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Girls Basketball: In a rarity, Tuckers outclass Wildcats

Mattituck basketball player Liz Dwyer 012516

Wins by the Mattituck High School girls basketball team over Shoreham-Wading River had been rare, if not non-existent, in the 21st century. That is understandable, to a degree, since Class A Shoreham is a larger school in a higher class that plays in a higher league than Class B Mattituck.

But it was the Tuckers who were the class of the court on Monday.

The latest evidence of Mattituck’s burgeoning talent was seen as the Tuckers opened the non-league game on their court by shooting 7 of 14 from the field in the first quarter, forging a 23-6 lead 4 minutes 50 seconds into the second and cruising to a 48-33 win. In doing so, the Tuckers snapped a long losing streak against the Wildcats, who had won at least nine of the previous meetings between the teams, according to Mattituck’s coach, Steve Van Dood.

It was also the fourth straight win by the Tuckers (12-1, 10-1 Suffolk County League VII) since their only loss of the season to Port Jefferson.

Energetic defense has been the theme for the Tuckers during this win streak. They held the Wildcats (8-5, 5-3 League VI) to 24.6-percent shooting from the field.

As is their custom, Katie Hoeg and Liz Dwyer both produced double-doubles for the Tuckers. Hoeg accumulated 18 points, 11 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Dwyer was good for 16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks, 1 assist and 1 steal.

Hoeg and Dwyer both had 7 points each during Mattituck’s game-opening 23-6 burst.

Some productive work by Corinne Reda (6 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 1 block) also helped the home team.

Mackenzie Zajac led the Wildcats with 14 points.

Unlike the Tuckers, who have already secured their ninth playoff berth in 10 years, the Wildcats still have a little more work to do to reach the postseason. They need one win from their remaining four regular-season games against East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Elwood/John Glenn and Mount Sinai to make that happen.

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Photo caption: Mattituck’s Liz Dwyer taking the ball to the basket while Shoreham-Wading River’s Sam Higgins tries to stop her. (Credit: Garret Meade)