Cougars Roughed Up in Freeport

They just couldn't put it on ice.

The Kennedy boys basketball team had every chance to win Wednesday night when they visited Freeport, but their game turned dull in the fourth quarter, and they watched the Red Devils sneak by and steal a 65-55 victory.

"Our game definitely got a bit stale," Kennedy coach Rory Block said. "I am also proud of our boys though. We really didn't quit."

Kennedy (5-3) was behind the eight ball from the get go, as Freeport came out with a flurry of offense. The Cougars were down 6-0 before Brendan Mills forced his way into a layup.

The Cougars did a nice job keeping their composure, and eventually they would be rewarded. One major factor behind their resurgence late in the first quarter was Joey Karo, who nailed a clutch three pointer as time expired.

"I knew I was due to have a big game," Karo said. "I haven't had a great last couple of games. I was due to make up for my performances."

The first quarter ended with the Cougars down by four, but they really showed up to play in the second. The Kennedy defense entered shutdown mode, and they began to force turnovers. Freeport's offense also went cold, and before you knew it, the Cougars had a 28-22 lead at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Kennedy increased its lead to nine, but then the Freeport comeback began, and it was thanks in large part to Danny Andre, who put up 22 of his game-high 26 points in the second half.

"I just couldn't lose again," said Andre, referring to Freeport missing the playoffs last season. "I have to do what I have to do to make sure we win. They were very good, but we just outplayed them."

Along with Andre, the Red Devils seemed to figure out ways to slide between the cracks of the Kennedy defense and succeed on the inside.

"We needed to maintain the intensity," Cougars guard Andrew Kruter said. "We simply didn't do that for the entire game, and we allowed them to take this one from us."

Freeport (6-2) continued to apply pressure throughout the third quarter and the game was quickly tied at 40.  Karo then nailed another three point play, and the score was 43-40 Kennedy at the end of three.

The turning point of the game may have been at 5:15 of the fourth quarter when Freeport's Cedric Smiley attempted a wild three point shot. The shot was well off, but Adrian Rose committed a foul on the follow through. Smiley sank all three free throws to give Freeport a two point lead.

They never looked back.

Kennedy continued to try and press, but all they were rewarded with was fouls and a bigger deficit. Mills, one of the Cougars' star players, fouled out with 2:36 remaining, and that was pretty much all she wrote.

The game was rough and physical, and that was no surprise to Freeport coach Bob DeBonis.

"I knew it would be two evenly matched teams," DeBonis said. "There is a storied history between Coach Block and I. He has done a hell of a job with those kids."

DeBonis was Block's coach in high school, and the two have been close friends ever since.

Karo led the way for the Cougars with 17 points, and Mills provided a hard-earned 14 as well.

The Cougars get a couple of days rest before they return home to host Mepham on Friday night at 7 p.m.