Somers Opens Season with Victory Over Eastchester

After Lindsay McCullough went glass to get the first points of the season on Friday December 9, visiting Eastchester scored nine straight. So the Tuskers obviously needed a reset. “We had to calm down, pull ourselves together and make sure we played good defense and rebounded the ball,” said Olivia Allegretti. The agenda laid out, the Tuskers delivered.

Getting the lead by the end of the quarter, Somers notched their first win by a score of 42-30.

Still, Somers had to endure the introduction to the Eastchester backcourt. In between Deanna Biancardi dropping a three and driving the baseline for two, Leonida Perlleshi knocked down coast to coast layups on consecutive steals.

In front by seven, Eastchester didn’t enjoy the advantage for long. Ashley Kuchinsky broke the string with her own baseline drive, and not quite on holiday, Allegretti also went bicoastal to get her team within three.

One minute left in the first, Eastchester then played the very obliging guests to close the quarter. First Kayla Comizio put Lindsay McCullough on the line for three, and two free throws sunk, backcourt pressure had Sydney Ingraham getting the fast break layup on the steal.

Biancardi didn’t go away, though, and Allegretti could attest first hand. “She’s a really good player,” said the junior, and the point guard opened the second with a three.

Now 12-10 in favor of the Eagles, the game would go back and forth. In keeping, Caitlin Mayfield fed Kuchinsky after getting the offensive rebound, and Comizio went around the screen to re-nail a one point Eastchester lead.

Not for long, Julia Schmidberger did her part off the bench. “I’m pretty much there to take the pressure off Kaycie,” said the backup, and refusing to give up on a loose ball down low, her mini hook regained the lead for Somers.

3:10 left in the half, Somers applied the pressure again. Ingraham would get the steal and dish to an open Lindsay McCullough for the easy layup.

Separation or a lead for Somers was not to be, though. Comizio got one at the line after her steal, Lily Joyce’s penetration did the same for Riley Conway, and Biancardi’s explosive drive from half court gave the visitors an 18-17 lead at the buzzer.

So the needed adjustments were obvious for Coach Kevin Mallon. “We kept going under the screen and she (Biancardi) was hitting threes,” he said.

Going over, Somers stayed strong on the picks, and Allegretti laid out the other blueprint in regards to the guard. “We had to stay to her dominant hand,” said the forward.

An implementation that began immediately. Kuchinsky stayed left, and after Biancardi gave up the ball, Comizio tried to force a pass inside.

Somers came away with the turnover, and Ingraham put her team on the break by quickly getting the rock ahead to Allegretti. She went the distance and converted the three point play to gain the lead for good.

Somers wasn’t done hitting triples either, and defense allowed the Tuskers to swing away. On consecutive possessions, backcourt pressure led to a steal for Lindsay McCullough and a traveling call on Comizio, and the ball on rotation, McCullough and Kuchinsky opened a 26-18 lead.

Of course, Somers could play inside too, and Kacey McCullough made it sound simple. “My job is to post up,”she assured, and the center got three baskets underneath to give her team a 32-22 lead.

Still, Biancardi scored another layup at the buzzer and then crossed through the paint for a hard earned lay up. But the mini run didn’t knock Somers off its game, and Allegretti stood tall on the pedestal.

She drove hard to the hoop for the conventional three point play, dribbled penetrated for Kuchinsky’s corner three, and grabbing the defensive board, the Ursuline transfer went the length of the court to the coach’s delight. “We’re very lucky to have her,” said Mallon.

But her play wasn’t, and Allegretti knew for score for the sea change that brought victory. “I think this team staying together and picking each other back up was really important,” she concluded.