Junior forward Alex Buford goes through the defense for a layup. (Damion Reid)
In 17 years as the boys basketball coach at Poly Prep, Bill McNally has had teams big and small, quick and slow, perimeter-oriented and inside-dominated.
Never, however, has McNally coached such a young team.
His starting five is comprised of two sophomores (Anthony Reyes and Faton Bauta), two juniors (Alex Buford and Bradley Gifford) and a senior transfer (Len Chenfeld).
“It’s a change of pace for us,” McNally said. “It’s more teaching to get the guys better, which has been fun, and they’re great, great in practice, real enthusiastic. In the long run, it will pay off. But we’ll have some growing pains.”
Wednesday’s 65-49 loss at rival Collegiate, the two-time State Federation Class B champions, was one of them. Poly got off to a slow start and never could find a rhythm offensively on the Dutchmen’s closet of a court. The Blue Devils trailed 14-6 after the first quarter, by 10 at halftime and never got the deficit under nine.
McNally lamented Poly Prep’s shooting woes and inability to get out in transition, one of its strengths. Chenfeld, the newcomer from Hunter, managed just nine points. Buford and Gifford, the two juniors, had 13 points apiece and Reyes had eight.
“We got some good looks, we got off to a slow start, but we were just missing,” he said. “We were in the game, but you got to make baskets. It’s basketball. I don’t think it was too complicated.”
McNally sees plenty of potential in this group. Although Poly Prep is just 4-5, it has hung tough against tough foes such as St. Mary’s (L.I.), Bishop Ford and Boca Raton (Fla.). The Blue Demons are 2-1 in the Ivy League, with comfortable victories over Riverdale and Fieldston.
The two 6-foot-4 juniors, Buford and Gifford, are able to play inside and out while the Brandeis-bound Chenfeld can light it up from the perimeter. Reyes, a skilled sophomore, received essential experience last year when senior Steven Lazzaro was lost for the season due to a heart condition.
“We have potential to be good, and we’ve showed signs of that at times,” McNally said. “When you have a young team, they’re only going to get better. Certain guys have to be more consistent.”
Clearly, Poly Prep has a way to go. Although he is Poly Prep’s lone senior, Chenfeld is learning a new system and being asked to do different things. He isn’t surrounded by upperclassmen who have been there before. The Blue Devils, in fact, saw their 10-year run as Ivy League champions end last year.
“We’re young and I think we have plenty of room for improvement,” McNally said. “They’re a hard-working group. We make some shots, we’ll be fine. I think we’re the type of team that in Februrary can be very good.”