The College Park Skyhawks Sour to Another Blowout Win Against Long Island Nets
Long Island, New York- The Long Island Nets welcomed the College Park Skyhawks Monday night riding a five-game winning streak.
After a win against the Westchester Knicks on Saturday, the Nets hoped to improve their standings in the Showcase Cup. The hope of continuing the winning streak ended after a 124-101 blowout loss to the Skyhawks.
The loss brings the Nets to 5-5 on the season and leaves the team without a home win 10 games into the year.
Slow Start
The first quarter for the Nets started very sluggishly, with the Hawks getting out to an early lead. Poor shot selection and the inability to get back on defense led to easy transition opportunities for the Hawks as they jumped to an 11-point lead in the first half.
The Nets offense struggled in the first quarter as well, with over half of their points being scored by two players. Turnovers also played a factor as the Nets had almost double the number of turnovers as the Hawks going into halftime.
Three Point Barrage
By far the biggest factor in this game was three-point shooting. The Nets and Hawks both hit 17 threes for the game, however, the Hawks attempted 15 more threes than College Park, allowing the Hawks to capitalize off more efficient shooting.
The poor shot selection on threes for the Nets also contributed to long rebounds and fast break chances for the Hawks which also proved detrimental.
Having the Nets Number
This is now the third game that Nets have played against the Skyhawks with all three games ending in double-digit losses. When asked about the troubles this team causes the Nets, Head coach Ronnie Burell likened the issues to the Hawks' combination of an athletic backcourt and physicality. The Hawks' backcourt led by veteran guard Langston Galloway combined for 44 points. Forward Tyrese Martin also contributed 26 points for the night.
Bright Spots for Nets Despite Loss.
Although the game ended in a blowout, veteran guard Chris Chioza continued his playmaking for the Nets. Chioza entered the game tied for the league leader in assists per game at 11. Chioza finished the game with a whopping 17 assists. Coach Burell called Chioza the engine to the team and expressed his trust in the guard despite the big load.
Aftermath
Following this loss, the Nets sit at 5-5, fifth in the Showcase Cup standings. The team now looks to bounce back from the loss and get their first home win of the season, as they will welcome the 3-5 Delaware Blue Coats to Long Island on December 5th.