Elmont stays hot, tops Kennedy

By toNY BellissiMo tbellissimo@liherald.com

Juggling the lineup has been a constant for Elmont girls’ basketball head coach Pete Lawson, who was forced to make another adjustment prior to last Friday’s Conference A2 clash with Kennedy after leading scorer and rebounder Charlotte Hines went down with an injury in the previous game.

BeNJaMiN VelasQUeZ

MacArthur Senior Wrestling a CoUNtY seMiFiNalist last winter and eventual third-place finisher in the 189-pound weight class, Velasquez is looking to cap his high school career with a Nassau wrestling crown. Heading into this Saturday’s county qualifier tournament at Bellmore-JFK, he is ranked No. 1 in the county at 215 pounds. After winning 21 of 30 matches last winter, his record this season stands at 36-3.

gaMes to WatCh

thursday, Feb. 2

Girls Basketball: Carey at Roosevelt 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Mineola at Wantagh 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Syosset at Freeport 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: West Hemp at East Rockaway 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 3 saturday, Feb. 4

Boys Basketball: South Side at Kennedy 4:30 p.m.

Boys Basketball: G.N. South at Calhoun 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: V.S. Central at East Meadow 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: East Rockaway at West Hemp 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Port Washington at Oceanside 5 p.m.

Girls Basketball: MacArthur at Long Beach 5 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Locust Valley at Seaford 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: North Shore at Clarke 7 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Jericho at Mepham 7 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Westbury at Baldwin 7 p.m.

Wrestling: Nassau County Division 1 Qualifying Tournaments hosted by Long Beach, Hewlett, Bellmore-JFK, Plainedge and Uniondale 9:30 a.m.

Girls Basketball: Lynbrook at Mineola 12 p.m.

Girls Basketball: Kennedy at South Side 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Clarke at North Shore 12 p.m.

Boys Basketball: Long Beach at MacArthur 12 p.m.

However, the Spartans still managed to win for the fifth time in six games and stayed mathematically alive for the conference title by completing a season sweep of the Cougars, 42-32. Senior Taylah Farquharson netted a game-high 14 points and senior Chi Chi Chukuezi stepped up for the missing Hines and tied a season high with 12 points and helped Elmont (11-6 overall, 7-2 in A1) dominate the boards.

Gianna Costaro, one of two seniors on Kennedy’s roster, posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Jolie Yablon added 9 points for the Cougars, who slipped to 4-12 overall and 2-6 in A1.

“Our play has been a little up and down but we’ve lost to some strong teams,” Lawson said. “I don’t want to put the blame on absences because every team deals with injuries. We’re just trying to survive and take it game by game.

“The nice thing is we had some girls return recently and we’ve got a deep roster,” he added. “Everyone has given us quality minutes.”

Hines, a sophomore forward who according to Lawson is out indefinitely after suffering an injury late in a 55-38 win over Sewanhaka Jan. 21 following a 19-point effort, would’ve been the focus of Kennedy’s defensive game plan, head coach Mallory Freely said.

“She had a big game against us the first time and we worked on some things in practice to stop her, but she didn’t play,” Freely said of Hines, who scored 15 points in Elmont’s come-from-behind 46-39 win in the first meeting Dec. 20.

“We’re very young and competing every game,” she added. “Scoring has been an issue. We’ve been right there in a bunch of games but just couldn’t close them out.” giaNNa Costaro, left, scored 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds last Friday in Kennedy’s 42-32 loss at Elmont.

The Cougars struggled offensively in the first half last Friday and dug a 20-9 halftime deficit. Chukuezi got involved early and often for the hosts, scoring 7 points in the opening quarter and 4 more in the second to account for more than half of Elmont’s points.

Farquharson and classmate Anaise Novembre helped the Spartans extend their lead in the third quarter, combining for 12 points with the former scoring 8. Kennedy countered with some smooth free throws from sophomore Tristan Montalbano, who poured in 20 points to lead a recent victory over Roslyn.

“We’ve shown glimpses of what we’re capable of,” Freely said. “The Roslyn game was wonderful. We hit 11 three-pointers.”

The Cougars were also shorthanded as promising sophomore center Ashley St. Surin, who averages 7.5 points and leads the effort on the glass along with Costaro, was unable to play. She’ll be back this week to take on Great Neck North and South Side.

Elmont welcomed Kyla Moore, a sophomore who missed 14 games, and junior Cassidy Grannum, back into the rotation.

“It would be nice to go into the playoffs with a full lineup,” Lawson said.