Sailors sink Somers with rebounding and pressure defense

SOMERS, N.Y. - On Feb. 11, Somers traveled to Hen Hud, and halfway through the first quarter, the Tuskers were in a two-point game. 

Two for the Sailors and none for the elephants. One team got hot, and the other didn’t.

Hen Hud scored the next 17 points and went on to an easy 64-38 victory.

Still, the first bucket provided one aspect of foreshadowing that would tell the rest of the tale.  Two missed layups, Hen Hud kept the possession alive with a pair of offensive rebounds, and Carleigh Ortiz converted off glass. 

The next component came on back to back inbounds by Somers. Ortiz got a steal each in the backcourt and front, and more were to come. 

But even though Hen Hud did not convert either time, the message was sent, and pressure would soon yield results. Ortiz again, she picked Ashley Kuchinsky’s pocket on the sideline, and Carmen Marino went to the bank above the arc.

5-0 at 4:09, Hen Hud played the defensive boards to double the lead.  Marino spotted up for two, and Kaitlyn Raguso did it all by herself with a cruise to the other coast.

The foul made it 10-0, and with Somers calling for time, the larceny did not stop. Three more steals opened the lead to 18, and a foul shot later, the Tuskers found themselves shutout in the first quarter.

Fortunately, the drought did end. Sophia Valenzuela anticipated Olivia Allegretti’s move to the hoop, and the senior sank the layup.

In at 6:45, hope came in the form of Sydney Ingraham and Eliana Contreras. Both hit from downtown, and a 22-8 score seemed like there were possibilities.

Nonetheless, the Tuskers had not solved the Sailors. Two more turnovers erased the early gains and then the offensive boards took their turn. On Kate Stratton’s miss, Elyse Smith came crashing in and went straight off the glass for a 29-10 lead at 1:28.

Still, Contreras finished strong. A three on the next possession and one at the buzzer made it 34-13 at the half. 

The freshman didn’t cool off during intermission either. Another triple and Somers had a little heat wave at 34-16. A Smith steal and fast break basket lowered the mercury again, but Contreras answered back with her fourth triple.

Two from the line by Kacey McCullough didn’t look bad either. 36-21 now, that was the last blip, and the script didn’t change. Two more steals, Avery Motko and Raguso added a three and fast break two respectively, and the 20 point lead was a margin that Somers wasn’t going to make up.