High School Sports Roundup: February 2, 2024
Boys Basketball
Jan. 30: Ward Melville 63, Riverhead 56
Riverhead’s boys basketball team has had a season to forget in Suffolk County’s Division I, but they’ve been putting up a fight in every game they play. Against a playoff-bound Ward Melville on Tuesday, Riverhead (2-14) kept the score tight from start to finish — trailing by only three points at halftime. The Blue Waves just couldn’t put together a streak of baskets to take a lead and hold onto it. Deshawn Watkins, who has been coming on as of late, led the team with 14 points. AJ Austin scored 12 and sophomore sharpshooter Peter Legnena hit on three of his shots behind the arc. Ward Melville was paced by Devin Lynch and Luke Chitkara, who each scored 15 against the Blue Waves. Riverhead has four games remaining on its schedule: Feb. 5 against Central Islip at 4 p.m., Feb.7 at Longwood at 5:45 p.m., Feb. 9 against Sachem East at 4 p.m. and Feb. 12 at Walt Whitman at 6 p.m.
Jan. 25: Shoreham-Wading River 56, Babylon 48
There was some light at the end of the season for the Wildcats as they were able to secure their second league victory against Babylon last Thursday. Though the playoffs are off the table, securing some victories at the end of the season brings some enthusiasm into the next year’s campaign. Shoreham-Wading River (3-12) got out ahead of Babylon 19-14 after the first quarter and only added to the lead, holding Babylon (4-9) to just four points in the second quarter. Kyle Stella led the way for the Wildcats with 15 points, as he connected on three of his four three-point attempts. Max Julian, who is in his final season as a Wildcat, scored 11 points. Matt Arabio collected seven points, secured five rebounds and put his body on the line for two offensive charges. The Wildcats have four games remaining on the schedule: Feb. 2 at Pierson at 6:15 p.m., Feb. 6 against Mattituck at 4 p.m., Feb. 8 at Center Moriches at 6:45 p.m. and Feb.13 against Bayport-Blue Point at 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Jan. 30: Ward Melville 51, Riverhead 25
Riverhead had a tough time scoring against playoff-bound Ward Melville and it ultimately sank any opportunity to win the game. Ward Melville (11-5) took a 14-3 lead into the second quarter and never looked back. Riverhead, which has won four games on the season, is very young and with most of the team returning next year, a renaissance is almost surely expected. Logan Pilon led all scorers with 19 points for the Blue Waves. Ward Melville, despite the win, didn’t have a double-digit scorer. Grace Balocca had nine points and Julia Dank added eight. Pilon has had a solid junior campaign, averaging 11.5 points per game on the season. The Blue Waves have four games left on the schedule: Feb. 7 at Central Islip at 4:30 p.m., Feb. 10 against Longwood at noon, Feb.12 at Sachem East at 4:30 p.m., and Feb. 14 against Whitman at 6:15p.m.
Jan. 25: Shoreham-Wading River 69, Bayport-Blue Point 63
With the overtime victory over Bayport-Blue Point, Shoreham-Wading River has won five games in a row and secured a spot in the playoffs. The Wildcats have been red hot, defeating every opponent in their way, led by Juliana Mahan — the lone starter remaining from last year’s Suffolk County championship team. Mahan scored a career-high 35 points against Bayport-Blue Point and will need to continue to be the team’s x-factor going forward for them to succeed. Alyssa Bell, who has been the 1-2 punch along with Mahan this season, scored 19 points in the victory. Shoreham-Wading River (10-6) has four games remaining until the playoffs start. Every game will be crucial for their playoff seeding. Remaining games on the schedule are Feb. 2 against Center Moriches at 7 p.m., Feb. 9 against John Glenn at 5:15 p.m., Feb. 13 at Hampton Bays at 6:45 p.m., and Feb. 15 against Southampton at 4:30 p.m.
