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Getting back on track.
It’s what the Woodstock Academy Blue prep basketball team wanted to accomplish coming out of the holiday break.
So far, it has been successful in that quest.
The Centaurs raised their mark to 16-6 with a pair of victories last week. Woodstock Academy handled the Hoosac School, 91-46, Jan. 12 at the Alumni Fieldhouse. Before that, the Centaurs scored a 92-58 win over Capital Prep Harbor at the University of Bridgeport.
“It was definitely great for us and great for the confidence of our team after we lost five of the last seven,” forward John Korte said of the two wins following Saturday’s win over Hoosac. “We’re getting back into it quickly. We’re looking good so far, moving the ball and playing good defense.”
The Centaurs, prior to the break, lost some tough games.
That included a pair of 1-point games to Navy Prep (77-76) and Toronto Academy (74-73) and an overtime contest to Hamden Hall (94-90). Add to that, losses to Lee Academy (77-66) and Athlete’s Institute (82-71), and it made for a tough stretch.
“We fell into a rut,” said Blue coach Nick DeFeo. “We were struggling. We were missing some guys who went home early for break.”
“It was an accumulation of things. People wanted to go home, which you know will happen and we played some very good teams. We just didn’t come to play in some of those games and when that happens, you lose,” Korte agreed.
Fortunately, things have changed.
“We came back and we’ve had great energy ever since. We have a full roster, minus one (Kaleb Thornton) due to injury. We’ve had some great practices this week,” DeFeo added.
Like DeFeo, Korte wasn’t sure what the atmosphere would be like when the Centaurs returned last week.
“I didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought we might still be in a rough patch like where we were before, but we’re looking really good right now,” Korte said.
The Centaurs didn’t pull away immediately from Hoosac.
The Centaurs had beaten the New York school in November by 47 points and DeFeo was concerned about his team’s approach to the game.
“DeFeo talked to us a lot before the game about not underestimating them. They can come out and kill us in the first half,” Korte said.
Korte (nine points) went on a five-point run of his own midway through the first half to help make sure that didn’t happen and put the Centaurs up, 16-10
His seven-point effort in the first half included a pair of dunks which brought his teammates to their feet.
Both of those dunks came off assists.
“We’re learning to trust each other more and that’s a huge part of the game,” Korte said. “I trust that they’re going to pass me the ball for the dunk and I give it to them right back.”
Ty Mosley and Jeff Planutis both scored seven points in the first half in addition to Korte as the Blue took a 39-20 lead into halftime.
It became a 3-point party for the Centaurs in the second half.
Kruno Macner, who led the Blue squad with 16 points, hit four from beyond the arc while Ahmad Jeffries and Isaiah Jones both had a pair and Planutis (10 points) added one.
The Centaurs opened the week with the easy win over the Harbor Sharks.
Stefanos Psarras scored 11 points and Guillem Gonzalez added 10.
“We came out with great energy right from the jump and got on top early. Any time, you go on the road and win a conference game, it’s nice. We got a great effort from everyone, they all contributed,” DeFeo said.
It’s a good time to be playing well.
This is the stretch run for the Blue prep team which will see the season end in just a little less than two months.
“It’s time to focus. We have to get these kids some college interest, get them signed and ready to go to the next level. I think they’re dialed in a little bit and we have a bunch of conference games coming up. This is it. We’re putting our foot on the gas pedal,” DeFeo said.
DeFeo said the coaching staff has been meeting individually with the players and discussing a plan for their future.
“Luckily for us, our staff is tremendous at getting out and communicating with colleges and two, we’ve had college interest for every kid in the gym, every kid on the Gold team, every kid on the Blue, somebody has asked or inquired about them. That’s really good for us and now it’s just finding out what the kids want, see who loves them the best and picking the right school,” DeFeo said.
The Blue squad is on the road for much of the month.
Their only other home game comes up on Jan. 29 against USA Academy.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
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