ROCK FALLS Saturday was already set to be a long day for the Newman boys basketball team.

If the Comets continued to play like they had for the first quarter of its Saturday afternoon game against Mercer County, the day was going to be quite a bit longer.

Luckily for coach Ray Sharp and the Comets, improved play in the final three quarters allowed the afternoon to be a bit more enjoyable following a 39-27 victory over Mercer County in the Sauk Valley Bank Shootout.

Knowing we had to play [two] games today, maybe our kids were thinking about that, said Sharp, whose team fell behind 11-0 to start the contest and trailed 14-4 after the first quarter.

We cant be worrying about that, Sharp said. We needed to worry about this game and not worry about having to play two games today. That second game is just a bonus for us today.

Things couldnt have started worse for Newman. Shaky perimeter defense allowed the Golden Eagles (3-9) to get open looks from long range, and their shooters took advantage, connecting on four 3-point field goals. Meanwhile, the Comets looked lost offensively, turning the ball over several times in the first quarter. The poor play prompted a bold move from coach .

I subbed five for five to wake the first five up, and see if we find people that could play better, he said. Weve got to be ready to play from the start.

The Comets starters were back on the court to start the second quarter, and they quickly got into a groove, tying the game 14-14, 3 minutes into the frame on a bucket by junior center Noah McCarty, and taking its first lead at 19-17 on a basket by Nolan McGinn. McCarty led the Comets with 14 points and nine rebounds, and McGinn added with 10 points and six rebounds.

We had three turnovers and one missed shot in our first four possessions, McCarty said. We need to come out better. As the game went on, we settled down.

The Comets settled down to the tune of holding the Eagles to six points over the second and third quarters combined to put a stranglehold on the contest.

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Boys basketball: Comets pull off double play