East Meadow evens score with Oceanside

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Getting senior Joe Forrler back in the lineup has been just what the doctor ordered for East Meadow’s boys’ basketball team, which won for the second time in three games and moved into the Conference AA-II playoff picture with a convincing 73-52 victory at Oceanside on Jan. 20.

The result put both teams at 3-5 in AA-II with four games remaining. The Jets, who were without Forrler when they lost the first meeting at home by 11 on Dec. 16, got a game-high 26 points and five assists from senior Brandon Callaghan. Forrler added 12 points, and junior Austin Birnbaum had seven points and 12 rebounds. Juniors Kyle Martin (15), Aronis Espinal (13) and Kevin O’Keefe (11) all scored in double figures for the Sailors, who endured a rough shooting night going 18-for-60 from the field.

“We had to play with a sense of urgency,” East Meadow head coach Barry Dickson said. “We really needed this one. The way I figure it, we can only afford to lose one more the rest of the way if we want to make the playoffs.

“We’re starting to play better, which we knew we would once we got Forrler back from an ankle injury,” he added. “He gives us points, rebounds and defense. He also helps us break the press because he’s a big kid we can get the ball to in the middle of the floor.”

Oceanside (5-8 overall) was coming off a big win over Plainview-JFK but couldn’t continue its momentum. “We didn’t shoot well right off the bat and East Meadow was hot in the second and third quarters,” Sailors head coach Al Lyson said. “Both teams started slow and I think if we hit some shots early it could’ve been a different game.

“It’s definitely a blown opportunity, but we’re still in the mix for the playoffs and we’ll go back to the drawing board,” he added.

Behind Callaghan, who drove aggressively to the rim all night and described by Dickson as “the best athlete on the court,” the Jets (4-9 overall) began to take control midway through the second quarter after a three-point play by Oceanside junior John Grossi knotted things at 14. Senior Ryan Bergmann’s three-pointer sparked a 14-2 run to close the half, and the visitors took a 28-16 lead following senior Kenoshan Joseph’s near-midcourt buzzer-beater.

“I thought we had a good game plan, but we couldn’t stop 12,” said Lyson, referring to Callaghan, who had 15 points in the first meeting. “He hurt us going to the basket, and we weren’t able to press like we usually do because we couldn’t hit enough shots. When we’re going good, we’re pressing and forcing turnovers.”

East Meadow opened the third quarter with a 10-2 run, highlighted by a pair of treys from junior Joey Minucci, to increase its lead to 20. The Jets shot 25-for-51 from the field after missing their first six attempts.

“It was our best shooting game of the season,” Dickson said.