Stevenson’s basketball team shot the ball from downtown often on Tuesday night. As a result, the team made over 50 percent of attempts from the 3-point line.

Coach Mark LaCombe said it’s something to get used to.

Stevenson (6-1, 2-0 MAC Red) earned a 78-46 win against MAC Red Division opponent Eisenhower (5-1, 1-1 MAC Red) behind 57.4 percent shooting from the field.

“When we share it well, we put points on the board,” LaCombe said. “That’s what it was about today. We knew today was huge to establish who we are in the league. We really did that at a high-level today.”

Senior guard Brandon Michrina tossed in 21 points for the Titans, while 6-foot-8 senior center Ethan Peck chipped in 16 points and a plethora of rebounds for a double-double.

“Ethan ran the floor well, which got him some early points,” LaCombe said. “He controls rebounds when he gets them, which is a big important from where he was a year ago. For Ethan, he’s as valuable for us as anybody.”

Michrina only had 13 points entering the fourth quarter, but he put the finishing touch on Stevenson’s blowout with three baskets in a row for eight points to start the final eight minutes.

Peck scored the first points of the game just 51 seconds into the contest on a layup, and Stevenson never looked back. Eisenhower took its only lead, 5-4, on a 3-pointer from junior Matteo Candela, but a 15-4 run put Stevenson in the driver’s seat.

The run was paced by senior guard Ayhem Hanna, who found the bottom of the net on three-straight 3-pointers. He had 14 points at halftime and never scored again.

“The thing for us is to shoot good shots,” LaCombe said. “We have so many good shooters. We have four or five legit 3-point shooting threats. It’s a huge part of our offense.”

Midway through the second quarter, as 3:42 remained, Stevenson senior guard Jerry Wilson put a shot-fake on Eisenhower’s Lorenzo DiLisio and sent him to the sideline bleachers.

Faking DiLisio out of bounds, Wilson stood all alone at the left wing and buried a 3-pointer to put his team in front, 32-20.

Even with a 42-25 halftime advantage, Stevenson kept its foot on the gas pedal.

Senior guard Ray Sumpter went coast-to-coast on a steal-and-score for a 21-point lead with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter. The defensive play translating into offense is something LaCombe preached to his squad throughout the offseason and into pre-season practice.

“The thing for me is that we defend,” LaCombe mentioned. “We challenge shots better than anybody around. We contested all but maybe four shots tonight. And we can shoot – that makes us dangerous.” 

Stevenson senior center Steven Nichols entered the game for the first time with four minutes remaining. Sending the crowd into a frenzy, he drew a charge on his opening defensive possession. Nichols added two points and five rebounds.

LaCombe, with a smile on his face, said getting Nichols into the game and watching him produce was his favorite moment from the contest.

“The one thing that separates us from others is our chemistry,” LaCombe added. “We have unbelievable chemistry from top to bottom. For Steven, who doesn’t get a lot of time, to go right in and contribute is what makes this awesome.”

Candela scored a team-high 14 points for Eisenhower in the loss. Junior Anthony Cukaj added nine for the Eagles.

While Stevenson shot with success, Eisenhower made just 32.7 percent of attempts from the field and 22.7 percent from 3-point range.

Eisenhower showed off its three-headed monster on Thursday night.

The Eagles’ trio of Matteo Candela, Lorenzo Dilisio and Anthony Cukaj combined for 46 points, leading Eisenhower to a 67-49 MAC Red Division win over host L’Anse Creuse North.

“They were around a lot during the summer and they’re good players,” Eagle coach Tom Antishin said. “We’ve worked a ton on defense since Day 1, probably more so than on offense. Right now, it’s starting to come together, but it’s not perfect.”

Eisenhower never trailed in this one, jumping out to a 17-16 lead after one quarter, before extending that advantage to 33-29 at halftime. Candela had nine points in the opening half, while Dilisio added seven

“We got off to a strong start at the beginning, going on a nice little run there,” Antishin said. “We knew (LCN) was going to come back and they did. We would go on a run and they would go on a run.”

The Eagles took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring the Crusaders 22-10, extending their lead to 55-39 heading into the final period. Cukaj had seven points in the period, while Dilisio added six points.

“At halftime we talked about handling (LCN’s) pressure and taking control of the game,” Antishin said. “I thought we did a good job of that in the second half.”

“Decision making is a huge struggle for us and I didn’t anticipate that,” LCN coach Jay Seletsky said. “Our guards are struggling so we have to simplify some things, and we have to keep educating to make it easier on them.”

Candela led the Eagles with 20 points, while Dilisio and Cukaj each added 13 points. The win improved Eisenhower’s record to 5-0 overall, 1-0 league.

LCN was led by Christian Johnson and Jordan Brossoit with eight points each.

“Shot selection was better tonight,” Seletsky said. “Give Ike a lot of credit because they hit a lot of contested shots. We have to keep getting better.”

The loss dropped the Crusaders’ record to 0-3 overall, 0-1 league. Seletsky said this year’s team is a work in progress, and he’s confident this team will get better.

 “I think we’re really having to educated and teach a lot more than I anticipated this year,” Seletsky said. “But, we’re up for the challenge. We’re going to have a lot of learning curves early on.”

Well, the Eisenhower Eagles have something else to pack prior to their spring break trip to Florida’s St. Pete’s Beach.

That is a 12-3 win over host L’Anse Creuse North.

Coach Steve Spisak’s team broke out to a 5-0 lead in the third inning, and were never challenged in their season-opener Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Colin Seeling went four innings and struck out six.

“I thought we played well in all three facets; pitching, defense and hitting. I am very happy with the performance today,” said Spisak. “I was happiest that 19 of our 22 players got in the game, and the three that didn’t are strictly pitchers. Everyone added some dynamic to the win today.”

Eisenhower has a game schedule against Utica on Thursday, but if the meteorologists are correct, that could get rained out.

If you listen to the Florida Commission of Tourism, it never rains in the Florida. In fact, Florida is called the Sunshine State.

Spisak, and coaching staff, the players and their families are counting on that billing.

Once again the Eagles are heading to Florida for a spring break full of sun, sand and baseball. Coach Spisak has a three-hour chunk carved out of every day to take the diamond at a nearby high school. Stevenson will be on the adjacent diamond.

“We start playing ball down there on Monday,” said the Eisenhower coach. “We stay in a resort in St. Pete Beach. We can’t scrimmage another team due to state rules, so we scrimmage ourselves. The previous coach started it and we just kept it going. It’s more about bonding and having fun. It’s more like a family vacation for the kids with a few hours of baseball every day.”

Don’t be fooled. Those scrimmages will be competitive. The coach knows that is what it takes to get ready for the season to really begin.

“Expectations are super high. We said the same thing last year and we say it every year at Eisenhower. Our goals are MAC Red championships, district, regional and state championships. That is the way it is every year,” said Spisask.

The team’s core is its senior captains; first baseman Nick Hartley, shortstop Joey Cammarata, catcher Max Tomaczewski, and pitcher Kyle Nash.

“They are senior leaders who did everything the right way last year,” said their coach. “They saw what it takes to win a district championship and compete in regionals.”

Last year, the Eagles won a district title and fell to Brother Rice, 6-4, in a regional semifinal game.