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A Lot Like the Varsity, John Jay 5/6 Team Wins First Round Game Versus Mahopac

Ball Movement and Team Play Makes for an Easy 35-22 Victory.

By Rich MonettiPublished 12 months ago 4 min read
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With the spotlight off the sports scene at the high school, the youth teams are stepping up and filling the void. The girls Tri-County Basketball travel team did the honors versus Mahopac on Thursday, March 2 at Lewisboro Elementary and definitely didn’t leave the fanbase feeling empty handed afterwards.

John Jay jumped out to a 19-4 lead and rode home a 35-22 first round victory.

Brynlee Davis did swish a jumper at the key, but the crowd quickly realized that the Wolves were only playing cat and mouse. Liana DiMatteo got strong under the boards for the put back, and on her toes, Danielle Weisfeler got the steal for a coast to coast layup.

A 4-2 lead, these cubs didn’t wait to show they have taken to John Jay basketball just like their elders. Sophya Papa was doubled teamed in the corner, and in finding an open DiMatteo for the layup, she later spoke right out of Mia Puccio’s playbook. “I always look to see who’s the open player,” said the guard.

There was no need for Kylie Bishop after the forward ripped down the defensive rebound. The big gathered the ball and went the length of the floor for the first of her game high 14 points.

Niki Sayegh didn’t seemed so bothered by the early 8-2 lead, though. The Indian received inside the arc and calmly made the jumper to cut the lead in half.

Bishop then matched the Indian in the unconcern. Bishop was left open and strode into a deuce for a 10-4 lead.

4:21 left in the first, Maddie DePonto was next. She ball-handled all the way around the arc, and when seeing a lane on the right, the post player made good on another John Jay fundamental.

She hit her layup. “Every practice we do machine gun, said DePonto. “You run around, you get a pass, then run to another pass and shoot.”

Also doing full court layups, according to DePonto, Lily Pelosi’s miss at the rim may have said otherwise. But she got to the line and closed the quarter with a 13-4 lead.

The break didn’t give Mahopac a breather either. Kathryn Hartney made her move, and when the defense converged, the point guard also put the lesson plan in motion. “I have to make sure we can move the ball around, get past the people in front, so we can drive to the basket,” said Hartney.

Bishop the beneficiary, the lead grew to 15-4, and dialing the deja vu, the John Jay faithful might have mistaken Weisfeler and Bishop for Puccio and Annabel Brennan. The two varsity players mastered the inbound play for numerous easy layups this season, and these two cubbies did the same dance like the varsity.

The lead would grow to 19-4 on another defensive rebound that had long legs. Caroline Civetta grabbed the board and went the length of the court for two. But Mahopac still came to play.

Leah Croce made a half court steal, converted the layup to close the half, and she also opened the third with a put back. Even so, John Jay wasn’t buying in on a comeback.

Ringing up at the register, Kenzi Skinner’s half court steal for an easy layup reset the tone - even if putting the ball in the basket isn’t the main part of her game. “I box out and keep them from going down the middle,” Kenzi assured.

Ava Kelley and Shannon Nolan know from that and couldn’t have said it any better. The big Wolves are quick with their hands too and so was Siena Giandalone. A steal for young John Jay baller, the lead grew back to 23-8, but the game is still 32 minutes long.

Sayegh again had ice water in her arteries to close to 23-10, and on a roll, Katie Hartnett toughed in a put back for an 11 point deficit. DiMatteo refused to succumb on the rebound, though. She pulled down two straight boards and went the length for a 27-12 lead.

Less than two minutes to go in the third, Bishop piled on and showed she could move without the ball just like Sela Halaifonua. DePonto and Lily Pelosi both hit the forward on the cut, and just because she was the high scorer, doesn’t mean the 6th grader thinks the credit is all hers. “We have to keep the team together and make sure it’s not just one player,” Bishop exuded leadership.

Seven straight points for Mahopac certainly made the case. But John Jay eventually got the stop they needed, and a great defensive effort overall, Pelosi described how she anchors in the backcourt. “I make sure if a ball is going to one side, I try to track and intercept,” the guard asserted.

The game was put away by two more long range layups by Bishop, and afterwards Coach Lizzie Cazzari took stock in how well the learning curve is going. “Starting the culture is exciting, and they are buying into everything I’m saying,” said Cazzari. “It’s pretty fun.”

So is winning, and expecting to continue making the grade, Emily Fulton didn’t hesitate in saying how far this team can go. “Far,” she concluded.

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About the Creator

Rich Monetti

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