Thursday, February 6, 2025
It’s over now but the Calhoun boys’ basketball team’s seven-game winning streak was its longest since 2017 and largely unexpected.
Certainly, the squad knew it would have a new outside threat in freshman sharpshooter Ashton Pierre-Charles, but this wild run came out of nowhere after a pedestrian start.
Calhoun won its seventh straight over Division, 57-46, Jan. 30 to move to 9-7 overall (8-3 in Conference AA4) after taking a 16-0 lead after the first quarter.
But when Calhoun went for its eighth straight win Monday versus tough Sewanhaka, the offense sputtered and it fell short, 44-36. With two conference games left, the Colts are in prime playoff position.
“On the offensive side, we really discovered great ball movement,’’ head coach Jay Kreutzberger said. “That has led to balanced scoring output from our starters. We’re averaging more points as a result. Defensively we’ve become a zone defense team. And we’ve been able to rebound well out of it. ‘’
It’s a nice balancing act with senior wing Riley Bhunut the linchpin, averaging 11.1 points, Luca Facciponti as pure point guard, Pierre-Charles as 3-point sniper and senior power forward Andrew Hutchinson showing scoring prowess inside.
“It’s about trusting each other more,’’ said Bhunut, averaging 11.2 points. “At the beginning of the season, we didn’t move the ball as well. As we got to practice more and play together more as a team, we all created a bond that’s helped us.’’
During the streak, Calhoun delivered Garden City its only loss of the season.
For the highlight reel, against Roosevelt on Jan. 24, there was Pierre-Charles’ extraordinary performance when the freshman hit a school record 9 3-pointers.
“I said in the (season) preview he’s an elite shooter and he’s proven to be just that,’’ Kreutzberger said.
Charles is shooting 37 percent from 3. Added Bhunut, “We had a bunch of shooting workouts in intramurals and got to see him shoot. He beat me in some 3-point competitions, so I knew he’d be a good shooter.’’
Bhunut, All-County last season, is the consummate performer on both ends. “He’s a well-rounded player – he does everything well,’’ Kreutzberger said. “He’s our best point of attack defender. our best penetrator on offense. He’s an excellent decision maker. The improvement he’s made is he’s figured out what we need in a game and gives us that. He’s a versatile player.”
Bhunut also takes less 3’s this season, focusing on getting the ball into the paint. “I look for my shot but if it’s not there, I’m looking to try to drive the gaps of the defense and get up a floater,’’ Bhunut said. “If contested, I’ll kick it out.’’
The whole thing wouldn’t operate if not for Facciponti’s exceptional ball-handling. He’s averaging 9.6 points and 4.5 assists.
“He’s helped us with really becoming far more proficient against pressure defenses,’’ Kreutzberger said. “He’s the guy who has orchestrated that. He’s learned how to control the pace of games much better.’’
Hutchinson has shown the consistency of a rock on the interior despite being undersized at 6-1. He’s averaging 7 points and 7 rebounds. “He’s strong as an ox,’’ Kreutzberger said.
As the postseason looms, the coaching staff is growing more optimistic. “I’m most confident in we believe in our ability to execute against different defenses,’’ Kreutzberger said. “We have been able to generate great shots.’’
