Dugue helps Elmont get a win on his birthday
Elmont's Devin Guerne drives up the middle during Nasssau High School Boys Basketball game between Elmont and Great Neck South. (Feb. 4, 2011) Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
Michael Dugue didn't want to waste any more time - the junior guard, who turned 17 Friday, had a dinner-and-a-movie date with his girlfriend to get to.
Dugue made sure the occasion would be a happy one. He scored a season-high 13 points in Elmont's 67-50 win over visiting Great Neck South in a matchup of Nassau Conference AA-III's top teams Friday night.
Eight of Dugue's points came during a 9-0 run that turned the Spartans' two-point advantage into a 26-15 lead with 2:12 left in the second quarter.
"I was just moving around more, trying to get open," Dugue said of his hot streak, which included three easy layups and a sweet, step-back jumper. "It wasn't my best game, but I had a nice stretch."
Elmont coach George Holub was mostly content with his team's performance. That is until Andrew Henry's meaningless three-pointer fell at the buzzer to give Great Neck South 50 points. Then he was livid.
"The 5-0 number I'm not happy about," he said. "Defense is always a point of emphasis. That's what gets you through the playoffs. We could win, 50-48, and I'd be happy."
During Elmont's 11-game winning streak, the most points it had allowed before this game was 47.
"We played kind of sloppy," said Anthony Elechi, who tied for a team-high 19 points for the Spartans (10-1).
Added Dillon Williams (19 points): "It wasn't our best performance. Against the top teams like Uniondale and Baldwin, we know we're going to have to bring it on defense."
It's not that Elmont was overlooking Great Neck South - Ben Kestenbaum (17 points) kept the Spartans on their toes. But now with a season-sweep of the second-place Rebels (8-2) and a 13-point win over third-place Calhoun under its belt, Elmont is setting its sights a little higher.
"We're trying to keep it going all the way to states," Elechi said.
Elechi had his sights set on his second 20-point game of the season, but it wasn't to be. The scoreboard operator forgot to add his third-quarter basket, and an error in the scorebook made the mistake stand.
Elechi wasn't upset. "It's just another 'W,' " he said.
Dugue didn't care, either - he was all showered up and ready to hightail it out of there to meet up with his girlfriend.
Ah, to be 17.
