After digging itself a hole in the Conference AA-II standings, the MacArthur boys’ varsity basketball team started clawing its way back into playoff contention with a 54-44 win against Long Beach on Monday, Jan. 11.
Sophomore guard William Cheshire contributed a game-high 14 points, while senior guard Sal Sanquini had 12 points and junior forward Charles Cintron had 10 points as the Generals notched their first league win after a 0-4 start.
With the Generals clinging to a 30-28 lead late in the third quarter, Sanquini banked a three-point shot off the backboard, then produced a steal and driving lay-up and the Generals opened a seven-point lead. After Long Beach closed to within five points in the fourth quarter, Cheshire nailed his fourth three-pointer of the game with two minutes, four seconds remaining to help secure the victory. Cintron hit his final field goal, took a charge and drained two free throws in the final minute.
The win, which kept MacArthur (4-6 overall) in postseason contention despite the slow start to conference play, came on the heels of a narrow 39-36 loss at Massapequa two days earlier. In that game, senior guard Andrew Mege hit a three-pointer with 40 seconds left to give MacArthur a 36-34 lead, which it was unable to hold. Cheshire also led the Generals in scoring against Massapequa with 10 points, followed by junior guard Kevin Monahan with nine points, including a clutch three-pointer with 1:52 left that pulled the Generals within a point.
MacArthur plays at first-place Oceanside on Friday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. The Generals then host Great Neck South on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 7:15 p.m.
