Center Moriches falls to Burke Catholic
Center Moriches' Maleek Harris dribbles the ball during the High School boys State Southeast Regional Class B Final. (March 10, 2012) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. -- The "Full Court Killas," a nickname derived from Center Moriches' pressure defense, made their final stop of the season Saturday.
The Red Devils, looking for their first trip to Glens Falls since 1998, fell behind early en route to a 69-41 loss to Burke Catholic in the Class B regional final at SUNY New Paltz. But the focus after the game wasn't on the banners they were denied, but the banners that can't be taken away.
"We are going to remember the legacy we left behind and the bar we set for the younger kids that are coming up," senior guard Tim Rowland said. "Just looking at the banners and knowing that we put them there."
The Suffolk County and Long Island championships banners that the Red Devils earned this year helped resurrect the basketball program at Center Moriches but their run came to an end Saturday.
Burke Catholic, which has disposed of Long Island's finalist by more than 20 points in each of the last three seasons, built a 13-0 lead to open the game, added a 15-2 run in the second quarter and never looked back.
"We really never recovered from that," Center Moriches coach Nick Thomas said. "From that point on, I think we competed, made runs and countered their runs but that start was tough to overcome against a good team like them."
With a height advantage at each position in the starting lineup, Burke Catholic dominated down low and on the offensive glass, scoring 46 points in the paint. Lafayette-bound point guard Zach Rufer, who had 17 points and eight assists, helped break the lauded Center Moriches full-court press and penetrated the lane to create shots for himself and his 6-5 teammates, Stan Buczek (19 points) and Billy Garneau (18 points).
"Their game is to press and we handled that," Burke Catholic coach Doug Janeczko said. "We got the ball to Zach in good spots, shared the ball and looked for the open person."
Maleek Harris led the Red Devils with 15 points, including six points early in the third to pull within 14. Wayne Harris followed with a deep three from the right wing and Rowland, who had seven points, added a free throw to cut the lead to 42-32 with 2:01 left in the third. But Rufer answered with a three-point play and Garneau broke free for two fast-break layups to build a 16-point lead that would only grow for Burke Catholic (19-3).
"Our defense was slacking, I don't know if it was nerves," Harris said. "But everyone played their hardest, from the underclassmen up."
The loss ended the varsity career of senior starters Harris, Rowland and Nuquan Mathis, but not before they left their impact.
"We congratulated our seniors because they have a lot to be proud of on a great year," Thomas said. "They set the bar and they raised it for Center Moriches basketball. I think overall, we have a lot to build on, a lot to be proud of and a lot to look forward to."
