South Side nears conference title

The South Side girls’ basketball team entered February unbeaten in Conference A-II play and with a league title within sight.

A 54-40 win at Roosevelt last Friday moved the Lady Cyclones to 9-0 in conference and 16-2 overall. South Side began the week two games ahead of Wantagh and Division atop the conference standings with three contests remaining.

“We have been sharing the ball very well,” South Side head coach Dan Ferrick said. “Everyone is getting involved and it’s very much a team effort.”

Senior captain Jourdin Thomas leads the Lady Cyclones offense this season after winning conference player of the year honors as a junior. The 5-6 point guard scored 21 points Friday’s win against Roosevelt where the Cyclones took command of the game with an 18-6 second quarter run after trailing 14-10 following the first period. Ferrick said this season Thomas has taken on more of a leadership role than last winter when she was new to the team after transferring from Long Island Lutheran.

“This year she is a vocal leader,” Ferrick said of Thomas. “She has thrived with that leadership role.”

Thomas leads the Lady Cyclones along with junior captains Gianna Mauro and Jenna Lopez.  Both guards are averaging 8 points a game and Lopez has showed her passing skills throughout the season with two five-assist games.

South Side has a deep lineup that often features nine players entering the court by the end of the first quarter. Kelsey Barrett, Erin McElwain and Katie McMahon add to the Lady Cyclones’ array of scoring options that have contributed to the strong start. They lack size upfront, but Ferrick said going with a smaller athletic lineup also brings its advantages.

“We basically have five guards on the floor,” Ferrick said. “Everyone can handle the ball.”

In addition to the success in games, Ferrick has been pleased with how his team has gelled as a unit in practices and off the court. The second-year head coach attributes the solid team chemistry as a big reason for the Lady Cyclones’ success.

“They all get along very well,” he said. “I have a great group of girls.”

South Side is next in action Thursday evening at home against Roslyn for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff before a road game at Division next Monday. The regular season closes on Feb. 11 against Wantagh, a team the Lady Cyclones edged 57-50 in overtime on Jan. 17 after rallying from an eight-point halftime deficit.

After falling in the first round of the playoffs the last three years, Ferrick is hoping the Lady Cyclones can earn one of the top five seeds by winning the league. However, he is looking to keep the team focused-game-to-game and is not looking ahead to the upcoming playoffs that get underway in two weeks.

‘We would love to get a high seed and a first round home game,” he said. “For now though we are just looking to keep getting better.”