Mustangs Rebound Against Seaford in Fourth Quarter

The Mineola boys basketball team prides itself on a fast break offense, an engine that runs on the powerful pistons of guards .

It’s just that sometimes lately it takes a little while for the engine to warm up.

If there were any other game for which to come out early and stake a lead it would be against Seaford, their perennial conference rival and who stifled the Mustangs the first three minutes of Friday night’s game at Mineola High School, putting up 7 points before Wazychuk was able to drain one to put the home team on the board and go on a 7-2 run of their own, on their way to a 54-49 win.

Treys from Vikings guard James Curley continued to propel Seaford through the first half, leading 25-18 at the break.

That’s when the Mineola trio began hitting their three’s, managing to sink four from downtown in the third, including two from Brown in the frame – while Waszchuk hit a jumpers to start the final period followed by a steal and a subsequent layup from Brown to cut Seaford's lead to one, 43-42.

“We turned it up a notch in the fourth quarter,” said Mineola head coach Jim Heggman. “We made them play at a faster pace which is how we like to play.”

At the three-minute mark, the Mustangs took their first lead since the first off of a lay in by Bobby Rogers before Seaford regained the lead when guard James Curley hit a deep three. Gaffney though answered with a trey of his own at the top of the key.

Ahead 47-46 Brown nailed another from behind the arc as well as another two from the line to seal the victory.

“It was a close game but we turned the ball over at critical points late in the game,” Seaford coach Ralph Rossetti said. "I give them credit, they're one of the best teams in the league.”

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