Patron's 28 Points Lead Blue Devils
John Patron is on a tear. The Huntington High School senior scored 28 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the Blue Devils past visiting St. Dominic, 74-66 in a non-league game this week.
Patron is a star and he's playing like one. The teenager is a major factor on both ends of the court and is a dangerous scoring threat, both under the basket and from the perimeter. The Huntington team is starting to come together nicely as players and coaches get comfortable with each other.
The Blue Devils opened up a large lead in the opening minutes of the game, but St. Dominic battled back repeatedly and narrowed its deficit to a handful of points on several occasions, keeping the crowd of about 250 on edge.
"I was really happy with how our guys hung in there after St. Dom's fought back and made it a game," head coach Brad Reminick said. "They were hot from three, but the guys didn't panic."
Huntington's well-balanced attack never stopped humming for long. Seven different players scored in the game and the Blue Devils were able to consistently play at a fast pace. In his years as the Huntington girls' basketball coach, Reminick gained a reputation for sending highly conditioned players onto the floor. He has carried that philosophy over to the boys' program this winter.
Huntington led St. Dom's after one quarter, 20-10 and was ahead at halftime, 39-30. The Oyster Bay school outscored the Blue Devils in the second half, 36-35, but it wasn't enough to change the outcome.
"It was nice to see our pressure defense step-up and make some plays, but we still need a lot of work getting back in transition," Reminick said.
Patron showed again that he is on the cusp of joining the ranks of Long Island's elite players. "John Patron is a game changer and played well despite being in foul trouble," Reminick said.
The Blue Devils were a resilient bunch, adroitly handling the ups-and-downs of the game. "We had a bunch of calls not go our way. We didn't panic and I was really encouraged by that."
Patron was supported by a strong cast, including Trevon Brown (17 points, four steals, four assists), Tyre Brown (11 points), P.J. White (seven points), J.T. Taylor (five points) and John McCarthy (five points), who hit a huge three-pointer at a crucial point in the game. Javon Robinson added two points. Huntington's bench contributed by holding down the fort as the starters took some time to catch their breath.
Trevon Brown, Huntington's talented junior point guard, "really controlled the game in spots," Reminick said. If he can continue doing that and Patron and company can keep scoring and playing good defense, the Blue Devils will be a factor in Suffolk basketball this winter.
For now, Reminick is pleased with the team's 3-1 start. "We just want to keep improving," he said.