Phantoms Stifle Raiders on the Court; Improve to 2-0

Bayport-Blue Point's defensive pressure was too much for the Patchogue-Medford Raiders to overcome, as the boys varsity basketball team picked up its second consecutive win.

The Phantoms (2-0) defeated the Raiders (1-2), 75-44, Thursday night at Patchogue-Medford High School in a non-league game.

"What I'm looking for in these non-league games is for us to be playing hard and playing together," said Phantoms head coach Kyle Black. "We're pushing and pressuring on defense."

The Phantoms' pressure controlled the tempo of the game and allowed them to dictate how the game was going to unfold.

Following the first quarter, with the Raiders only trailing by six, the Phantoms began to really apply pressure on Pat-Med in the defensive zone, causing them to rush many of their shots.

"We always want to put pressure on them and make them take quick shots," said senior guard Adam Berlin who finished with 20 points. "We like to keep it fast-paced."

The Phantoms' quick pressure and relentless attack not only cause Pat-Med to miss shots, but it allowed for quick transitions from defense to offense, which sprung the Phantoms on many fast breaks.

"We have a high intensity defense which causes a lot of pressure," said senior Ross Drzal. "It allows us to transition very quickly."

Drzal, who shot 4-of-7 from three-point range, led the Phantoms with 22 points.

"If I have an open [three pointer] I'll definitely take it," Drzal said. "If I'm making a lot of them, sometimes I'll fake the shot to drive down the lane."

The Phantoms best defensive stifling came during the third quarter, when they opened the quarter with a 12-3 run, going up 48-26.

"Guys just couldn't hit the shots," Raiders head coach Will Dortonne said. "We didn't get back on defense and identify the shooters and we missed a lot of lay-ups; that's a bad mix."

"That's what our style does," Black said. "It speeds them up and forces them to take quick shots, because they know that we're sprinting back."

"The things we're working on in practice I want to see carried over into games and we're certainly doing that," Black added.

The Phantoms next chance to pressure their opponent comes when they host Wyandanch for their season opener, on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 11 a.m., in another non-league game.