Somers basketball pounds Pleasantville, falls to Westlake

SOMERS, N.Y. - On Wednesday, Dec. 10, the Somers girls basketball team boarded the bus and headed south to Pleasantville, and from the opening tip, the Tuskers never let up.

Somers sprinted to a 10–0 start, stretched the lead to 20 by the third quarter, and closed out a convincing 46–35 road victory.

The game opened with Somers attacking inside. After Eliana Contreras pulled down a defensive rebound, Caitlyn Mayfield found Kacey McCullough in the post, where the center powered through contact to put Somers on the board. Moments later, Shea Mullins delivered another interior pass, and McCullough converted one of two free throws before turning defense into offense. Contreras scooped up a loose ball and kicked it out to Mullins, who drilled a three to extend the lead.

McCullough continued to dominate both ends of the floor. Her block in the corner ignited a fast break that Mullins finished with an open jumper, capping a 10–0 run. Pleasantville’s Maddie Becerra finally broke the run late in the first quarter, but Somers answered quickly. Contreras knocked down a three early in the second to make it 13–2.

Pleasantville responded behind Becerra, who scored eight straight points to pull the Panthers within four. Somers steadied itself late in the half when Mullins hit two free throws and Ashley Kuchinsky finished a fast break layup. McCullough added points off offensive rebounds, and Kuchinsky buried a three to give Somers a 24–13 halftime lead.

Somers opened the second half with relentless pressure. Contreras attacked the lane repeatedly, pushing the lead to 29–13, then sank four straight free throws to make it 35–15 late in the third. Pleasantville mounted a push early in the fourth, trimming the margin to 12, but Kuchinsky answered with a corner three. After another Panther surge cut the lead to ten, Mayfield raced coast-to-coast for a key basket, and her late free throws sealed the win.

Two nights later, Somers returned home hoping to build momentum against Westlake, but the Wildcats spoiled the evening with a 37–29 victory.

Westlake opened the game on a 6–0 run before Kuchinsky jumpstarted Somers, hitting three free throws and a basket to give the Tuskers an 8–7 edge. Contreras powered through the paint to take a 9–8 lead late in the first, then continued to attack in the second quarter, drawing contact and converting another three-point play.

Despite trailing just 12–11 at halftime, Somers struggled to maintain its edge. Contreras scored five points early in the third, and a Mullins three briefly gave the Tuskers a 22–14 lead. Westlake responded with a decisive 22–4 run over the final stretch, pulling away for the road win.