a junior started for Decatur in the playoff game. The team will only lose two players–Aaron Dale Jr. and Jalen Mumford–to graduation.
Johnson said it is important for the Seahawks to train in the offseason in order to improve.
“Ball handling, passing and shooting are what the kids need to work on and develop,” he said. “It’s a learning process. The kids tried hard this season and the future looks bright for Stephen Decatur basketball.”
