54.0°,
Mostly Cloudy MacArthur continues its surge
Despite not having a full squad for much of the season, the MacArthur girls’ basketball squad has already clinched a playoff berth after a hot start to league play.
MacArthur captured its first six games in Conference A-I, assuring the Generals of at least the .500 or better record needed to punch a ticket to the postseason. The team has racked up the victories amid changing lineups from game-to-game during much of the winter due to some players having conflicts with travel soccer clubs.
“The kids are stepping up,” said eighth-year MacArthur head coach Dave Radtke. “Everybody is doing what they are asked to do.”
MacArthur stayed unbeaten in conference and moved to 9-3 overall with a 46-22 win at Great Neck South on Martin Luther King Day. Senior Hailey Hnis led the charge in the Generals’ dominating win with 11 points.
The nine wins already match MacArthur’s victory total from the program’s last full season two years ago. Last season the Generals went 5-3 in a season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no playoffs.
“We always have a really good rivalry with Mepham,” Radtke said. “It was a really good win.”
Angiuli and Hnis both missed multiple early-season games due to soccer commitments, but are slated to be part of the remaining schedule. Hnis, a reigning All-County guard, will play Division I college soccer at Albany next year.
The Mepham victory was followed up by a commanding 57-39 home win against New Hyde Park last Friday night in which the Generals pulled away in the second half after leading 31-24 at halftime. Cardon led the team with 18 points followed by 10 from Hnis and nine by Angiuli.
MacArthur has gotten balanced scoring all season in its up-tempo offense. Seven players tallied at least five points in MacArthur’s 59-36 win against Great Neck North on Jan. 7 led by 11 from Kealey and 10 by Ani Angelakis.
“We go in with the thought that if you are open, shoot it,” said Radtke, noting the team went 7 of 20 from three-point range in the Mepham victory.
Cardon along with seniors Ryann Murphy and Giavanna Stamatelo have been key team leaders throughout the season.
“They have been the staples this season,” Radtke said of the talented trio. “They have logged a lot of minutes.”
After a road game at Long Beach, MacArthur returns home Saturday to face Jericho for a 10 a.m. tipoff before hosting Great Neck South for a Friday night game on Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. The Generals will then travel to the north shore for a Feb. 2 matchup at Great Neck North and return home on Feb. 5 for a rematch with Mepham at noon.
