Cougars' Late Rally Is Key to Victory Over Red Devils

In a closely contested Conference AA-II matchup last night between Bellmore JFK and visiting Freeport, a seemingly insurmountable 15-point second half Cougars lead had been lost and their playoff hopes hinged on the outcome of the contest.

At the most pivotal moment of the season, the home team desperately needed someone to step up in the final minutes and help them secure a victory. That player was third-leading scorer Andrew Kruter. With the game tied at 51 and fewer than three minutes remaining, he forced a steal and threw a lead pass to forward Steven Katz, who was fouled and made one free throw to push the Cougars ahead by one. Moments later, a Kruter field goal extended the JFK lead to 55-51. However, the explosive guard was not done. 

Up by three and in desperate need of a "knock-out blow," the Cougars looked to the player who changed the game. On an inbounds play, Kruter sprinted down the court and was left uncovered inside the Freeport three point line.  A long outlet pass hit him in stride and he glided to the hoop for a huge score.

"I'm fast enough to get up the floor as quick as I can and beat the defense," Kruter said. "I was trying to hit easy shots."

"Kruter always busts himself out on offense," center Brendan Mills added.

After a slow start, both teams exchanged a flurry of baskets. The Cougars were forced to the perimeter by Freeport's man-to-man defense but began to penetrate to the basket and find open men underneath. With the score even at 10 and three minutes remaining in the period, guard Joey Karo drilled a pair of threes – the first from the top of the key and the second from the wing – and put Bellmore JFK ahead by 18-10; Kruter buried a triple to increase the lead to 11.

A perfect long lob pass from Karo to Mills in the waning seconds provided the host squad with a 23-10 edge, but Freeport ended the 13-0 run. A terrific steal by forward Adrian Rose was the defensive highlight of the period for the Cougars, who set the tone early with an outstanding shooting display, while their 2-3 zone stymied the Red Devils.

"We were attacking early and we weren't making mistakes," Bellmore JFK coach Rory Block said. "We turned up the pressure and matched theirs."

"We were trying to pass it around to find guys inside or open shots outside," Kruter added.

The Red Devils cut into the Cougars lead during the second, but Bellmore JFK was able to match scores to maintain a double digit lead, 32-21.

After a Freeport basket to open the third, Rose banked in a short shot. Karo followed with a driving layup. After that, Freeport began to convert offensively and to make it a 39-32 game with eight minutes to play. With the visitors surging, the Cougars turned to Mills, a five-year varsity team member and the team's leading scorer. Mills scored inside and made one of two foul shots.

After the Red Devils opened the fourth with a basket, Mills scored inside. Freeport continued its surge with a three, making it 41-38, but Mills hit both foul shots.

The Cougars did not trail for long. On the following possession, they scored a key field goal to go ahead by two, and Mills used his size and strength inside to score and give his team a four point lead.

"Mills has really stepped up in the last five or six games," Block said. "He's a force on the boards and he scores inside."

Freeport responded with a made basket and took their first lead since the opening basket, 47-46. Put in a seemingly unfathomable position after leading by 15 in the third, Block called for time.

"We had to get ourselves composed to survive," Block said.

With Freeport ahead by three, Mills continued to be the focal point of the Cougars offense, as Katz found him inside for a score to make it 49-48 with three minutes to play.

"Every day at practice we move the ball to get the defense out of position," Mills said. "That allows us me to get open shots down low."

After a Red Devils score, Kruter responded with a terrific stretch of basketball and the Cougars (7-2, 10-4) stepped up defensively to secure the 58-54 victory- the team's fourth consecutive triumph - and avenge a loss at Freeport (5-5, 9-6) earlier in the season.

"This was a huge game," Mills said. "This was one of the biggest games of my career. It's always great to beat Freeport, particularly on our home court."

Trailing first place Plainview JFK by one game, Bellmore JFK travels to Mepham on Feb. 2 before hosting the conference leaders on Feb. 5.

Freeport:  12 9 11 22 – 54
Bellmore JFK: 23 9 7 19 – 58

Freeport: Jared Staton, 20; Danny Andre, 11; Leondre Simmon, 11; Justin Staton, 4; Cedric Smiley, 4; Aaaron Frederick, 2; Anthony Dunham, 1
Bellmore JFK: Brendan Mills, 19; Joey Karo, 18; Andrew Kruter, 10; Adrian Rose, 7; Steven Katz, 5; Will Colon, 2