FITCHBURG — Feeling like they need more work around the perimeter, the Mahar boys basketball program wanted to use summer basketball to take more 3-point shots and establish a threat beyond the arc.
“We definitely need to work on (3-point shooting) because we weren’t doing it well,” said Mahar’s Deven Patch. “During AAU season, we weren’t really sharing the ball.”
So on Thursday against Oakmont, Mahar did just that, netting 36 points from beyond the arc in the team’s 59-32 win.
And when combining its 3-point shooting with the numerous Oakmont turnovers Mahar created, Mahar summer basketball coach Enver Softic felt good about the way the team played on both ends against Oakmont.
“I think the two complemented each other,” said Softic. “As a result, you end up winning and looking good.”
Patch contributed 19 points, netting four 3-pointers. Charlie Barnes contributed 12 points (two 3-pointers), while Matt Lyesiuk contributed 10 points with three 3-pointers.
Although Patch and Lyesiuk were a threat from beyond the arc, defensively, the duo only contributed only seven rebounds (four from Lyesiuk and three from Patch). The duo is still young as Lyesiuk will enter his sophomore season next winter and Patch his junior season, but should expect to develop more of an inside game as well, especially Patch, who stands well more than 6 feet tall.
“I think they’re going to be critical, but they also have to work on their inside game,” said Softic. “If they become very predictable, then that 3-point game disappears very quickly for them. So I think we have players that need to develop the inside game, the outside game. Matt and Deven can shoot, but will also have games where they shoot the same number of times and the results haven’t been the same. Living and dying by the three is dangerous.”
Mahar went on a 7-0 run midway through the first-half, going up 18-7. The two teams traded points the rest of the half with Mahar taking a 26-16 lead into halftime.
Up 42-30 with nine minutes and 38 second left in the second half, Mahar then went on a 14-0 run. The run began with a rebound and basket from Lyesiuk and ended with an open three from Patch, who also turned a steal into an easy layup to put his team up 46-30 during that span, while Lyesiuk netted an open three to put his team up 51-30.
Oakmont netted a basket with three minutes left in the game, moving it to 56-32, but could not score the remainder of the game.
Mahar’s Jordan Desrosiers ended the game with a 3-pointer, giving him seven points throughout the contest.