Nassau Girls Regroup For Win
When Mei Lyn Battista from St. Mary’s knocked down a three pointer for a 9-0 Nassau lead, it was still early, but the game was starting to have the feel of a blowout. The Suffolk girls could not find the basket from anywhere on the court and looked flustered, and the 9-0 lead became 16-4 on Batista’s three and Nani Redford’s fast break basket, and then 24-6 on two free throws by Jordan Agustus from St. Mary’s and one by Melanie Hingher from Massapequa. The girls from eastern Long Island didn’t seem to be able to do anything to stop it, but John Glenn’s Tanna Mohammed gave them the spark they needed with a big left wing 3, and then Donasja Scott from Harborfields knocked down two free throws, and Alexia Douglas two more to ignite a 12-1 Suffolk run, capped off by a three pointer by North Babylon’s Briana Jones that cut the deficit to 6. Nassau’s Boogie Brozoski stalled the run, scoring on a nice drive and drawing a foul, but a tough putback by Huntington’s Heather Forster at the 1:51 mark and it was a 6 point game again. Nassau dug in its heels, closing out the half with a free throw by Augustus and a deep three by Brozoski to lead 35-25 as the teams headed into the locker room. Douglas looped into the lane and hit a runner for Suffolk to start the second half, and when Jones rebounded her own shot and scored and then spun and banked one off the glass at the 16:35 mark, they were back within 4. Two free throws by Brianna Jones and a nice turnaround shot from the low post by Commack’s Chelsea Shultz tied it with 15:04 to play, and then a steal and fast break basket by Douglas gave Suffolk their first lead. The teams traded baskets and the lead to the 10:15 mark, when a jumper by LuHi’s Grace Stone from behind the left elbow and a three pointer from the top by Hingher made it 50-45 Nassau. Battista’s steal and basket made it a 7 point game, and then back to back sets of free throws by Augustus and Brozoski with 6:06 showing put Nassau up 59-50. Brozoski’s three from the left wing made it 64-54 with 4:21 remaining, and then her three point play gave Nassau a 13 point lead and Suffolk was in trouble with just 3:51 on the game clock. They inched closer on a drive by Jayla Jones-Pack from St. Anthony’s and two free throws by Jones, and had a chance to pull within 7, but missed two free throws and Floral Park’s Kaela Hilaire knocked down two on the other end and Augustus scored on a drive to put Nassau up 71-58 with 2:05 left. Garden City’s Sam Aurrichio and Hilaire added two more sets of free throws and it was game over! 75-62 final. MVP Boogie Brozoski finished with 23 for Nassau, Augustus with 9, and Battista had 8. Jones led Suffolk with 17.
ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
