Plainedge boys basketball uses fourth-quarter rally to beat Floral Park
Alec Anderson #11 of Plainedge, right, gets pressured by Brendan Martin #2 of Floral Park during a Nassau boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Credit: James Escher
Plainedge was staring up from an eight-point deficit heading to the fourth quarter on a court that had been yielding very few wins for the away team in recent seasons.
But the Red Devils went out and took over at Floral Park.
They owned the last eight minutes Tuesday night and emerged with a 67-60 Nassau A-VI boys basketball victory.
Plainedge went 7-13 with no playoff pass last season, but this is an improved basketball team. The 2023-24 edition has already won five times — in its first five tries. It’s 3-0 in A-VI play.
“Geez, at Plainedge, if we can get into the playoffs, it’s a happening,” coach John Mateyko said. “So if we can get into the playoffs — we’re not there yet, but we’re sure on our way.”
So what’s the difference?
“Last year, we had a couple of guys that could play,” said 6-4 junior center Alec Anderson, who was very effective near the basket and paced the Red Devils with 22 points. “This year, we have a lot more than a couple of guys that can play.”
Owen Donnellan, a junior point guard and an attackman committed to Stony Brook’s lacrosse program, attacked for 15 points. Senior guard/forward Lucas Emmanuel contributed 13.
“We all have more experience than last year and we play really well as a team,” Donnellan said.
Floral Park (5-4, 1-1) got 19 points from junior guard Anthony Caris and 10 points, eight rebounds and eight assists from senior guard Ryan Connolly.
The Knights led 37-35 at halftime and took a 56-48 advantage into the fourth.
Then Anderson hit a short bank shot, launching the rally. When Donnellan buried a jumper, Plainedge had an 11-0 run to start the quarter and a 59-56 lead.
Connolly finally scored on a layup for Floral Park’s first points of the period with 2:47 remaining.
But Emmanuel then scored four in a 6-0 run that made it 65-58 with just under a minute left.
“We stopped making shots,” Knights coach Sean Boyle said. “… And then defensively we were very slow to get back. And they beat us up inside.”
The final score for the fourth? Plainedge 19, Floral Park 4.
“The last three years we have five home losses, and two of them are to Plainedge and the other three are to Hempstead,” Boyle said. “So having an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter — definitely got to put a good team away.”
