Maxwell, East Islip hold off Copiague
East Islip forward Evan Maxwell #31 puts in the jumper against Copiague. (Feb. 3, 2011) Credit: George A. Faella
The best seat in the house at East Islip was the worst place to be for Evan Maxwell.
But despite dominating the game for the first 20 minutes, the 6-7 junior was forced to the bench Thursday when he picked up his fourth foul with 5:45 left in the third quarter. "I'm not used to sitting," Maxwell said.
And clearly East Islip isn't used to playing without him as an 11-point lead slipped away. "But I was so proud of how hard they played without me," he said. "I just watched and kept rooting for them."
The Redmen gave up the lead briefly to Copiague late in the third quarter, but regained it early in the fourth, just in time for Maxwell to return as a defensive and rebounding force. That's a pretty good guy to have coming off the bench.
Maxwell compiled 24 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks as East Islip held off Copiague, 48-45, in a battle for first place in Suffolk League III. Both playoff-bound teams are now 10-1.
"I have such respect for that program that I practice every day, every season, for Copiague," EI coach Rob Schwender said of the only team to beat the Redmen in league play.
Maxwell scored 20 points in the first half as EI built a 29-20 halftime lead. He scored six of them after picking up his third with 6:56 left in the second quarter. "It was a risky maneuver. It was unconventional to leave him in," Schwender said. "But it paid off because we extended the lead. We needed him."
The Eagles, who got 16 points from Wade Richardson and 10 from Davine Clinton, took advantage of Maxwell's absence to grab the lead at 32-31 with a 12-0 run. But substitute guard John Dondero nailed a three-pointer that put EI ahead 34-32 with 33 seconds left in the third and Steven Frost sank another trey early in the fourth, just before Maxwell returned.
Maxwell immediately hit a hanging jumper in the lane to make it 40-34, but the effects of all that inactivity became evident. Maxwell missed four of six free throws. When Richardson hit a quick-release three, it was 48-45 with 15.3 seconds still remaining.
Then Maxwell blocked one shot underneath and influenced another in the final seconds. "I was pumped up to get back in," Maxwell said, "But I was sitting so long, I wasn't loose. That bothered me on my foul shots."
It was about the only thing that bothered him all night.
