Jericho boys basketball's Devkartik Anne has big fourth quarter in non-league win over Cold Spring Harbor
Devkartik Anne of Jericho controls the rebound during a Nassau boys basketball game against Cold Spring Harbor in Huntington Station on Friday, December 27, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Jericho boys basketball team's second-half adjustments and defense proved to be the difference on Friday against a late-charging Cold Spring Harbor squad.
Jericho's Devkartik Anne, a 6-6 forward, blocked a potential three-point shot from the right corner in the final seconds to propel the Jayhawks to a 51-48 victory over the Seahawks in the Walt Whitman tournament at Walt Whitman High School.
“We knew they were going to shoot from the corner,” said Anne, who totaled 17 points. “We needed to push the pace, slow it down and not let them get a good look. We knew once we did that, we were going to win the game.”
Anne scored eight of his 17 points in the fourth quarter to give Jericho an eight-point lead. But Cold Spring Harbor guard Nate Grossman (16 points) responded with seven points to bring the Seahawks within 49-48 with 1:18 remaining. The teams traded scoreless possessions until Jericho’s Gurnihal Chodha was fouled with 26 seconds left and made two free throws to give the Jayhawks a 51-48 lead.
Cold Spring Harbor (3-4) took a 27-22 lead into halftime, fueled by two separate 8-0 runs in the first half. The Seahawks’ defense kept Jericho at bay and Joe Kiley (10 points) made two key three-pointers.
But in the second half, the Jayhawks came out with renewed intensity.
“I talked to the team at halftime and told them that we left too many open threes and open drives in the first half,” Anne said. “It was the first time playing against a team that big and we needed to adjust. We adjusted to their attack at the basket, we collapsed down and it slowed them down.”
Jericho (5-2) was able to push the pace and earn fast-break opportunities. Ben Orr forced a steal and made the layup on the other end to tie the score at 28 midway through the third quarter. The Jayhawks’ aggressive defense and quick ball movement helped lead to a 7-0 run in the fourth, which included a three-pointer from Joshua Rubin.
“We were one dimensional on offense,” Rubin said. “In the second half, we played more all-around basketball.”
“We just put our zone [defense] in today,” coach Wally Bachman said. “The zone was especially helpful to us to get them out of the rhythm and get more 50-50 balls. I knew once we got the ball in [Anne’s] hands, it was going to change their momentum. We’re still learning.”
