Defense sparks Freeport's success

The past two seasons have been successful ones on the basketball court at Freeport. The Lady Devils peaked at the right time, got on a roll in the playoffs, and advanced to the Nassau Class AA semifinals, where they fell to a Baldwin team that went on to win back-to-back NYS titles.

While there’s certainly no shame in having the season ended by a team that was rarely ever challenged, Freeport is looking for a little more this winter. With their stifling defense, and a more balanced scoring attack, the Lady Devils are 13-2 overall (8-1 in Nassau Conference AA-I) and certainly in contention to return to the Final Four.

In a 56-33 victory over visiting Massapequa on Jan. 18, Freeport got 12 points apiece from Leslie Enrique and Deavion Peterson, and 10 from Tee Tee Parker. Tyler Hawkins added nine points as the team carried out the season sweep of the Lady Chiefs.

Head coach Meredith Jones doesn’t think her team has played its best basketball as of yet. “I’m still looking for us to be more consistent,” Jones said. “When we all bring it on the same night, we’re going to be scary good. When we get ahead, we need to put teams away. We haven’t been great at finishing teams off.”

Defense has been a stronghold. The Lady Devils have yielded just 36 points per game in the 13 games they’ve won. With the guard tandem of Peterson and Parker wreaking havoc, they’ve forced a slew of turnovers, which have often resulted in easy baskets.

Jones recognizes the importance of the play of Parker and Peterson. “The guard play has been really strong,” Jones said. “They’re so quick and like to get after it. They know it’s their last chance, so there’s a sense of urgency. On offense, both can take it to the basket, and they’ve improved their ability to shoot the three.”

Junior Taylor Abraham, who hit the 1,000-point mark in a home victory over Oceanside in early January, has taken her game to another level. The fifth-year varsity player can still be counted on to control the paint, but she’s also improved her perimeter game and has become a far better defensive player.

Enrique and Hawkins don’t always light it up when it comes to scoring, but don’t let the numbers fool you. Enrique gives the team size, strength, and a relentless style of play. Whether it’s pulling down rebounds or being a presence on defense, Hawkins is a difference-maker. Yulianna Frometa and Jada Hill have been key players off the bench.

“We have a tough road ahead of us over the next two weeks,” Jones said. “None of the teams we’re playing before the playoffs are a walk in the park. They’re all good teams with the same goals as we have. I’m excited to see how things come together for us.”

The Lady Devils travel to Uniondale on Feb. 5 for a 4:30 p.m. tipoff.