South Side finding ways to win

Posted

At full strength or under adversity, South Side’s girls’ basketball team has done nothing but find its way into the win column since the calendar flipped to 2015 and sits in the Conference A-II driver’s seat.

The Lady Cyclones (9-4 overall) upped their winning streak to seven games, including six against conference rivals, with a 58-53 victory at Plainedge last Friday night. With leading scorer Maria Karanasos sidelined with a hand injury, and two additional starters on the shelf, others picked up the offensive slack for the second time in four nights. Senior Sarah Mullooly led the way with 15 points, Laura McNally added 13, and Kelly O’Sullivan had 12.

“This week has been a good test of character,” South Side head coach Katelyn Dunn said. “We’re finding a way, that’s for sure. I couldn’t be more excited to have some time off. It’s good we don’t play for a week because we need to get healthy.”

Karanasos, a junior who posted seven double-doubles in 11 games, suffered a broken right pinky while vying for a rebound at New Hyde Park on Jan. 16. She isn’t expected to return until the Feb. 9 regular-season finale at Manhasset or later that week for the opening round of the Nassau Class A playoffs. The Lady Cyclones were also missing senior Caroline Spadaro (ankle) and junior Grace Kelleher (back) last Friday, and had junior Brianna Bigelow sprain an ankle. Seniors Megan Harkins and Maggie Sweeney stepped into starting roles and played well, Dunn said.

O’Sullivan, a junior and one of the team’s defensive leaders, poured in 11 first-half points at Plainedge to help South Side to a 30-25 advantage at intermission. The margin was sliced to a basket by the end of the third quarter, and the Lady Red Devils moved ahead, 48-47, with 3:30 remaining in regulation.

“We needed to rally,” Dunn said. “McNally scored eight points in the fourth quarter, and Mullooly went 4-for-4 from the foul line late in the game.”

Dunn said McNally put the team on her back in the previous game, a showdown for first place with Manhasset on Jan. 20. McNally, a junior, posted career highs in points (16) and rebounds (21) to lead a 49-43 home victory. “It was an unbelievable performance,” Dunn said. “Laura and I talked about Maria’s absence and what we needed, and she went out there and played her heart out.”

Kelleher knocked down a couple of early treys as part of a 13-point effort, and senior Victoria Mercado added 10 points. O’Sullivan was instrumental in the win as well, leading the defensive chore against Lady Indians’ standout Jacqueline Albanese. By finishing with 11 points, Albanese was one shy of 1,000 for her career when the buzzer sounded. South Side outscored Manhasset in each of the first three quarters and took an 11-point lead into the fourth.

Next up for the Lady Cyclones is a visit from Carey this Friday at 6:30 p.m.