Trojans reign supreme

By: Zachary Harnischfeger

The Greece Athena Trojans boys basketball team kept there historic season alive on Tuesday night with a 92-31 blowout win over the Brockport Blue Devils on senior night.

"It was one of those games where it seemed like every shot we took went in," Greece Athena head coach Mike Setzer said. "What was really great is it was senior night so I had a different starting lineup, but we got off to such a great start that I didn't have to touch it. It just seemed like everything we did was great."

Greece Athena head coach Mike Setzer talking with guard I'zick Reaves. (Photo Credit: Liam Hoffmann)

Trojans senior guards Ryan Grasley and Zacarr Johnson drained 3-pointers to begin the game and the team never looked back as they went on to score 21 points in the first quarter. A strong Trojans defense and many missed shots gave the Blue Devils only eight points in the first quarter.

The Trojans began the second quarter with a 16-0 run and the defense held the Blue Devils to just four points the entire quarter to go into halftime with a 39-12 lead. Trojans junior guard I'zayah Reaves sunk two 3-pointers in the quarter. He finished with nine points on the night.

I'zayah Reaves (#3) taking shot over Brockport forward Tyler Judd (#12). (Photo Credit: Liam Hoffmann)

In the third quarter, Trojans junior guard Ne'Sean Fowlks made three 3-pointers to extend the lead to 67-30. Brockport junior forward Azay Odey scored eight of the 18 total points in the quarter for the Blue Devils. Odey finished with eight points on the night.

In the fourth quarter, Trojans junior guard Jacob Curatalo came off the bench and scored a game and team-high 19 points. Curatalo drained five 3-pointers, going 5-of-7 from beyond the arc. The defense held the Blue Devils to just one point in the fourth quarter and the Trojans won the game 92-31. Trojans senior guard Khorie Reaves was asked about Curatalo's fourth-quarter performance after the game.

"I loved it," Reaves said. "Over the summer Jake and I went to the YMCA almost every weekend morning just working on our game and getting better. To see him go out there and actually do what he did in the gym, I loved it."

Greece Athena senior forward Connor Osier earned a double-double in the game, finishing the night with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

"I got to go out there and be a dog," Osier said. "Go get all the rebounds and just work as hard as I can."

Connor Osier (#5, pictured right) going up to block the shot of Brockport senior forward Nathan Parker (#21). (Photo Credit: Liam Hoffmann)

For Brockport, Azay Odey and junior guard Daniel Dailey led the team with eight points on the night. Junior guard Tyler Judd and senior forward Nathan Parker finished the game with six points apiece. "We knew that they were extremely talented," Brockport head coach James Erbland said. "So when we have a game plan it's all about how can we play with 32 minutes of effort and how can we deal with adversity along the way. I thought for the most part we did a pretty good job doing that."

With the win, the Trojans improve to 19-0 on the season. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 4-15 on the season.

Coach Setzer knows that being focused and prepared will help the Trojans play their best down the stretch.

"We have to focus," Setzer said. "We're trying to get better every day. We can't look past any teams. We have to go out and have a good practice. We have to have good preparation, and we have to prepare. I told the kids I'm in sectional mode right now we have to prepare like every game is a sectional game."

The Trojans will look to complete the perfect regular season when they host the Batavia Blue Devils on Thursday night at 6:45 p.m. The Blue Devils wrap up the regular season when they host the Greece Odyssey Leopards on Thursday night at 7.