New Hyde Park slips past Jericho, gets firm grip on third place
Riley Griffin of New Hyde Park tries to outmaneuver Mary Kate Pearson of Jericho during a Nassau Conference A-1 girls basketball game on Wednesday at New Hyde Park. Credit: Dawn McCormick
MacArthur and Mepham have been at the head of the class in Nassau A-I girls basketball, staging a tight fight for the top spot in these waning days of the regular season. But the race for third place in the conference has been airtight, too.
New Hyde Park woke up Wednesday morning with a half-game lead over Jericho.
The teams met up Wednesday night in New Hyde Park’s gym.
New Hyde Park moved 1 1/2 games ahead – barely. Riley Griffin’s free throw with 25.9 seconds left was her only point of the game, but it snapped a tie and gave the Gladiators a 34-33 win.
It also allowed them to clinch a Class A playoff berth. They are 8-9 overall and 6-4 in A-I with two to go. Finishing third would be meaningful for the tournament.
"It’s confidence," coach Mike Bello said. "It’s hopefully obviously a better matchup for us in the first game of the playoffs. But it’s an opportunity. That’s all it is. I think we’ve been getting better and better and trusting each other more."
The Jayhawks fell to 7-8 overall and 4-5 in the conference with three games left.
"We still have an extra game left," coach Andy Schneider said. "We just play the game ahead of us. That’s all we can do … That’s a tough loss, but we’ll rebound. They’re young. They forget quick."
It was 33-33 when Griffin grabbed a Jericho miss and was fouled. Jericho had too many team fouls, so the senior guard had two shots. She swished the first and missed the second.
"Honestly, we take a lot of foul shots in practice," Griffin said. "So it’s really relaxing and kind of like being in the moment, not thinking even though it’s tied, like, ‘What happens if I miss?’ When the first one went in, it was definitely a bit of a relief …"
Then Kaylee Park, who scored 11, spun and got up a shot in the lane for Jericho. It missed. And New Hyde Park dribbled out the clock.
Jericho had been up nine in the first quarter and led 22-17 at halftime.
Grace Tumulty then scored seven of her team-leading 13 to help the Gladiators outscore Jericho 13-3 in the third and take a 30-25 lead. But the Jayhawks hung in until the end.
"They play hard," Schneider said. " … This team has shown a lot more maturity than their age all season."
