Downsville too much for Kortright

"I don't know what I'd do because we have so many options," Reed said after leading the Eagles to a 70-51 victory Tuesday over South Kortright in a Delaware League basketball game. "We're so balanced that you can't focus on one guy or you're going to get burned. I don't know how I'd defend our team."

Apparently, neither do the Rams.

When the teams met earlier this season, Downsville made 10 3-pointers in a 66-52 victory.

So S.K. (9-3) paid more attention to Downsville's sharpshooters Tuesday. All that did was free the 6-foot-6 Reed for a scholastic-best 37 points, including 23 after halftime.

"Last game, they seemed to front and back him and we hit 10 3-pointers," said Downsville coach Jeff Baier, whose team is 12-0 overall and 8-0 in the Delaware League, two games clear of second-place S.K. "I think they had to honor that tonight and that opened up the post, so we just tried to hit him on the block.

"Either they were going to foul him or (Reed) was going to score," he continued.

But the Rams, despite a 9-for-21 showing at the free throw line, stayed around until midway through the third period. Mike Swantak hit two deep 3-pointers early in the second half, the latter of which brought the Rams within 31-29.

Swantak, who finished with a team-high 18 points, was the focus of Downsville's defense. Kyle Emerich and Nick Stefancich hounded the left-hander all game, forcing S.K.'s other players to step up.

"I'd watched them a few times and scouted them a few times, and I'm not usually a big one for gimmick defenses, but I'd look at them in the paper and it really didn't look like much of anyone was scoring anymore consistently than eight or 10 points a game," Baier said. "Mike is a pure shooter, I mean he shot a couple from 22 or 23 feet, with someone right on him. We just pretty much had to slow him down."

When Mike Taylor hit a baseline 3-pointer midway through the third period, the Rams' deficit was 37-33.

Then the Eagles took over.

Reed hit a turnaround on the left block and Stefancich hit two free throws to jumpstart an 11-0 spurt. Derrick Peaster, who scored 13 points, hit a 3-pointer, Emerich scored off an inbounds play and Reed's putback made it 48-33.

Reed's most important contribution Tuesday was his ability to post up for entry passes. Time and again, he'd seal off his defender and then make a powerful move to the basket.

"The past couple games I was making myself very big inside," said Reed, who is averaging 22 points and 15 rebounds a game. "I was just waiting for the ball. Tonight, coach said we really need you to step up. I wanted the ball because I knew they couldn't stop me."

Emerich, who scored nine points, said of Reed: "He makes it so much easier for me. He draws double teams and kicks it out to me and that's how I make half my baskets."

S.K. narrowed the gap to 48-39 on a fastbreak layup by Swantak early in the fourth quarter. But the Eagles scored the next eight points, including a 3-pointer by Peaster, to extend the lead to 56-39.

John Dropp scored 10 points for S.K., which plays at Hunter-Tannersville on Thursday.

Emerich had 11 rebounds and point guard James Brunner had seven assists for the Eagles, who play at Margaretville on Thursday.

DOWNSVILLE 70, S.K. 51

SOUTH KORTRIGHT (9-3, 6-2): Mike Taylor 3 1-3 8, John Dropp 4 2-5 10, Mike Swantak 5 4-6 18, Jon Kenchen 1 1-2 4, Jack Cooperman 2 0-0 4, Dana White 2 0-3 4, Nick Laing 1 1-2 3. TOTALS: 18 9-21 51.

DOWNSVILLE (12-0, 8-0): Nick Stefancich 1 3-6 6, Nick Champlin 0 0-0 0, Blake Henderson 0 0-0 0, Kyle Emerich 4 1-2 9, James Brunner 0 1-2 1, Kevin Reed 15 7-8 37, Derrick Peaster 5 0-0 13, Heath Bowker 1 0-0 2, Nic Townsend 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 27 12-18 70.

South Kortright 12 11 12 16 — 51

Downsville 19 8 21 22 — 70

Three-point field goals: S.K. (Swantak 4, Taylor, Kenchen); D (Stefancich, Peaster 3). JV score: Downsville, 75-46.