MacArthur tops Long Beach on late basket

MacArthur’s Benny Orlando capped a clutch second half last Saturday with a last-second jump shot that gave the host Generals a 48-46 win over Long Beach in a Nassau Conference AA-III boys’ basketball game.

Orlando’s mid-range basket with 2.1 seconds left came after the visiting Marines erased an eight-point deficit with under four minutes left to tie the score. Tanner Owens sunk one of two free throws with 20 seconds left as part of a 10-2 run that evened the game setting up Orlando’s heroics.

“We called a play for him and it kind of broke down and he created off the play and was able to hit the big shot with two seconds left to win it for us,” MacArthur head coach Eric Rubin said of Orlando, whose team-leading 16 points all came in the third and fourth quarters. “He had a really great second half.”

Guard Joe Bourne spearheaded the Long Beach comeback with 18 points, including eight in the fourth quarter. He hit a late driving layup that brought the Marines within two at 46-44.

“I think they had a tough time defending him off the ball so we were able up lanes for him on certain plays and he was able to get to the basket,” Long Beach head coach Scott Martin said of Bourne. “He has been a great scorer for us all season.”

MacArthur’s offense featured nine points apiece by Kyle Acquavella and Nick Purcell. Mike Creaven delivered seven points including a field goal with 3:56 left that gave the Generals their late eight point lead prior to the Long Beach comeback.

“It looked like we had a good chance to pull away in the fourth quarter and [Long Beach] did a great job battling back,” Rubin said. “The kids stayed calm and did a great job.”

MacArthur never trailed following a 13-0 run between the second and third quarters that turned a 14-12 deficit into a 25-14 lead. Long Beach rebounded from the momentum shift with a 10-2 spurt and entered the fourth quarter down 35-32.

The loss was the third in a row for Long Beach after a 40-31 win against Calhoun on Jan. 5. The Marines, who entered the week 1-5 in Conference AA-III, are next in action this Friday at home against Mepham for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff.

“They play really, really hard,” said Martin. “You have to take your hat off to the effort that they give.”

MacArthur improved to 3-4 in league play with its second straight win and the hunt for a playoff spot, which can be a achieved with a .500 or better conference record. The Generals face Great Neck South at home this Friday at 6:15 p.m.

“We have to go six and six to make the playoffs and go three and two the rest of the way, which is definitely doable, but will be very hard,” said Rubin. “We’re just taking it one win at a time and hopefully we get there.”