Split playoff decisions for VSN

After watching tape of Great Neck North’s Nassau Class A first-round playoff upset of second-seeded South Side, Valley Stream North coach Fabian Jara said he knew containing the Blazers’ perimeter game in Monday’s quarterfinal matchup would be a key to his team’s success.

But after burning South Side for 39 points from long range, No. 15 Great Neck North used a different formula to knock off the 10th-seeded Spartans, 59-36, before a jam-packed gym at Valley Stream North.

Evan Dorman and Ariel Mardkhai had 18 points and 11 rebounds apiece to lead the visitors, who attempted only five treys — hitting two — but beat defenders off the dribble all night and attacked the basket. Sophomore Ayo Fagbemi came off the bench to lead North with 10 points, while junior center C.J. Byron added nine.

“Our guys carried out the game plan,” Jara said. “We didn’t want them to beat us with threes, but they showed they can also score inside. They’re fast and didn’t turn the ball over.”

Great Neck North never trailed and began to put distance between the teams late in the first quarter with Dorman and Mardkhai getting to the rim and converting high-percentage shots. In the meantime, the Blazers did a tremendous job defending North senior guard Sean Douglas, who hit for 36 points in a come-from-behind first-round playoff win at Roslyn on Feb. 17. Douglas had six points in the loss.

“Our main goal was to try and make things tough on Douglas,” Great Neck coach Mike Holleran. “We executed very well.”

Mardkhai ignited a 12-point spurt early in the second quarter that inflated the Blazers’ advantage to 30-10. Jara found a spark off the bench with Fagbemi, who lit a fire under a stagnant offense, but without a key defensive spark in junior Dondre Irving the Spartans were unable to close the large gap.

“I’m really proud of this team,” Jara said. “We had a tough non-league schedule and went into the conference season with a record of 0-7. We set a goal of making the playoffs and were able to win a playoff game on the road.”

North (8-11 overall) was coming off its first playoff victory in 15 years, according to Jara. And it had to dig out of a nine-point hole in the fourth quarter to do so.

“Sean took over the Roslyn game,” Jara said. “They didn’t have an answer for him. We ran a lot of isolation plays and he either made the shot or got to the foul line and got points there.”

The Spartans trailed the Bulldogs 43-34 after three quarters when Douglas and junior guard Marvin Eveillard led the rally.