By Jon Dinan
LOCH SHELDRAKE – March 1, 2013 — John A. Coleman Catholic (15–5), in its seventh consecutive trip to the Section IX–Class D championship game, handily defeated Eldred (5–15) 74-31 Wednesday night at SUNY Sullivan’s Paul Gerry Field House.
The Statesmen won five straight titles from 2007-2011, but lost to Livingston Manor in last year's final.
Some early perimeter sharp shooting from Eldred point guard Bray Curreri kept the game close during the opening minutes, with Coleman up 14-11 at quarter’s end. But turnovers would catch up to the Yellowjackets once Curreri began to cool off.
Eldred turned the ball over a total of 37 times in the contest.
The speedy and defensive- minded Coleman squad racked up steals and blocked shots at every turn, which led to a slew of fast-break buckets that resulted in a sudden separation in the score that occurred in the second quarter.
Coleman won the second quarter, 18-7, and led 32-18 at half.
Eldred’s leading rebounder and shot blocker Nick Dilles also found himself in foul trouble during the second quarter, and fouled out midway through the third.
Playing without their best defender for the majority of the third quarter caused the situation for Eldred to go from bad to worse. Coleman went on to outscore Eldred in the third 25-5, so going into the final quarter Eldred trailed by over 30 points.
Coleman Catholic will play the Section XI champion, Bridgehampton, in the first round of the state playoffs. That game will be played March 6 at 5 p.m. at Center Moriches High School. The winner of that game plays the Section 1 champion in a state quarterfinal on March 8.