Weiss hits 2,000 in Hewlett victory

The Hewlett girls’ basketball team notched a quality victory over Division Feb. 9 by the score of 71-54. While there are some elements the Bulldogs will need to improve upon to make a deep playoff run, head coach Anthony Scro definitely saw more good than bad in this particular matchup.
“They did a nice job on the boards offensively which was pretty good and they settled in a little bit on the defensive end,” Scro said. “It wasn’t our best game and we have some things to work on but we’re looking forward to the playoffs.”
Offensively, the team ran through star guard junior Riley Weiss, who had 52 of the team’s 71 points. Despite the immense defensive attention placed on her whenever she crossed half court, she still was able to score at will, including 11 three pointers made. This game also represented a significant milestone, as she scored her 2000th career point during the game.
Despite the exorbitant scoring output from Weiss, securing the win truly was a team endeavor. Junior Emily Erdos assisted in expanding the defense past the perimeter, as she contributed two three pointers. Sophomores Marcie and Catie Iannico contributed hustle plays all night, as the twins made winning plays consistently. Senior Molly Williams played a similar game, and was solid on the boards. Sophomore Brianna Ruta did her job well as a complimentary scorer, as she also chipped in 7 points. Scro was elated with how fluid his team played and the overall depth his team demonstrated.
“Molly Williams helped a lot with her toughness. Emily Erdos helped with her three point shots that were clutch throughout the game,” Scro said. “Obviously, Riley Weiss is obviously a beast in Nassau county. Marcie and Catie gave great minutes and Brianna was banged up going into this game but still did a great job.”

What was maybe most impressive about the victory was the way in which the Bulldogs won, as they jumped to an early lead and never let up. Division proved to be a competent and gritty team and didn’t give up easy, so the fashion in which Hewlett won forebodes well for the rest of the season and the playoffs.
Speaking of which, Hewlett is firmly entrenched in the playoff picture in conference A3. The Bulldogs currently possess a 14-5 record overall and have a 9-3 record within the conference. The team certainly has the potential to make a deep run with the deep roster and having Weiss as a go-to scoring option, but how deep the Bulldogs go will depend on how well they lock in on the small stuff.
“We just have to work on some of the general mental stuff that’s part of the game,” Scro said. “I think that that’s a very big factor. We have a young team and given that we have a young team there are a lot of things that we have to improve upon. Luckily, we have a little bit of time to work on that.”