East Meadow sets winning pace

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Head coach Pete Olenik expected East Meadow’s girls’ basketball team to surpass its 6-12 overall record from last season and even rack up double-digit wins. Entering this week’s action, the Lady Jets had already matched that win total (6-4 overall) with nine games remaining. 

“I thought going into the season this was a playoff team and I still believe that and I’m still confident we’re going to be a playoff team for the second year in a row,” he said. And East Meadow has maintained a winning record without second starter Hannah Arbuse, a junior guard who suffered a thumb injury in a 56-46 win over Seaford in the team’s second game.

Senior Nikki Kane has replaced Arbuse and “done a tremendous job of trying to fill a very difficult roster spot for us,” Olenik said. Meanwhile, Emily Shurina, the team’s top player, a junior shooting guard who earned All-County honors last year, has averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds a game. 

Shurina shined in a win against Westbury in early January, scoring 32 points before Olenik rested her the entire second half of the 74-28 blowout. In the prior game, a 61-56 loss to Hicksville, she netted 28 points. “Obviously, Emily’s production is pivotal to the success of our team, but even more so are the intangible factors: her leadership on and off the court,” the coach said. 

Olenik has also been especially pleased with the production of Alyssa Yablansky, a sophomore point guard who has averaged 7 points, 6 assists and 3.5 steals per night. “Alyssa has exceeded my expectations, especially at being a floor leader at such a young age,” he said.

At season’s start, the coach said senior forward Val Rios would need to compete to remain the fifth starter. Freshman Danielle Hippner has blossomed and limited her time. Hippner showed her potential when she scored 14 points and snatched 8 rebounds coming off the bench in the third game, a 64-32 loss to MacArthur.

“I think everyone noticed that that game was like Danielle’s coming out party, and since then she’s really turned it on,” Olenik said.

While Hippner will remain the fifth starter, she will miss four upcoming games due to a family-related issue. But Arbuse, who was able to avoid season-ending surgery on her thumb, was slated to return during that time in a home game against Valley Stream Central on Saturday.

Among the players who are expected to step up during Hippner’s hiatus are Gabriella Ewulu, a senior center who scored 13 points in a 57-45 win over Bellmore-JFK in mid-December, and Nicole Giblin, a starting junior forward who can also score double digits whenever she steps on the court.

To earn a playoff spot, East Meadow must vie with Port Washington, Hicksville and other evenly matched teams for the second to fourth spots in Conference AA-II.

“I don’t see us not being in the top four when it’s all said and done,” Olenik predicted.