Aven Smith, Luke Seltzer energize Pierson's win over Bridgehampton
Luke Seltzer of Pierson drives to the basket during the Suffolk Class CD final against Bridgehampton at Southampton on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. Credit: Neil Miller
For captain Aven Smith and Pierson boys basketball, energy has been essential to the team’s success. That was no different Tuesday evening against Class D champion Bridgehampton.
Yet, the Whalers struggled early to enforce their game plan of controlling the momentum.
“In the first half, they had all the momentum,” Smith said. “We were kind of lazy. We weren’t bringing the energy. At halftime, we were talking about our energy, so we came out with all that energy.”
Class C champion Pierson swung the game into its favor as it defeated Bridgehampton 76-53 in the Tournament of Champions at Southampton High School.
“I think that every time that we go into a huddle or locker room the focus this year, because we have such a young group, is to get them to lock eyes,” Pierson head coach Will Fujita said. “So I know that they’re paying attention.”
Pierson (15-7) led 29-27 at halftime with Bridgehampton (16-5) constantly pressuring the Whalers on the glass and with outside shots. However, Pierson began to pull away at the start of the third quarter.
The energy Smith had mentioned in congruence with the team’s excellent stamina, according to Fujita, had launched the Whalers ahead. Smith nailed three three-pointers as a part of a 13-point quarter for the junior. He finished with 22 points, junior captain Luke Seltzer led with 24 points and junior Charlie McLean had 17 points.
Seltzer, the team’s leading scorer throughout the season, emphasized how he’s not the only scorer and that teams have to understand that to be able to defend them.
“Everyone on our team is a threat,” Seltzer said. “[Smith] can go off for 20 a night, Charlie can go off for 20 a night. They can’t focus too much on me or else those guys will score, so that leaves me open sometimes.”
The Whalers advance to play Class B champion Southampton at noon on Saturday at East Hampton High School. Southampton defeated Pierson twice this season by an average of 36 points.
It comes down to energy once again if the Whalers want to win.
“We came into those games and we just weren’t confident,” Seltzer said. “We didn’t have energy coming out. They just buried us in the beginning. If we stay in the game until halftime, I think we have a really good chance.”
