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Mostly Cloudy Lady Rocks take conference title
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East Rockaway's Theresa Amabile drives toward the basket during Monday night's 43-41 Conference ABC-III victory over Floral Park.
Jeff Wilson/Herald
Trailing visiting Floral Park by eight points entering the fourth quarter of Monday’s showdown for the Conference ABC-III girls’ basketball title, East Rockaway’s seniors raised their game to another level.
Alli Pacheco hit a go-ahead three pointer with 2:01 remaining and Alyssa Marinazzo went 6-for-6 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to propel the Lady Rocks to an exciting 43-41 victory. Pacheco and Leanna Degiulio had 11 points apiece to lead an offense that came alive down the stretch after producing only 23 points through three quarters.
“It’s exciting,” Coach Karin Leary said after East Rockaway completed a perfect 12-0 conference season and improved to 15-2 overall. “They did an excellent job defending us, but we switched our offensive look and hit some big shots in the fourth quarter.”
The Lady Rocks were in unfamiliar territory after Katie Phelan (game-high 12 points) extended Floral Park’s lead to 10 early in the fourth. “It was the first time we trailed by double digits all season,” Leary said. “But we didn’t panic.”
Emily D’Archangelis and Theresa Amabile chipped in eight and five points, respectively, as the team upped its winning streak to 10 games.
“I think it’s a little surprising,” Leary said of the success. “We were a 6-6 team last season and lost our size, but experience and unselfishness goes a long way.”
East Rockaway faces Friends Academy in the Nassau Class C championship game on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at C.W. Post. The Lady Rocks came up short against Oyster Bay in the county final last season.
“All of our seniors have stepped up,” Leary said. “They’ve been playing well together all season.”
The defense has been steady and the offense balanced, Leary said. The guard play figured to be outstanding with Pacheco, D’Archangelis, Amabile and Marinazzo back in the fold, but return of Brianna Adamczyk, who missed last season with an injury, boosted an otherwise undersized frontcourt. “Brianna came back as though she didn’t miss a beat,” Leary said. “She plays tough defense against bigger opponents.”
Degiulio has provided consistency up front at both ends of the floor. She had 12 points and 10 rebounds in last Friday’s 40-32 win at Carle Place and scored a season-high 16 points in a non-league defeat to Lynbrook in December.
Pacheco has scored in double digits in 10 of 17 games and twice surpassed 20. She has hit 18 three-pointers during the winning streak, including three in Friday’s come-from-behind triumph. “Alli definitely raised her game this season,” Leary said. “When we’ve needed a basket, she’s come through.”
The winning streak began Jan. 5 at Plainedge when the Lady Rocks built an 18-point halftime cushion en route to taking a 60-50 decision. Pacheco hit for 23 points and Adamczyk added 15 points and seven rebounds.
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