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Middies surge past Sycamore

Second-half defensive effort rallies Middletown to home victory.

Middletown's Vincent Edwards attempts a shot while being guarded by Sycamore's Mitch Hill during Friday's game. Staff photo by Samantha Grier

Samantha Grier Middletown's Vincent Edwards attempts a shot while being guarded by Sycamore's Mitch Hill during Friday's game. Staff photo by Samantha Grier

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By John Bombatch, Staff Writer 1:51 AM Saturday, February 4, 2012

MIDDLETOWN — The Middletown High School boys basketball team looked out of sync. The Middies seemingly couldn’t run a play and at times appeared visibly frustrated, at least for a good half of Friday’s home basketball contest with visiting Sycamore.

But that all changed in the second half, especially after the Middies’ Geovonie McKnight went diving across the Wade E. Miller gym floor for a loose ball, then dived a second time in order to tip the ball to a teammate.

Middletown had gained the lead on its previous possession, but McKnight’s dive picked up the team’s intensity, and the Middies outscored the Aviators 25-9 in the final quarter to win 62-45.

“When you see a teammate out there diving like that, you know he wants the ball, he wants to hustle, he wants to win. That’s what that meant to us,” said Middletown sophomore Vincent Edwards, who led everybody with 22 points and 13 rebounds.

“We see a player on the ground, you’ve got to show your teammates that we’re all going to get into it. We show intensity and then the crowd gets into it. There’s no stopping us after that.”

The Middie faithful stood up and applauded McKnight and the team’s second-half effort. Sycamore coach David Ross might lobby for a three-quarter game the next time.

“Playing a team like (Middletown) is a race against the clock. It really is,” Ross said. “I’m really proud of my guys’ effort. (Middletown is) the best team in the league, and we came in here and gave them everything they could handle for three quarters. The final score here is not indicative of how well we played them.”

Sycamore (6-11, 2-9 GMC) held the lead after the first quarter (16-11) and at halftime (28-23), but Middletown (13-4, 10-1 GMC) outscored the Aves 39-17 in the second half.

“That late tip (by McKnight) got them going,” Middletown coach Josh Andrews said. “We had several dives for loose balls, and several toughness plays where guys were giving all they had. That’s what Middletown basketball is all about.”

The win, coupled with Mason’s loss to Lakota West, gives Middletown a two-game lead in the conference standings with three games to play. The Middies host Princeton — one of four teams tied for second place — Tuesday night.

“We’ve got the biggest game of the year coming up,” Andrews said. “We’re chasing the GMC championship for the first time in 17 years. We need all of our fans at Tuesday’s game. These guys are going to give all they have.”

The last time Middletown won the GMC crown was the 1994-95 season. The Middies can clinch at least a share of the crown with a win over the Vikings.

“We’ve got to come out and play well from the tip-off,” Edwards said. “If we get off to a slow start like we did tonight, it could be a long day.”

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