Eagles can't tame Tigers

A seven-point lead through three quarters wasn’t enough of a cushion for No. 4 Valley Stream Central to hold off fifth-seeded Hempstead in a Nassau Class AA boys’ basketball quarterfinal playoff game at Memorial Junior High School on Feb. 18.

The Tigers exploded for 26 points in the fourth quarter to nip the Eagles in a fast-paced game, 70-66. Marquis Posey’s jump shot with 1:10 remaining put Hempstead ahead for good and set up a semifinal date with defending county champion Uniondale. 

“Our biggest concern coming into the game was rebounding,” Central coach Hayward Alfred said. “We didn’t beat them on the boards, and we didn’t make plays when we needed to make plays.”

The Eagles, who beat the Tigers in both regular-season meetings, led 51-44 after senior Reggie Dennis (20 points) drained a three-pointer just before the buzzer to end the third quarter. But the visitors rallied behind Jordan Parks, who in his first game since suffering an ankle injury Jan. 9 scored 12 of his 16 points in the final eight minutes.

Ismael Pierre (19), Skyler Moore (15) and Posey (10) also scored in double figures for the winners. Senior Jerry Mordi had a game-high 26 for Central, which finished 8-10 overall.

“It’s the first time they had Parks against us,” Alfred said. “He gives them a lot more size. We went with some matchups that we thought would favor us, and we played pretty well for three quarters. My hat’s off to Hempstead for coming back.”

Parks opened the fourth quarter with a long trey and had a fierce two-handed dunk with 5:29 remaining to cut the margin to 53-51 after Posey and Mohammed Igbal traded baskets.

Crunch time was frantic, and the pace played right into the Tigers’ hands. They enjoyed their biggest lead since the first quarter at 58-55 after a free throw by Tyler Watson and baskets by Watson and Moore. Igbal tied it with a trey, and Mordi dialed long distance with 2:12 to go to put the Eagles back ahead 63-60. But Hempstead scored 10 of the game’s final 13 points.

With Central suddenly trailing by four with less than a minute to go, Mordi got them within 67-66 with an NBA-range three-pointer. After Parks hit one of two free throws with 20.8 seconds left, Mordi attempted another long three that would’ve given the Eagles the lead but it was off the mark and Parks gobbled the rebound.

After missing two free throws with 4.9 seconds remaining, Parks secured the rebound of the second miss and got a second chance to seal the deal after drawing a foul. This time he went 2-for-2, thus ending Central’s season. Senior Marc Augustin, the Conference AA-I MVP, added 11 points for the Eagles.

“I’m proud of what this group of seniors accomplished on and off the court,” Alfred said. “They’re graduating Central better young men compared to when they started in tenth grade.”