North girls fall, playoffs still a goal

Valley Stream North stuck to its plan against North Shore in a Conference A-IV girls’ basketball showdown Jan. 12, but the visiting Lady Vikings proved too deep and pulled away in the second half for a 64-37 victory.

Amanda Johansen had 24 points and 20 rebounds, and Caroline Robertson added 10 points and eight rebounds as North Shore improved to 6-0 in conference games and 10-1 overall. Coach Keith Fruend used 15 players and wore down the Lady Spartans (3-2 in conference play, 6-4 overall), who were held to 10 points in the second half.

“We tried to match their fitness level and get them out of sync,” VSN coach Geoff O’Connell said. “They’re a very well-coached and deep team, and arguably the best team in Class A. 

“I’m very proud of the effort and how we played,” he added. “We shot the ball really well in the first quarter, took a 14-6 lead, and defensively we did everything we set out to do. But they subbed every few minutes and created separation in the second half.”

Senior Elyse Zappia paced North’s offense with 14 points, with nine coming from behind the arc. Senior Madeline Nelson, who endured early foul trouble, had seven points and moved within 31 of reaching the 1,000 plateau for her career.

“They took Maddy out of her comfort zone a little bit,” O’Connell said. “She had to sit for some time with the fouls.”

It was the first game all season Nelson didn’t score in double digits. She’s averaging 19 points and 5.5 assists per game, and hit for 27 points against Carey and Lawrence. “Maddy’s having a great season,” O’Connell said. “We’re hoping it won’t take more than another game or two for her to get to 1,000.”

There’s a good chance Nelson can reach the milestone this Saturday when the Lady Spartans host Clarke at Noon. In the first meeting between the teams on Dec. 16, Nelson scored 18 points to lead a 54-27 victory.