Greeley Looking Strong Heading into Playoffs With Win Over Somers

Horace Greeley's team defense is a force to be reckoned with and on Monday night the Somers Tuskers experienced it first hand.

With a suffocating zone defense, the Quakers were able to make quick work of the Tuskers and finish off the regular season with another win, beating the host Tuskers 60-35 in a boys basketball game.

From the start of their season the Quakers have been building up their defensive play, and according to their Coach, Dave Fernandes the team is getting better every game.

"The last four or five games the team has been really passing the ball, defensively they've been amazing. They've kept the past four teams under 40 points."

With the regular season over and post season play starting Wednesday, the Quakers couldn't have picked a better time to peak, and with key players like Matt Townsend and Adam Honig, the Quakers may be a team to watch out for.

Throughout the first quarter the Quakers kept the Tuskers' offense on a
tight leash. Matt Townsend made his presence known early, grabbing four rebounds while putting the first points of the game on the board three minutes into the first quarter.

The Quakers' defense was so stiff during the first quarter that the Tuskers remained scoreless until the last minute, where they were able to get six points on the board. 

In the second, the Tuskers' narrowed the deficit to four points but they never got any closer. From the middle of the second quarter, the Quakers again stumped the Tuskers' offense, and took a 27-15 lead into the half.

The game didn't get any closer in the second half. Greeley took a 49-25 lead into the fourth quarter. From there the Quakers slowed the pace, taking their starting players out of the game midway through the fourth.

Townsend played an aggressive game, grabbing 10 rebounds while scoring 17 points.  His fast-tempo play and willingness to drive to the basket rewarded the Quakers and set the tempo for the game. 

Other noteworthy players include Billy Sadik-Kahin, who made numerous good passes and drew several fouls, and Earl Graves, who was a force on the glass.

With the playoffs set to begin on Friday, Fernandes is excited to see his team
play in the postseason. 

"The team has really come together and we're playing some quality basketball,"  Fernandes said.