Baldwin dominating with balance

Matching up against Baldwin hasn’t been easy for any opponent during the 2014-15 basketball season. In fact, this Lady Bruins’ unit is certainly on par, if not playing at an even higher level than the three Nassau County championship winning teams the program has churned out over the last four seasons.

The returning balance of veterans and battle-tested younger players has helped lift Baldwin to not only a perfect mark through the end of January (12-0 overall, 10-0 in Conference AA-II) but also in dominating fashion.

“We had 11 players returning so we had a ton of experience,” head coach Tom Catapano said. “We had a good run last season and made it upstate [to the New York State Tournament], so the expectations were high.”

The Lady Bruins won their 10th consecutive Conference AA-II this season on Jan. 23, in a 62-33 decision over Valley Stream Central that included a halftime edge of 34 points. Senior Tiara Place, one of two returning All-County honorees, led the way with 15 points and 15 rebounds, while freshman Aziah Hudson chipped in with 15 points and senior Jade Aponte added 10.

A frenetic, yet controlled defense sets the tone for Baldwin, and it normally starts the second the game tips off. Baldwin has outscored its last five opponents by a combined 224-71 in the first half, allowing 10 points or less in each of the 10 quarters and no team has hit 20 points after the first 16 minutes. But if there’s one difference between this season, and the recent championship winning teams, it’s likely on the offensive side of the floor. “We have a plethora of options,” Catapano said. “We can play inside or outside. Jade [Aponte] has had a great season shooting the ball outside, Aziah [Hudson] is getting to the rim, [senior] Taylor [Howell] is getting her points on defense and the bench is good.”

And that’s without even mentioning senior Lames El Gammal, like Place, a returning All-County honoree, down in the low post. “Everyone on the roster is playing at least 14 minutes a game,” Catapano said. “It gives them valuable varsity experience and rewards them for all of the hard work they do on the practice floor.”

Ten of the players on the roster hit the scoreboard for Baldwin in a 77-39 victory over Hicksville on Jan. 20, including four who hit double figures. Hudson had a game-high 12, while eighth-grader Kaia Harrison and Place each had a dozen. Sophomore Montia Moon had 10, as the Lady Bruins jumped out to a 27-3 edge after the first quarter and led 54-11 at the half.

“We have more offensive firepower in the past,” Catapano said. “I think we have the ability to score points and in bunches quickly. It seems like every game we’re able to go on a run and break it open.”

Already locked into a playoff berth and set to defend the Nassau County crown, Baldwin closes out its regular-season schedule at Oceanside this Friday, and home against Plainview JFK on Monday. Both games are scheduled to tipoff at 7 p.m.