On Tuesday evening, Milford boys basketball hosted Sussex Central in a basketball game that could best be described as rugged. Milford, like most teams, has been suffering from a combination of illness and injuries of late. Despite these challenges, Milford would emerge with a well-earned 45-36 victory against the Golden Knights.
To say it was not pretty would be an understatement. To say the victory was gritty would be much more accurate. With both teams playing a tough and physical brand of basketball, you could sense the temperature on the court was rising. Then with 5:28 remaining in the second quarter it happened. Pushing and shoving turned into something else and suddenly both teams had a player ejected from the game.
“We really didn’t need that to happen, but sometimes it does. There is nothing you can do but try and regain your composure and get back on track.” Milford coach Lamarr Shorts stated.
As the first half progressed, it was clear that this contest was not going to be a scoring fest. With both teams struggling for offense, against a pair of aggressive defenses the score at halftime was tied at 17-17. In the locker room, coach Shorts addressed his team.
“I explained to them they should forget about the first half, we have 16 minutes of basketball ahead of us and it’s going to take all of us doing all the little things to come away with the win. I was very proud of how they responded,” Shorts said.
Milford slowly but surely began to take control. One of the key players for Milford was junior Karon Bacon who did it all on both ends of the court. His seven points, nine rebounds and eight assists only tell half the story. His work defensively was spectacular as he constantly cut off passing lanes and drew offensive fouls to keep Central from gaining traction.
“It was very important for us to find a grove and playing hard all way through the game was the way to do it,” Bacon said. “This is a team game, so I felt it was very important to do everything to help us get the win. We win and lose as a team.”
Another player who stood out in points and rebounds was senior Cayden Jarrett who added nine points, which included a clutch 3-point shot that gave Milford a more comfortable lead midway through the fourth quarter. Jarrett would be the game’s high scorer and was a constant presence on defense .
“It just turned out that I had some better shooting chances then some of our other guys, so I look at it as just part of my job,” Jarrett said. “It was really the team tonight, this was a true team win for us, that’s what this game is all about.”
Another player that should be acknowledged is the work of junior Adrian Keaton, who was the game’s top rebounder with 12. Speaking with Shorts about Keaton it was easy to see that he was pleased with his effort.
“We knew it was going to take everyone and Adrian really did a great job for us inside. It’s not just about the number of rebounds he had; it was all about the effort he gave all game long,” Shorts said.
After a fast start to the season, Milford now has a 10-2 record with their last loss coming on the road at Cape. In the much-anticipated clash between the Henlopen North opponents, Milford would come up on the wrong end of a 52-43 score. With the offense simply not up to snuff, coach Shorts was asked what was happening.
“We have had some players sick and some hurt, just like every other team,” Shorts responded. “So, we are being forced to find other ways to compensate. I am very proud with how our guys are fighting through this adversity, I believe that this will make us a better team in the long run.”
It doesn’t get easier, as on Thursday, the team travels up to Dover to face a 12-1 team, considered by many observers to be the best team in the conference.
