By TONY BELLISSIMO
Hard-fought losses to Conference I front-runners Uniondale and Freeport dropped the Long Beach boys' basketball team three games under .500 and put it in a must-win situation Monday afternoon against visiting Hewlett.
The Marines responded to the pressure even better than coach Wandy Williams could have hoped. Seniors Harold Robinson and Greg Dugan combined for 14 points in the first quarter as Long Beach built a 10-point cushion en route to a runaway 76-54 victory. Robinson finished with 15 points and eight rebounds and senior Leroy Poole added 16 points and five assists as the Marines improved to 4-6 in the conference and kept their playoff hopes alive.
"When we're out there executing, our style can give any team trouble," said Williams, whose team has won five of its last seven games after an 0-8 start. "We've got all our guys back now, but we're still playing catch-up. Today was the fifth game for some of them when it should have been their 15th game."
From start to finish, the Marines (5-10 overall) looked as though they'd been playing together all season. They certainly were far from the same bunch that took a 72-45 beating at Hewlett on Jan. 10. Robinson and Poole both missed that game, but didn't take long to make their presence felt in the rematch.
"We played the game at their pace, and our team isn't built to win shootouts," Bulldogs coach Bill Dubin said. "We had 33 turnovers. We're learning a hard lesson that we have to play attack defense and smart offense to be successful. The price we'll probably pay is that we're not going to make the playoffs."
Hewlett's sixth straight loss dropped it to 2-7 in the conference. Junior Dimitri Razin led the Bulldogs with 16 points, and senior Josh Hzeghia added 11.
"I think it's only human nature that when you beat a team up the first time, you taken them a little lightly the second time around," Williams said. "I don't think it gave the kids any extra incentive, but I know they were aware of it."
The Marines scored 25 first-quarter points and looked to be well on their way to 100. While Robinson and Dugan did most of the damage, Long Beach also got help from Poole, senior John Isola (12 points), senior Rashawn Dennis and junior Tashaon Davis in the opening eight minutes.
"I thought we played a great first half," said Williams, whose club had a 43-20 advantage at the break. "We got a little sloppy and failed to maintain our intensity in the third quarter and let them back in it. But we got back to playing the way we're capable of playing in the fourth."
Razin, Hzeghia and senior Brett Kornblum gave the Bulldogs a spark in the third quarter, cutting the visitors' deficit to 12 points with a minute left in the quarter. However, baskets by Marcus Johnson and Poole stopped Hewlett's momentum and the Marines were back in business.
In the fourth, it was all Long Beach. The Marines scored the first 14 points of the quarter and held the Bulldogs scoreless until 2:20 remained.
"The past three weeks, we've shown the potential to play with anyone," Williams said. "We still have a chance to make the playoffs, and that's what we're looking to do. We might need a little bit of luck, because the season's almost over."
A 53-49 loss to Uniondale and a 64-55 loss to Freeport could prove costly, but not if the Marines take care of Syosset and Lawrence in their final two games.
Hewlett 15 5 22 12 54
Long Beach 25 18 15 18 76
Home Hoops Finales
Girls: Long Beach vs. Uniondale
Friday, Feb. 7, 4 p.m.
Boys: Long Beach vs. Lawrence
Monday, Feb. 10, 4:30 p.m.
Both games at Long Beach High School
