Trailing by 10 points in the second quarter in its conference opener at Hicksville, the MacArthur boys basketball team received a lift from its youngest member.
Sophomore guard Gerard Cunningham hit three three-pointers in the final 2:27 of the first half to move the Generals within a point at the break. MacArthur went on to produce its first win of the 2010-11 season, 48-43 over Hicksville on Friday, Dec. 17, to take an early lead in the Conference AA-II standings.
The Generals (1-1 overall, 1-0 conference) pulled even at 25 in the third quarter on a lay up by senior guard Jamie McAndrew. MacArthur then completed that 8-0 run and took the lead for good when junior forward Dan Svenelid produced consecutive baskets and senior guard Kevin Monahan had a driving lay up.
Svenelid also had a big offensive rebound of a missed Generals free throw and putback with 4:53 remaining in the fourth quarter to give MacArthur a 44-36 lead.
Monahan finished with a team-high 11 points. Cunningham matched a career high with nine points. Junior forward Kevin Roach and Svenelid had eight points apiece.
The Generals complete their non-conference schedule at the South Side tournament in Rockville Centre.
MacArthur faces the host team on Tuesday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m., and then opposes either Kellenberg or Farmingdale the following day at 5 or 7 p.m.
MacArthur’s next conference game is at home against Plainview JFK on Tuesday, Jan. 4 at 6:15 p.m.
