Watching the state-ranked Chapel Hill Red Devils warm-up before last Friday’s game against the Mineola Yellowjackets left one thought in mind, ’they spend a  lot of time handling the ball.’

That became evident when Chapel Hill outscored Mineola by 14 points in the second half to take a 53-34 win.  

For the first two quarters, however, the Yellowjackets stood toe-to-toe against the fifth-ranked team in Class 3A. 

Braydon Alley was his powerful self, dominating the boards and going up strong to the basket every time. In a game which redefined the concept of incidental contact, Alley got hammered inside most of the night, but could not get the benefit of a whistle. He was however inexplicably whistled three times for charging.

On the night Alley tallied 13 points and point guard Keke Martin 14. 

Chapel Hill carried a one-point margin, 12-11 into the second quarter. They stretched that lead to as much as nine points, largely through exhaustively running the floor. The home side also exploited baseline and backdoor passing. 

A Martin drive, an Alley length-of-the-floor score and a jumper from Caden Rupert closed the margin to five points at the half.

Mineola denied the Red Devils an open shot at the end of the half in an excellent defensive stand. 

Although it was only a five-point lag, the Jackets had to know that they could not allow Chapel Hill to go on a run. 

The first three minutes of the third quarter determined the game. Chapel Hill went on a 9-1 run. They scored on the baseline, an offensive rebound put-back, a corner 3-pointer and off a Mineola turnover.

In a snap Mineola was behind by 13 points, and the game was effectively over.   

Alley picked up his fourth foul and sat for the last two minutes of the third quarter. Chapel Hill took immediate advantage by scoring inside. 

Chapel Hill led 40-26 after three quarters. 

With four minutes to play, the Red Devils exercised a delaying four corner offense which they executed to perfection. Each possession burned about 40 seconds off the clock and resulted in a backside lay-up. 

The fight, of course, never left the Yellowjackets, but they ran out of basketball answers against a talented Red Devil side.

The Yellowjackets sit in second place in the district standings. They host Harmony on Friday to conclude the first round of district play.