Boys Basketball: Maz Sayed gets hot, Chichester outscores Springfield

UPPER CHICHESTER — Of the many roles that Eyan Thomas fills on the Chichester basketball team, the one he found himself occupying in the third quarter Monday afternoon is among his favorites.

Operating out of the high post, through which a surprising amount of the Eagles’ offense flows, the forward often has to merely prowl high-traffic areas, spy the guy guarding point guard Maz Sayed, set his screen and let Sayed go to work.

“It’s very easy (for me),” Thomas said. “All I’ve got to do is set the screen, he does what he has to do. If he misses it, I get the rebound, or he kicks it to our other teammates and they get it done.”

Sayed got it done Monday with nine points in the third quarter, a crucial individual effort to tip the Eagles toward a 53-46 nonleague win over Springfield.

In a meeting between two teams with similar offensive DNA, Sayed’s ability to generate offense off the bounce was the difference.

Both teams made 3-pointers – Akhir Keys went 5-for-8 from deep on the way to 20 points for Chi; Springfield’s Mike O’Donnell was 6-for-11 from distance in a 22-point effort. Both found ways to get extra possessions, Chichester through its defense and Springfield with a renewed commitment on the boards. But the difference was Sayed in the third, repelling Springfield’s attempts to narrow the gap.

Sayed and Keys accounted for all 16 of Chi’s points in the frame, one of Keys’ baskets assisted by Sayed. Keys’ lightning-quick release from 3-point range and his ability to get off screens kept the defense honest. But Springfield (5-10) cycled through defenders trying to stop Sayed’s sorties to the basket, with limited success.

Thomas played a central role in that effort for the Eagles (10-2), who entered the day ranked third in the District 1 Class 5A rankings. One of four Eagles to score four points each, Thomas contributed much more. The offensive lineman with quick feet and surprisingly soft hands added nine rebounds and an assist.

But more important were his three steals. Chichester caused 15 turnovers, including five in the fourth quarter to thwart Springfield’s comeback attempt. Most of Thomas’ defensive contributions came in the center of a 2-1-2 half-court defense. The Eagles picked up that press over three-quarter-court, mostly a token rather than swarming, sell-out press. While it didn’t generate many turnovers directly, it taxed Springfield’s ball-handlers every time up the court.

“Just effort,” Thomas said. “Try everything you can do the best you can do it, and it helps your team. It goes a long way.”

The defense is particularly disruptive for a Springfield attack that relies heavily on the 3-pointer. The Cougars hit just one 2-point basket through the first 14 minutes Monday, 12 of their 14 points coming on made 3-pointers. It wasn’t until they consistently generated offense inside the arc, mainly by Colin Treude facilitating from the high post. that they started to close the gap. Truede’s back-door feed to a cutting Luke Biancaniello with three seconds left in the first half was a prime example, getting Springfield within 33-30 at the break.

“Some nights we’re on, some nights we’re off,” Truede said. “So we have to adapt, we have to get in the paint and score in other ways. It’s a lot easier when the shots are falling.”

That left space for the shots to start falling. O’Donnell hit a pair of long 3s in the third, the lead hovering around three until two baskets by Sayed to end the frame made it 39-33. Sayed canned a jumper early in the fourth to make it 44-36, at which point both teams ceased scoring for the next four minutes.

Carlton Gordy ended that with a baseline blow-by to make it 46-36, but Biancaniello’s floater ended a mini 5-0 run to get Springfield within 46-41 with 1:17 to play. Despite Chi missing three front-ends, five was the closest Springfield got.

Treude had an impressive game with 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four blocks. Biancaniello added nine points.

But Thomas and his teammates got the final say. Sayed finished with 17 points, five assists and three steals. The Eagles start a stretch of three games in four days, including a pivotal Del Val showdown with Chester on Thursday, with momentum and another shot of confidence in subduing a Central League foe.

“They beat us last year,” Thomas said, “so we were coming into this game with the mentality of not getting beat, and just going to work and winning.”