A battle for first place took place this week as the Shoreham-Wading River Wildcats and Mount Sinai Mustangs went toe to toe in girls basketball.
For Shoreham-Wading River there was an additional goal because they stand as the only team in Suffolk who still have an undefeated record. The Wildcats continued their winning ways and their perfect season with a 36-32 win over Mount Sinai, in what proved to be one of the best games of the season.
The Wildcats came out of the locker room excited and motivated, but it was a tough first quarter for them. Head Coach Adam Lievre told me after the game that he liked their aggressiveness but the shots just weren't falling.
The game began with an empty possession by SWR that led to a big three pointer by Kyla Orlando to set the pace for Mount Sinai. But, as impressive as that deep three was it was not the headline, which was dominated by both of these teams excellent defensive play as the two teams both were getting good shots but defense ruled the early going. Mount Sinai took a 5-0 lead and after a few turnovers by both squads it was only 7-2 with half of the quarter gone. SWR started to play big under the boards but it was a struggle offensively and the quarter ended with both teams trying to find answers.
The first half was more of the same. After Alyssa Bell hit a corner three that gave the Wildcats their first lead at 8-7 and the game would be a one basket game most of the way from here on out. As the outside shooting began to become a priority both teams still were playing that clamp down defense and working for every point. The half ended with a fitting tie and a low scoring 14-14 stalemate as they went into the locker rooms.
Coach Lievre explained to me after the game that his half time speech was geared to the fact that they were getting good shots and kept at it. In fact he said they were going to change things up drastically before the three pointer and they stayed the course.
As the girls came out of the locker room it was more of the same and the score didn't change for almost 3 minutes into the second half.
Anabel Keegan looked determined to put some points on the board as she powered to the basket and after her shot didn't go in she kept at it and made it 16-14. Not even 10 seconds later Mia Betancourt hit a deep three for the Mustangs to quickly take the lead back.
A breakaway by Bell, where no one was near her turned the score back towards the home team 20-18 but that was followed by another dagger from the outside from Kyla Orlando. She went down hard on the three but got up to see the scoreboard show 21-20 Mustangs were back on top.
The game began to get chippy as there was a slew of whistles and questionable calls, and missed calls. Both coaches were visibly and audibly annoyed, but that just added to the intensity of the game.
After a give and go by Grayce Kitchen and another deep shot from Betancourt the third quarter ended with Mount Sinai getting out to their biggest lead since the early going up 28-22.
The Wildcats began to look crisp in the 4th quarter with their backs against the wall they came out fighting. Bell headed to the line and missed both shots but she got a pure hustle rebound and was brilliant in her kick out to Keegan who drilled the three pointer and cut the lead to two.
That's when Leslie Jablonski looked like she was fired out of a cannon. In a brilliant coaching move the "6th man" as coach Adam Lievre called her, was playing at a different speed than anyone else. She got a key steal and drove the length of the court out racing everyone for the bucket and one. As the entire Cats team began to run the floor and make it a fast-paced game with 3 minutes to go Jablonski again showed her speed and hit a deep two to make it 34-30 as she looked like the best player on the floor in the waning minutes.
Betancourt took a deep three with time winding down that was in and out that could have turned the game, but it was not to be. It was a good look and the crowd thought it would fall before rimming out. After that, we had a coach's strategy game play out with timely fouls and in-bounds in the last 30 seconds.
Shealyn Varbero got to the line with a chance to seal the game but missed both free throws, although she immediately sealed it another way by stealing the inbounds pass. She then ran the floor and drew the foul again. This was a big time hustle play and after she drilled the first it made it a 4 point game with 8 seconds to play and that would be the final.
With the victory Shoreham-Wading River ups their record to 12-0 on the season and they remain perfect in their division. They remain the only team unbeaten in Suffolk and look to be the team to be in the county.