Thursday, October 1, 2026
Mepham used a dominant defensive second half and a commanding effort on the boards to secure a 49-37 girls basketball victory over Hewlett Jan. 14, improving to 8-5 overall and 4-1 in Conference AA-2
The Bulldogs fell to 2-8 (2-3 in AA-2) despite keeping the game tight early.
Mepham entered halftime with a slim 27-23 advantage after a competitive first half in which both teams traded baskets and fought for momentum. Hewlett stayed within striking distance behind balanced scoring, led by Mia Koloden’s 10 points and Emma Kresler’s 8, while Mepham relied on contributions across the lineup to maintain its lead.
The tone of the game shifted after halftime as Mepham made a key defensive adjustment. Head coach Jim Mulvey switched from a zone to man-to-man coverage, assigning sophomore guard Alexis Honkercamp and freshman guard Christina Eromon to guard Hewlett’s top scoring threats. The change paid immediate dividends, as the visitors struggled to generate clean looks and was limited to just 14 second-half points.
“I thought our defense really stepped up in the second half,” Mulvey said. “We came out of our zone and decided to man up and had Alexis and Christina guard the two best players on their team. Everyone after halftime decided to step up and take on the responsibility.”
Offensively, Mepham continued to find success through a balanced attack. Eromon led the Pirates with 11 points and 14 rebounds, showcasing poise and confidence well beyond her years. Honkercamp matched her with 11 points and delivered a dominant performance in the paint with 20 rebounds. Sophomore guard Bree McGovern added 8 points, while junior guard Mia Troiano and Olivia Lettieri each chipped in 6. Sophomore guard Maria Kiropoulos and senior forward Angelina Katsalas provided valuable minutes off the bench, helping Mepham control the tempo late.
Honkercamp’s physical presence proved to be the difference, as Mepham repeatedly capitalized on second- and third-chance opportunities. Hewlett head coach Alex Pallatto pointed to rebounding as the deciding factor.
“They outworked us and in the rebounding battle they killed us,” Pallatto said. “When you give a team second- and third-chance opportunities, they’re going to score. That was the difference in the game.”
Despite the loss, Pallatto praised his team’s effort against Mepham’s aggressive defense. “This is the first time we’ve had a team really attack us defensively and we had players step up and kept it close, so I’m proud of them for that,” he said. Those contributions came from Kayla Owens, who finished with 7 points, while Yalin Megira had 5, Angelina Batista scored 4, and Ella Fahy 3.
For Mepham, the win reflected the team’s commitment to daily improvement as it battles Roslyn and Garden City for the AA-2 title.
“We always say the goal is to go 1-0 today,” Mulvey said. “This was a good team we just played, so it was a good win for sure.”
Honkercamp echoed that sentiment. “I thought we played really well tonight,” she said. “We worked hard and it was great to see the effort lead to a win. My mindset was to always go up and be physical for the ball no matter what.”
