Handley keeps up stellar play in New Year with win over James Wood

WINCHESTER — It appears the Handley boys’ basketball team has taken this New Year thing seriously.

Struggling against a tough schedule in December, the Judges have been a new team since the calendar year has clicked to 2022.

Handley improved to 7-1 in the New Year on Wednesday, rolling to an easy 67-42 triumph against James Wood in Class 4 Northwestern District action at Maddex-Omps Gymnasium.

The Judges improved to 9-8 overall and 6-3 in the district and appear to be a mighty dangerous team heading into the district tournament, which will decide the two teams to advance to Region 4C play.

“When you look at it, I said we were going to severely challenge ourselves early in December with our schedule,” Handley coach Zach Harrell said after Wednesday’s triumph. “I’ll put our December schedule up against anybody. The goal all along was to challenge the guys so that they would be playing their best in February.

“I’ve played in this district and I’ve coached in this district now for four years. The team that’s the best in February is the team that wins the tournament. That’s our goal.”

What has been the difference?

“Guys have just improved throughout the season,” Harrell said. “Great players know what they can and what they can’t do.”

“A lot of players improved their confidence,” said guard Emerson Fusco, who led the Judges with 14 points on Wednesday. “We had a whole bunch of people pick people up on the team and keep them motivated and moving.”

One of those players who has turned his game up a notch is Tavon Long. The senior guard is shooting at a high percentage and racking up rebounds like a post player.

“It all starts on the defensive end,” Long said after scoring 13 points and grabbing a team-high eight rebounds on Wednesday. “… As long as I keep playing defense good, I know my game is going to come. As long as I don’t start rushing my shots, I let my game come to me.”

Harrell is not surprised that Long, who worked hard in the offseason, has blossomed.

“He has just exploded throughout the year,” Harrell said of Long, who did not play as a sophomore. “He started all of that on defense. Almost all of his points are created by defensive pressure and rebounds. As a guard over one four-game stretch, he was averaging 12.5 rebounds. That’s just absolutely insane as a guard.”

And Long knows that he can excel and make shots. He drilled 9 of 10 shots, including 5 of 6 3-pointers in a 25-point effort as the Judges rallied past Kettle Run on Monday.

“I’ve never coached a kid or played with a kid that has more confidence,” Harrell said. “If he makes the first one, the next nine are going up. And here lately, they’ve all been going in.”

Fusco also has been coming on, getting healthier after starting the season with an injury suffered in the Judges’ final football game.

“I started off with an ankle injury and it messed me up a little bit,” said Fusco, who had seven assists against the Colonels. “I came in doing what I had to do, being a team player and going around helping players and keeping them motivated. I’ve had a couple of bad games, but I’ve been doing what I have to do to make sure my team is pretty successful.”

“He’s become more efficient on the floor and I think time has helped him with that,” Harrell said.

The Judges left little doubt against the Colonels, who despite their record (1-13, 1-8) have given teams some fits this season.

Handley opened the game with a 10-0 run in the first 2½ minutes to take control. Cole Stowers (6) and Ashton Kees (4) combined for all of James Wood’s points in a 10-6 run to get to within 16-10, but the Colonels, who were playing without head coach Tim Wygant, would get no closer.

In the final 42 seconds of the period, Quincy Dinges nailed a 3-pointer, Fusco converted a layup and then was fouled on a 3-pointer at the buzzer. He made all three free throws and Handley led 24-10 after one quarter.

Handley’s lead grew as large as 40-19 in the second quarter before a bucket at the buzzer brought the Colonels to within 40-21 at the half.

The Judges led by as many as 26 points (55-29) in the third quarter before the Colonels closed to within 57-35 at the end of the period. Fusco’s jumper with six minutes to go pushed the lead to 63-35 and Harrell emptied his bench moments later.

Jacob Duffy added 10 points and three steals for the Judges. Stowers and Kees had 11 points each for the Colonels, while Josh Borromeo added nine.

Handley has a huge contest scheduled at district leader Millbrook on Friday. The district tournament looms as the quarterfinals begin on Feb. 11.

Harrell said the Judges are a hot topic among the district coaches, who talk together often.

“A lot of the coaches are saying, ‘You are the team we don’t want to see right now,’” Harrell said. “The challenge for our guys is can we keep that up, can we not plateau and can we continue to do the things we’re doing to win games. We’re winning games right now because we’ve developed so much humility as a team and we understand that winning is hard.

“Early on, we didn’t understand why we were losing. Now we understand how hard winning is and we’re doing all of those things.”

With the way they are playing so far in 2022, the Judges are confident.

“Honestly, on the route we’re going I feel like we’ll be fine,” Long said. “We’ll compete with everybody who wants to step up to us. We’ll be ready for anybody.”

“Our team is very talented,” said Fusco, the lone remaining starter from last season’s Class 4 runner-up squad. “We have a lot of individuals on the team who can do a lot of damage. When all of us are playing at full potential and all five of us are working together on the court and doing what we do best, we’re a pretty dangerous, scary team.”

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