OUTSIDE THREAT: Kyle Burke of Ivy Inn dribbles on the perimeter last week in the championship series of the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League. Burke scored a team-high 13 points, including 4 three-pointers, to help Ivy Inn top Winberie’s/Miller Lite 41-32 last Wednesday and knot the best-of-three series at 1-1. Ivy Inn, though, went on to lose the finale 45-41 last Friday at the Community Park courts.
(Photo by Stephen Goldsmith)

Kyle Burke acknowledges that he has misfired a bit this season for the Ivy Inn squad in the Princeton Recreation Department Summer Men’s Basketball League.

“I haven’t shot the ball too well pretty much the whole summer,” said Burke, a guard known for his long-range shooting.

In Game 1 of the league’s best-of-three championship series on July 30, Burke tallied just three points as fifth-seeded Ivy Inn fell 48-41 to No. 2 Winberie’s/Miller Lite.

But in Game 2 last Wednesday night at the Princeton High gym, Burke heated up on the perimeter as Ivy Inn looked to stay alive and force a decisive third game in the series.

The former College of New Jersey standout nailed a three-pointer in the waning seconds of the first half to give Ivy Inn a 24-15 lead at intermission. He hit two more key threes in the second half as Ivy Inn pulled away to a 41-32 win.

“That changed the momentum,” said Burke, referring to his three-pointer right before the half. “Anything I can give us is a bonus.”

In reflecting on the win, Burke said each of the Ivy Inn players on hand gave their all.

“We just had a good all-around effort,” said Burke, who scored a total of 13 points, including 4 three-pointers, on the night with Mark Aziz adding 10 points and recently graduated PHS standout Davon Black chipping in six.

“We played a lot harder than Monday night and the results definitely showed that. We usually get off to good starts but we don’t finish. Tonight, we were able to finish.”

While Ivy Inn didn’t finish with the result it wanted as it fell 45-41 to Winberie’s on Friday in Game 3 of the series, the squad showed class to the end.

“When we get down or the other teams make a run, we know to stay composed,” asserted Burke of the team that won four of six summer league titles from 2005 to 2010.

“We don’t yell at each other, we don’t fight. We have been here before so we are mature about it.”