Oceanside defense sinks Hempstead
Oceanside followed up a strong performance in a loss to Freeport on Jan. 21 with a dominating effort in a 51-27 girls' basketball victory over Hempstead last Friday, snapping a five-game losing streak in the process.
The Lady Sailors (6-7 overall, 2-6 in Conference AA-I) staked themselves to a 15-point lead after one quarter by creating offense with defense and forcing the action. “I hope Friday was a momentum builder going into the stretch,” coach Jason Manning said.
The backcourt tandem of senior Allie Brooks and senior Tina Pumo, as it usually does, kick-started the defensive push that led to Oceanside’s 19-4 scoring burst in the opening quarter, and helped push the lead to 36-10 by intermission. As part of a well-balanced scoring effort, Brooks, Pumo and sophomore Woodlynn Daniel each scored eight points. A dozen Lady Sailors in all scored at least one basket. “It was one of those games where we came out and shot well and finished in transition,” Manning said.
“We let our defensive pressure start our breaks,” he added. “We’re very much a streaky team. [Sometimes] we come out, make a couple of baskets and that’s the way it goes.”
Daniel, an All-County honoree as a freshman after averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds, continues to develop her game on the floor. After relying mostly on athletic ability last season, the sophomore is refining her basketball skills and it’s showing in the box score and on the court. Along with eight first-half points in the win over the Lady Tigers, she also pulled down eight rebounds. “She has developed an inside game [and] a 10-to-15 foot [jumper],” Manning said.
Junior Ashley Artus and sophomore Maggie O’Keefe, like Daniel, have become building blocks for the program, and the potential for a strong front line is becoming a reality. Artus and O’Keefe combined for six points last Friday, and five in a 50-32 loss to Freeport. “We’re slowly getting contributions from other girls that have developed throughout the season,” Manning said.
Despite what looks like a lopsided final score in the loss to the Lady Red Devils, the entire complexion of the game changed after first-place Freeport outscored Oceanside, 13-2, in the second quarter. The scoring run was driven by a Lady Red Devils defense that turned up the tempo and forced the action. “I think that second quarter was a microcosm of our season,” Manning said. “When a team turns up the pressure, we’ve had a difficult time responding.”
Brooks, scored a team-high 17 points in the loss, while Daniel added six. “She’s our main outside threat, and she’s having a solid season,” Manning said, noting that Brooks often faces the bulk of the defensive attention, yet still manages to fill the net.
Just three games remain in the regular season schedule, and the next two are at home for the Lady Sailors. They host Massapequa on Wednesday and then Farmingdale on Feb. 11, with both games scheduled to tipoff at 7 p.m.
