Christian Smiley's big shot, free throw keeps Bay Shore boys basketball perfect
Bay Shore's Christian Smiley passes off during a Suffolk League II boys basketball game against host Northport on Tuesday, Credit: Peter Frutkoff
This Bay Shore boys basketball season had been mostly marked by dominant days and perfect results.
The Marauders showed up at Northport Tuesday night with 13 wins in 13 tries. Average margin of victory: 28.5 points.
But now they were being tested by a tough Tigers team. The game was dead even with two minutes left.
Enter Christian Smiley into the picture. The senior forward and Amityville transfer hit the go-ahead basket for Bay Shore and later added a free throw. He finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds, and the Marauders finished with a 54-51 Suffolk League II win.
The undefeated season lives on.
“It’s always good to be tested and to have people make you step up and take care of business,” coach Ken Parham said.
So besides moving to 14-0, Bay Shore stepped up to 10-0 in the league.
“As a whole, I think we all buy into the system,” Parham said. “I think we play for each other. We try to play the right way. We defend and we share the ball.”
Still, Northport (9-5, 7-3) knew it could’ve gone the other way.
“Here’s the deal: We’ve established a culture where we don’t really look at moral victories,” coach Andrew D’Eloia said. “We had a chance to win that game. That’s what we look at. We were six of 12 from the foul line overall and 0-for-4 down the stretch. And we’ve been shooting over 73% from the foul line for the year.”
Owen Boylan delivered the last three of his 18 points for Northport with a make from the left side, tying it at 51 with 2:03 left.
Then Smiley came through, nailing his tiebreaking shot in the lane with 1:34 to go.
Then the Tigers turned the ball over. Then so did the Marauders. But Northport had a miss from in close. Smiley was fouled with 15.6 seconds remaining and made one of two free throws. The Tigers couldn’t connect on a three for the tie, and that was it.
“This will help us going forward,” Smiley said. “ … . . We pulled this game out because we all locked in together and played as a team and played at our own pace.”
Bay Shore built a 24-15 lead early in the second quarter. Northport hung in and trailed 36-30 at halftime and 47-43 after three quarters. But the Marauders prevailed.
“They’re an excellent team,” D’Eloia said. “I’m really proud of my guys right now.”
