SWR girls squad stays undefeated with come-from-behind win
Two years removed from their first Suffolk County championship in school history, the Shoreham-Wading River girls basketball team appears to be gearing up to make another run. After Monday night’s 36-32 home win over Mt. Sinai, the Wildcats boast a perfect 12-0 start to the season. Despite many new names on the roster, the results have stayed consistent.
“When we made that championship run two years ago, I expected for us to go undefeated,” SWR head coach Adam Lievre said. “We were just that good. This year has been a surprise. I didn’t expect us to be undefeated this deep into the season. Our defense has been carrying us all season long, and it showed up again today.”
Mt. Sinai, the second place team in the league at 6-1, did give the Wildcats some problems. They kept the game close from the start and at one point stretched their lead to as many as six points in the third quarter, behind the sharp-shooting of guard Mia Betancourt, who scored a game-high 15 points.
When the Wildcats needed help on the offensive end, Leslie Jablonski answered the call. The guard came off the bench and drained two three-pointers in crucial situations, contributing 12 points in a game that saw only two Wildcats score in double digits.
“I just made sure I was setting my feet before every shot, breathing and relaxed,” Jablonski said. “This game was a real eye opener. It felt like a playoff atmosphere out there.”
Ashley Bell, captain and senior point guard, was the only other Wildcat consistently finding the bottom of the net, adding 13 points as the defenses on both sides of the court really shined. “We lost to them twice last year, so for us to beat them now shows how much stronger we got,” Bell said. “Even though they didn’t have one of their starters, it was still a major test for us against a team we’re going to see in the playoffs.”
When the Wildcats began to fall behind in the third quarter, Lievre considered shifting to 1-3-1 zone on defense. Then Bell hit the first of two free throws, before Shealyn Varbero came up with the rebound on the second attempt and found Anabel Keegan in the corner for a three pointer to cut the lead to one.
“That play completely shifted the momentum,” Lievre said. “Instead of making a change we just stuck with what we were doing, and we were able to take back control of the game.”
The Wildcat defense toughened up and started pressing Mt. Sinai into turnovers. SWR held the Mustangs to just four points in the fourth quarter. Lievre kept Varbero and Jablonski on the court for the duration to help the defense respond. The duo combined for seven steals, including three in the final minute. SWR amassed 25 steals on the game.
The win over Mt. Sinai clinched the Wildcats playoff spot — for the 18th consecutive year.
“Going undefeated the rest of the year would be great, but it really doesn’t matter,” Lievre said. “Once the playoffs come, it doesn’t matter what seed you are or what you did during the regular season. It doesn’t matter what color jersey you’re wearing. Everyone gets a fresh chance out there. It’s just about being at your best come February. The important part was getting in. Right now for us, it’s imperative to get our offense going. Our defense is always going to keep us in games but we need to make our shots.”
