Mules prep for L.I. title game

It’s no surprise the ball is still bouncing in the gymnasium at Malverne High School. While most teams have packed away the basketball gear, March is a month the Mules are accustomed to playing in. 

Malverne (14-5), winner of the past three Long Island Class B championships, will look to make it four straight when it takes on Wyandanch (14-7) on March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Bay Shore High School. The rich basketball history at Malverne includes 11 Long Island titles.

While the regular season usually means a minimum of two games per week, the Mules are in the midst of a lengthy layoff since knocking off Oyster Bay to win the Nassau Class B championship. A total of 17 days will have passed when the Mules finally hit the floor to battle with Wyandanch. 

Coach Darrol Lopez has no problem with the long break between games. “We’ve been there many times before, so we’re used to it,” Lopez said. “The break enables us to get in better condition to do what we do best, which is to play pressure defense. We do a lot of running, put the boys through more drills, and get them in better playing shape. I actually welcome the break.”

Wyandanch, which knocked off Center Moriches to capture its 11th Suffolk County championship, is more or less a carbon copy of Malverne. The Warriors are an extremely athletic unit, which looks to pressure the ball, and force turnovers. 

This is not the first time the Mules have met Wyandanch for Long Island bragging rights. The Warriors knocked off Malverne 78-72 in the 2006 L.I. championship game. The Mules exacted a little revenge the following year with an 80-71 win, on the way to their 2007 state title.

Wyandanch is led by guard Qualice Jones (17.8 points per game) and forward Saheam King (12.5 ppg, 10 rebounds). King had 19 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in the county title game. The Warriors also have senior forward Will Hart, and talented sophomore Alexander Williams in the frontcourt.

In past years, the Mules have been able to count on far better shooting from the perimeter, along with solid play in the paint on the offensive end. But this is a much different Malverne team. “We don’t have consistency on offense, so playing defense is the key,” Lopez said. “If we’re forced to set up a half-court offense, we could be in trouble; because we don’t do it well. We want to force turnovers and score in transition.”

To prepare for Wyandanch, Lopez has welcomed in Baldwin, Uniondale and South Side for scrimmages. He’s pleased with the way practice has gone leading up to the title game. “Practice has been extremely competitive,” Lopez said. “We’ve been working on potential game scenarios, improving our time management, and getting mentally prepared. There are some strong teams in Suffolk, but we’re going to look to apply defensive pressure that Wyandanch hasn’t seen before.”