Balanced East Islip clinches Suffolk IV girls basketball title
East Islip's Jess Peluso celebrates after scoring during a Suffolk girls basketball game against host Deer Park on Tuesday. Credit: Pablo Garcia Corradi
Before the first game of the season, the East Islip girls basketball team spent some time, not drawing up plays, but drawing on a sign.
The plywood, which has a spot behind the bench at every East Islip game, is painted red, with the phrase “All Hands on Deck” emblazoned on it. It’s a motto and team-first mentality the squad has embraced, spreading the ball on offense, locking in on defense and, most importantly, winning games.
East Islip did just that Tuesday afternoon, defeating Deer Park, 58-28, to clinch the Suffolk IV regular-season title.
It’s the first championship since 2004, coach Mike Petre said, and one that was even sweeter as nine East Islip players found the basket; the defense held the Falcons to two third-quarter points.
“It just shows we’re all together,” said sophomore forward Jessica Peluso. “We all love this team and we want to win for all of us.
After a slow start, East Islip (10-1) hit its stride in the second quarter and, holding a 35-17 lead coming out of halftime, found its defensive edge in the third. East Islip held Deer Park without a field goal in the quarater, forcing turnovers and pushing the ball in transition.
“That’s always been our signature,” Petre said of his team’s defense. “We’re making more baskets lately, our high-low action was real good today. Our defense is sound, and it gives us a chance to be in any game regardless of the competition.”
Sparked by the defensive pressure, East Islip pushed tempo throughout the second half, finding space in the Deer Park zone.
The Falcons (7-4) did their best to slow down the Lady Redmen, even working a box-and-one on freshman guard Sarah Simonetti after she scored 12 in the first half, but East Islip continued to move the ball and, just as has been the case all season, other players stepped up.
Peluso scored eight of her 15 points in the third, including six straight to open the quarter, and Kira Rumfola capped an 18-1 run with 1:39 left to give East Islip a 53-18 lead.
“We can all play,” said Simonetti, who finished with 15 points. “We wanted this. We know we’re good and we know we can win.”
Petre added that East Islip has “talked about a renaissance of the Lady Redmen,” looking for a return to previous success. So far, so good and as the team turns its attention to the postseason, the philosophy stays the same.
All hands on deck.
“The kids buy into it,” Petre said. “It’s easy to say you want something, but it’s hard to go out there and put in the effort to get it. And they’ve done that.”
