By Max Molski
The Brotherhood rocked the first two weeks of the 2016 Legacy League season with a high-flying offense, averaging 100 points in its first two games. On Tuesday, the Brotherhood used its suffocating press to smother Blood, Sweat and Beers in a 69-43 victory.
“Today was a little different. We felt like we had a little competition,” Brotherhood guard Jibril Chisholm said. “[Blood, Sweat and Beers] was a little chatty so we had to adjust to it, but nothing we can’t handle.”
While the 69 points were a season-low for The Brotherhood (3-0), the 43 points were also the fewest the team had given up this season. The team held Blood, Sweat and Beers (2-1), who had scored 10 or more points in each quarter of its first two games, to 18 points in the first half.
“They played physical. We played physical,” Blood, Sweat and Beers forward Cody Dileonardo, who finished with a team-high 11 points on the night, said. “We were just turning the ball over and giving them fast-break points, and we know that’s their strong suit.”
While The Brotherhood did not explode in steals, earning 11 on Tuesday compared to the 27 it earned against And-1 last week, or field goal attempts, putting up just 47 compared to 95 last week, it still put the game out of Blood, Sweat and Beers’ reach.
Michael Davis led The Brotherhood with 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting, while also dishing out five assists. Tyrhon Coward and Derrick Davis each added 12 points.
The Brotherhood doubled its 10-point halftime lead in the third quarter by outscoring Blood, Sweat and Beers 23-13 before expanded its lead in the fourth quarter to secure its third straight win.
“[Blood, Sweat and Beers] brought different skills to the game than the other two teams,” Chisholm said. “It felt like we had to slow it down, maybe, change our game a little bit and make adjustments.”
Blood Sweat and Beers will look to avenge its first loss next week when the team faces off against And-1 (0-3). On the other hand, The Brotherhood will look to maintain its perfect record in a showdown against Run TMC (1-2). While his team has torn apart the competition in the opening stretch to the season, Chisholm says The Brotherhood will not get ahead of itself.
“We’re just going game by game,” Chisholm said. “We study our opponent game by game, and take it from there.”
