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The Staples High School boys basketball team showed undefeated Brien McMahon they should not be overlooked. The Wreckers caught a sloppy Senators team off guard, erasing an eight point first-quarter deficit and outscoring McMahon 35-21 in the second half. Luke Yeager led the comeback with a game high 23 points as Staples handed McMahon its first loss of the season, 67-54, in front of a large and enthusiastic home crowd.
After trailing 21-13 after the first quarter, the Staples offense turned on the afterburners, beating McMahon at their own speed game. The Wreckers opened the second quarter with a 16-1 run and never looked back.
"I thought we handled the pressure really well," Staples head coach Colin Devine said. "We made some layups and free throws and got to move around and breathe a little bit."
Everything went Staples' way from the second quarter onwards. The offense drove the lane for a surplus of layups, drawing 14 fouls along the way. On defense, Staples switched to man-to-man coverage in the second half, flummoxing McMahon's attack. Staples also benefitted from a terrible night at the free throw line by McMahon, which shot 9-for-21. Staples was a solid 19-for-25 from the charity stripe.
Aside from Yeager, three other Wreckers hit double digits in scoring. Peter Rankowitz finished the night with 12 points while Jake Feldman and Gabe Seidman each racked up 11 points.
"We beat a very good basketball team tonight," Devine said. "If we can take what we did and learned tonight, good things are going to happen for us."
It was a crucial win for the Wreckers coming out of the holiday break and after their heartbreaking loss to Ridgefield on Dec. 29. Now at 4-2, Staples is just one game behind first place Westhill in the FCIAC West division.
Do you think Staples can compete with the league's best? Do you think this win will give the Wreckers momentum for the season? Start the discussion below!
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