Minutemen handle Cosmos for third straight

Boys basketball at North Clarendon.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20150204/SPORTS02/702049915

Albert J. Marro / Staff Photo Mill River's Ben Smith (23) glides to the hoop past a pair of Springfield defenders including Ed Shambo (10) during Tuesday's game in North Clarendon. 02/03/15 Published February 4, 2015 in the Rutland Herald Minutemen handle Cosmos for third straight By BOB FREDETTE STAFF WRITER NORTH CLARENDON — Mill River is pulling things together but the big test comes on Friday when the Minutemen host 11-3 Windsor. The Minutemen will go into that contest on their first three-game winning streak of the season, including Tuesday’s 63-41 win over Springfield at Dean Houghton Gymnasium. Mike Morgan and Ben Smith combined for 43 points and Mill River led almost wire to wire in improving to 6-9. Their work getting the ball inside to rugged Dylan Shelvey, coupled with Smith’s soft shooting outside and Morgan’s fire inside and out made it an easy night against a Cosmos team that fell to 3-12 with its 10th straight loss. The Minutemen have their eyes on the future because of recent events, like their stirring comeback win over Fair Haven after trailing by 18 in the second half. “To come back from 18 at Fair Haven was unreal,” said Smith, a tall, rangy senior. “We just passed the ball more; we were getting good looks.” Smith stressed that defense and rebounding are going to be a key to Mill River’s continued success. “When we play as a team like we did tonight, sharing the ball, we’re going to win a few games,” he said. Morgan had 22 points, Smith hit five 3s and finished with 21 and Shelvey had 10. Matthew Graham had nine to lead the Cosmos, who hung with Mill River until Smith keyed a 12-0 run that bridged the first and second periods. It started when he drove inside and dumped a soft pass to Shelvey for a layup. While the Cosmos were turning over the ball, Smith, left alone near the crown of the arc, let one go for a 3. Then he stole the ball at the other end and took it for a layup, and he opened the second period with anther trey for a 21-9 lead. By halftime, the Minutemen led 37-14. Springfield had a better second half when the Cosmos put together a more balanced effort, getting some 3s from Graham and some inside looks for Josh Rivers (six points). “We’re just not consistent and that’s been our big issue,” said Springfield coach Tim MacDonnell, whose team again took the floor without one of the best players, Justin Gomez. “We’ll go two or three possessions and be really good defensively, and we’ll go three or four or five where we don’t know who we’re guarding, and that’s on me. As coaches we have to do a better job getting the kids prepared ... so we come out with the energy we come out with in the second half.” Mill River extended its lead to 55-25 through three periods before Graham, Caleb Hunter and Ed Shambo combined for five Cosmos 3s in the fourth, much of this happening against the Mill River bench. The Minutemen will face a Windsor team that was handled with ease by Burr and Burton on Tuesday so the visiting Yellow Jackets will also come in with some incentive. “It’s going to be tough; in order to keep winning we’ve got to play strong,” Smith said. “(Windsor has) a great center. I just think if we play great defense and rebound the basketball, we’re going to win that game.”