Sayville's Carmody brothers work together to tame Miller Place
Richie Carmody of Sayville stares down the defense of John Leen of Miller Place during a Suffolk boys basketball game on Saturday at Sayville. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Carmody brothers know they can count on each other.
Whether Sayville needs a bucket or defensive stop, Richie, a senior, and Mike, a junior, will come through.
“Whenever I have the ball, I can always just look for him,” Mike said of his brother. “And he’ll go get a bucket for me. He makes me look good.”
Richie led Sayville with 24 points as the Golden Flashes defeated Miller Place 76-58 at home in Suffolk V on Saturday. Sayville extends its winning streak to three games and remains undefeated on its home floor this season.
The Golden Flashes (7-3) jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first four minutes off Richie’s seven early points, including a step-back three-pointer.
On the other end, Sayville came out in a 1-3-1 full-court press before falling back into a zone in the halfcourt.
It was one of many defenses the Golden Flashes used against the Panthers (5-4). Coach Joe Harclerode likes to change defenses a lot to keep the opposing offense guessing.
“The teams in our conference are so good, you have to be able to switch,” Harclerode said. “And if you don’t, they can get very used to what you’re running. We like to try to keep them on their toes.”
Mike often took the lead on defense. He picked up the point guard fullcourt numerous times, and didn’t give Miller Place’s best players much room to operate.
“I love that stuff, man,” Mike said. “It’s awesome. That’s what I do. I can guard the best guy on the court. I’ll play wherever my coach puts me.”
Mike racked up 11 points and five assists, showcasing his ability to find teammates with some no-look passes. Logan Maha, a junior, finished with nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
Richie’s 17 first-half points gave Sayville a 13-point lead heading into the locker room, which the Golden Flashes extended in the second half.
“We always preach to come out hard in the first three minutes of the third quarter and set the tone,” Harclerode said. “And our guys did that. Even though the score didn’t reflect that, we played aggressive.”
The Golden Flashes led as much as 23 points in the fourth quarter, carrying momentum over from its two-point win over Mount Sinai on Thursday.
“We just had to keep our composure,” Richie said. “Keep our streak going. Keep firing on all cylinders, and stay hot.”
Sayville will play at Wyandanch at 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 12.
