After being on the long end of a 60-36 shellacking the first time Mattituck faced Hampton Bays, Tuckers head coach Steve Van Dood vowed that the second time around would be a much closer contest.
Thursday night, playing at Hampton Bays high school, they got the chance for revenge.
Van Dood’s plan was clear: limit Alexis Fotopolous’ scoring. She’s put up monstrous numbers this season, averaging 27 points-per-game and scoring as many as 50 on one occasion. She scored 32 points against the Tuckers last game.
This game, she was held to only 15 points but Mattituck (6-2 league VII) still fell short, losing 52-40 after exchanging leads multiple times in the second and third quarter.
The Tuckers got outscored 19-9 in the fourth.
“It just seemed like we got tired out there,” Van Dood said. “And they started hitting their shots.”
“We buckled down defensively in the fourth quarter,” Baymen head coach John Paga said. “We found their two best players every time down the court and put a body on them.”
Paga was referring to freshman Lizzie Dwyer, who had 12 points at the half and Katie Hoeg, who contributed seven points on the night but was very active on the offensive end.
Dwyer was held scoreless in the second half.
“That’s my fault,” Van Dood said about Dwyer not being able to score. “I’ve got to put in more screens in our offense to get her more open looks.”
Dwyer scored a career-high 31 points against Wyandanch last Friday. She put Mattituck ahead in the second quarter connecting on two consecutive three-point baskets.
“I’ve got to get her more involved,” Van Dood said. “It’s something to work on in practice.”
Hampton Bays, who won the Long Island championship last year, now improves to 7-1 in the league to break the tie between the two teams with just a few games remaining on the schedule before playoffs.
Asked what contributes to the success of his team, Paga replied: “Alexis Fotopolous.”
“I’m the only coach that can say he has her on his team,” Paga continued. “She makes everyone around her better. If teams decide to key in on her and double team her, we have great players around her to put the ball in the basket too.”
It may not be the last time these two teams will meet this year.
“I’m sure we’ll see them in the playoffs,” Van Dood said. “Last game we lost by 24 and this game we lost by 12 so we’re obviously improving. We just have to get back in the gym and get to work. Because of the storm, we haven’t practiced in six days so that definitely hurt us a bit today.”
Mattituck travels to Center Moriches Saturday for a 1 p.m. tipoff.
SoutholdLOCAL file photo by George Faella
