By Michael Letendre
After a tough loss to its crosstown rival in its previous game, the Bristol Central boys basketball team got right back at it on Friday afternoon, squaring off against Capital Prep in the consolation round of the BC Holiday Classic.
Displaying a lethal three-point shooting attack, coupled by a tremendous defensive effort, the Rams scooped up a season high in points as Central downed Prep 78-41 from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium in Bristol.
The 78 points represents the highest scoring output by the Rams (2-3) since defeating Middletown 80-34 back on February 15, 2022.
The Rams foiled the Trailblazers (1-4) offensively, limiting the program’s ability from long range as defenders with quick hands were in the way each and every time Prep launched a 3.
“I thought we handled the pick and roll very well,” said Central coach Tim Barrette. “They really like that high screen and roll but every time they ran it, we stole the ball. We spent a lot of time at practice collapsing on that, making sure they couldn’t hit the roller.”
With the defense churning, Central senior Mikey McMahon ended up with a career-high 20 points – flipping in six three-pointers – as he hit half of the squad’s trifectas that afternoon.
And some of those makes came from NBA range.
“It was hard for Mike that other night” against Eastern said Barrette of McMahon. “They spent a lot of attention on Mike. I was proud of how he played. He was struggling to get shots off the other night. Tonight, he got a little bit of space. He and Joey [Pikiell] got off early and ended up shooting the ball over 50-percent from three tonight.”
Prep made a couple three point bombs early and when Oshoy Fray canned a long range bomb with 5:56 to go in the first period, the visitors led 6-4.
Eight minutes later, the Rams put the finishing touches on a 20-3 run with Joey Pikiell (10 points), Carmelo Thompson (five points), Joey Pikiell (10 points) and McMahon hitting threes while center Harry Ross chipped in with offensive rebound after offensive rebound.
Ross pulled out his inner Dennis Rodman, sans the wacky hair color, adding three points to the run – coming away with a new career high in points (nine) while just missing out on a double-double with 10 rebounds overall.
“He was all over the place. He just couldn’t finish,” said Barrette of Ross. “He was kicking himself at halftime. He could have had 12 points to go along with his seven offensive rebounds in the first half. We just couldn’t finish. We were 4-of-18 inside the paint in the first half.”
“It wasn’t due to lack of looks so we’re up 17 at halftime and I told our guys if we have converted, we should [have been] up 25.”
McMahon’s three with 5:40 to go in the half gave Central a 24-9 edge as the home team was rolling.
Minutes later, McMahon posted back to back threes, two consecutive offensive rebounds from Quincy Lawson led to a three-pointer from Gavin Chamberlin (seven points) and when Lawson kicked over a pass to Cody Roy (four points) for a hoop, the Rams led 36-15 with 69 seconds remaining in the second period.
And the final three-pointer for Prep came via a buzzer-beating, three-quarters court heave by Amare Cockfield (11 points) but Central’s lead was 37-20.
“Yeah, we gave up some threes. They came out and, of course, they hit their first two,” said Barrette of Capital Prep. “I told our guys they aren’t going to shoot 4-of-27 again like they did versus Simsbury. Sure enough, they probably made [seven] tonight. But we shut down everything else in the paint and we didn’t let them get out in transition because we handled their pressure.”
There wouldn’t be any epic comeback from the Trailblazers as the Rams notched the first 14 points of the third tilt.
Thompson put back a miss and then found Jaysun Dominguez for a lay-up, Ross scored five straight points, McMahon hit a three from Rockwell Park, Pikiell dished off a slick pass to Chamberlin for a hoop and with 3:32 left in the third, Central was in complete control at 51-20. “I challenged them at halftime to push that lead to thirty by the end of the third,” said Barrette. “And we were there by the end of the third. I appreciate my guys coming out of halftime. They came out with a different spurt. We went to that zone defense and it really helped us pull away.”
Central then put the stanza away with a 10-point dash – highlighted by a steal and hoop by Ortiz – and with one quarter to go, the Rams’ 61-25 push allowed Barrette to eventually empty his bench.
McMahon, Pikiell and Ortiz all dropped in early threes to push the cushion out to 72-31 with 5:27 to go.
Late in the fray, Jayden Glasper and Xavier Kalanquin hit lay-ups as the Rams eventually rolled up a huge 78-41 win, moving to 2-3 overall going into the New Year.
NOTES…Central’s Jackson Ray ended up scoring his first varsity basket to end the game. In a special moment after the contest, Jackson got a big hug from his dad, Bristol Eastern boys basketball coach Bunty Ray, while earning a high-five from Barrette.
Bristol Central Holiday Classic – Semifinal Round
BRISTOL CENTRAL 78, CAPITAL PREP 41
from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium, Bristol
Capital Prep (1-4) 9 11 5 16 – 41
Bristol Central (2-3) 14 23 24 17 – 78
CAPITAL PREP (41): Oshoy Fray 1 0 3, Damir Williams 2 1 6, Amare Cockfield 3 3 11, Jalille Riddock 1 0 2, Tafari Dawes 0 1 1, Dwayne Small 2 0 5, Syre Gillespie 4 1 12, Isaiah Hill 0 1 1. Totals: 13 7 41.
BRISTOL CENTRAL (78): Mikey McMahon 7 0 20, Gavin Chamberlin 2 2 7, Cody Roy 2 0 4, Jayson Dominguez 2 0 5, Nate Ortiz 3 0 8, Carmelo Thompson 2 1 5, Joey Pikiell 4 0 10, Nico Guarda 0 0 0, Kendrick Tucker 0 0 0, Harry Ross 2 5 9, Jackson Ray 1 0 2, Jayden Glasper 1 0 2, Xavier Kalanquin 1 0 2, Jayden Sokolowski 1 0 2, Quincy Lawson 0 2 2, Mike Haddon 0 0 0. Totals: 28 10 78.
Three-point goals: Damir Williams (CP), Amare Cockfield (CP) 2, Dwayne Small (CP), Syre Gillespie (CP) 3, Mikey McMahon (BC) 6, Jayson Dominguez (BC), Nate Ortiz (BC) 2, Joey Pikiell (BC) 2, Gavin Chamberlin (BC).
Records: Bristol Central 2-3 overall, Capital Prep 1-4.
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