Wednesday, February 12, 2025
The Long Beach boys’ basketball team ended January a whole lot better than they started it and, in the process, gave themselves one last chance to claim one of the final AA playoff spots.
After starting the new year 1-4, the Marines bounced back to win three of their last four contests after rallying for a 60-57 thriller over Great Neck North Jan. 30 to improve to 4-7 in Conference AA-3 play and 7-10 overall with three games remaining. If they win out, they could avoid missing the postseason for the first time since 2018.
The final stretch began Monday night at Mepham, whom the Marines beat by 31 points back on Jan. 7. But after that, Long Beach faces two teams it lost to the first time around in undefeated Great Neck South on Feb. 6 and Valley Stream Central in the home finale on Feb. 10.
“The kids are always playing hard,” Long Beach head coach Scott Martin said. “I’m proud of their effort. We still have hope for the playoffs. We need to win the next three.”
The Marines’ playoff aspirations almost disappeared after they found themselves trailing by 11 to Great Neck North early in the third quarter, but an 18-2 run that was highlighted by two straight three-point plays by Matt Hayes and eight points by fellow senior Brody Schuh that resulted in a 47-42 lead with 1:45 left.
The teams found themselves tied after three quarters just as they did during the first meeting on Dec. 19, which was eventually won by the Blazers 61-59. North scored six straight points to take a 55-53 lead with 3:37 remaining, but baskets from Hayes and sophomore Jeron Burns put the Marines back ahead with 2:15 left.
The Blazers tied it again with just under two minutes remaining, but Long Beach senior Jamar Burns drew a shooting foul and hit one of the free throws to give the Marines the lead for good at 58-57. He also helped seal the victory when he set up Schuh’s basket with 40 ticks left after receiving a Magic Johnson-esque behind-the-back pass from brother Jeron.
“I don’t think he could’ve made that pass other than behind his back,” Martin said. “He went around the back, got it to Jamar, Jamar was off balance, and he made a little pivot to Brody and Brody was able to finish.”
Schuh finished with a game-high 21 points. Jamar Burns had 17 and Hayes added 12.
The result was in stark contrast to other conference losses Long Beach had despite having early leads. They had a nine-point advantage after the first quarter before losing 64-52 at Baldwin on Dec. 13, an eight-point advantage at the same point in the 60-49 defeat to Great Neck South on Jan. 11, and a whopping 20-point bulge at Jericho through the first stanza five days later before falling 72-64.
“The one we will look back on is the first Great Neck North game,” Martin said. “Those shots we missed, and we only lost by two. That was the game we should’ve won.”
