Boys Basketball: Dulaney Outplayed by Milford Mill

Winning has a distinct sound, no matter the final score.

In Wednesday night’s sonata, the Milford Mill Millers used a second-half accelerando, accompanied by a slow-building crescendo, during their 84-55 victory over the .

Dulaney head coach Matt Lochte recognized the song and told his players to listen. It was a tune written for a blowout, reaching its peak in the final minutes, when Richard Amaya made his first appearance on the court and made a three-pointer. The score elicited a roar from Milford Mill’s supporters, louder than for any dunk or block.

“I told my guys late in the game, ‘Do you hear that sound?’” Lochte said. “They’re cheering for their last guy on the bench to get that bucket. That’s a winning sound. You don’t get that same cheer for your last guy on your bench to get that bucket when you’re down 20. ... Hear that, because it sounds good.”

After falling behind by a small margin in the first quarter, Dulaney battled back against the defending 3A state champions. The Lions recovered from a 27-18 first-quarter deficit, holding a one-point lead before the Millers retook the lead at halftime, 36-33.

Heading into the third movement, Milford Mill (12-2) wasn’t going to allow the Lions to sniff another lead.

The Millers tightened up their defense, using a stifling man-to-man that rarely gave Dulaney any space. With their defenders close, the Lions took several off-balance shots. And when the shots clanged off the rim, the Millers were there to gather the rebounds and rapidly move the ball to their offensive end.

Using quick inside-outside passing, Milford Mill went on a 16-2 run to open the second half, with six points coming off offensive rebounds. During that stretch, six Millers contributed points.

“There were a lot of open baskets [in the first half]. Good teams make open shots and that’s what they were doing,” Milford Mill head coach Al Holley said. The Millers came out of the half with “a lot more energy. They played the game like they really wanted to be playing the game,” Holley continued. 

Milford Mill continued to cruise past the Lions and with four minutes left to play held a 20-point lead, its largest of the game. Holley emptied his bench as the game winded down, allowing 13 players to reach the scoreboard. But no other player received as much praise for their score as Amaya.

The loss makes the 5-11 Lions’ goal of finishing the season at .500 less likely; to do so, they will have to win their final six games.

“A loss like that, I know I’m feeling it. A lot of other guys are feeling it,” said Dulaney senior Justin Armstrong, who finished with six points. “I think we’re going to use this to make those [six] wins that much easier.