Baldwin girls basketball team executes program's defensive mindset to perfection
Toni Smith of Baldwin puts up a two point shot during a Nassau Conference AA-I girls basketball game against host Long Beach on Saturday, December 21, 2024. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Defense will be the key to success this season for the Baldwin girls basketball team — and that's nothing new.
"We've been a program that really focuses on the defensive end for the past 15 years, and this year is no different," coach Tom Catapano said. "It's a staple of Baldwin and we are at our best when we speed everybody up."
Staying true to its identity, Baldwin defeated host Long Beach, 81-40, in a Nassau Conference AA-I matchup on Saturday afternoon.
The Bruins used a full-court court press, applying pressure and forcing turnovers to get easy looks and score in transition, which led to a 59-16 lead at halftime.
"Defense is our bread and butter. We get most of our points from our pressure," said George Washington commit Payton Dulin, who had four assists and three steals. "It's something I've worked on throughout the years; I'm still trying to get better at it. It's something I know I need at the next level."
Senior forward Toni Smith had 14 points and four rebounds, Alyssa Polonia scored 13 points and Monique Echols added 10 for Baldwin (5-0).
"It's important to play within the system, so I play within my role, so if there is an easy bucket I can get to help my team, I'll do it," Smith said. "I'm a rebounder. I started as a rebounder and like to do the intangible things on the court."
Alexis Richards had 15 points and Brianna Bothell scored 12 points, including three three-pointers for Long Beach (1-6).
The Bruins used a 15-0 run to close out the first quarter and took a 32-10 lead. Polonia made back-to-back three-pointers from the corner, both assisted by Dulin, to help spark the run.
"I work on my shooting a lot. It's something the team needs, so I work on it every day to stay efficient," Polonia said. "The way we went out in county's [championship] was my motivation to work harder and show up for my team."
Baldwin, which made an emphasis on crashing the glass, outrebounded Long Beach, 24-11.
"This year we have players who have tremendous size and are great athletes," Catapano said. "They are getting better at it, crashing the glass hard, anticipating misses and getting easy putbacks for us."
