Freeport girls basketball plays stifling defense in Class AAA quarterfinal win over Farmingdale
Madison Harris of Freeport, right, secures a rebound in front of Farmingdale's Emma Lembo during the Nassau Class AA girls basketball quarterfinals on Wednesday at Freeport. Credit: Bob Giglione
Saying the Freeport girls basketball team dominated the opening half defensively somehow doesn’t do justice to the performance.
Freeport held Farmingdale to just one field goal in the opening 16 minutes as the host, third-seeded Red Devils defeated the No. 6 Dalers, 53-27, in a Nassau Class AAA quarterfinal Wednesday night. Freeport outscored Farmingdale, 16-2, in the second quarter to open a 25-6 halftime lead.
“Defense wins championships and it creates offense,” Freeport sophomore forward Madison Harris said. “So we know we can win this. I believe in us. I really do.”
If Freeport is able to win its first county title since 1996, the Red Devils will need to knock off the defending county champions next. Freeport (17-4) plays No. 2 Syosset (18-3) at 8 p.m. on March 1 at Farmingdale State College in the semifinals.
Harris led the offense with 15 points, but the team’s defensive effort fueled Wednesday’s victory. Freeport coach Meredith Jones recognized Farmingdale’s athleticism and knew that would pose a challenge.
“I knew we were going to have to bring our ‘A’ game and really shut them down offensively because we probably wouldn’t score that much, and we did that well,” Jones said. “To hold them to six points in the first half, I was really proud of them.”
Izzy Aristy scored 12 points for Farmingdale (10-8).
Freeport opened the third quarter on a 15-5 run to take a 40-11 lead with 2:13 left in the period.
Sabrina Ligonde had eight points and Madison Starks added seven as nine different Red Devils scored, with the bench playing expanded minutes in the fourth quarter. Even though Freeport is a younger team with only one senior, the Red Devils proved ready for the postseason spotlight.
“We have our shooters and we have our players in the paint, but it’s a group effort,” Harris said. “It’s not one person in one game, it’s all of us collectively. We have a groove and I feel, for the next two years, we’re going to be good.”
Freeport isn’t looking ahead just yet. The Red Devils are aware of the challenge Syosset presents, but they're looking forward to it.
“We’re close to the championship, we can win this,” Harris said. “I feel even more confident. I feel everyone else feels more confident. But now we have Syosset, so we need to play even harder.”
