Coming off an appearance in the Nassau Class AA girls’ basketball semifinals and bound to push its consecutive playoff streak to nearly 20 seasons, South Side earned a signature win Saturday against one of the county’s top programs over the past decade.
Senior Charlotte Rathjen racked up a game-high 26 points and pulled down 7 rebounds, and sophomore Reese Long added 8 points including what ninth-year head coach Dan Ferrick described as a “pivotal basket” early in the fourth quarter to lead the Cyclones to a 52-40 victory over visiting Manhasset in a Conference AA-III matchup.
“It was a total team effort and a huge win,” Ferrick said after South Side won its seventh straight and improved to 9-3 overall and 4-2 in AA-III. “We stayed out of foul trouble and had contributions from everyone we put on the floor. Nobody tried to do too much. They let the game come to them,” he added.
Danielle Perfetto was Manhasset’s leading scorer with 13 points. She had 22, 21 and 24 in its previous three games but was held in check by South Side senior Taylor Hansman, who typically gets the toughest defensive assignment according to Ferrick.
“Taylor has been on varsity for four years and does a lot of things you don’t find in a boxscore,” Ferrick said. “She has height and long arms and is athletic, so she can cover a forward or a guard. We’ll put her on the other team’s biggest offensive threat.”
Manhasset scored the game’s first six points, but the opening half was back-and-forth thereafter. It was knotted at 11 after the first quarter and the second saw several lead changes before three free throws from sophomore Bobbi Creo gave South Side a 23-22 halftime advantage.
The Cyclones went 10-for-13 from the line in the first half.
“We’re trying to improve all the little things and being more consistent,” said Rathjen, who scored 12 points in the first half and 14 in the second half. “Free throws and layups have been a focus in practice. Today was awesome for our confidence. Manhasset is a really strong team and we’re looking to carry this over to the next games against Elmont and Division.”
Eve Bush, who had 11 points, put the visitors ahead 27-25 early in the third quarter with a three-pointer. It was 30-30 when a Hansman trey put the Cyclones ahead to stay.
Junior point guard Ellie Lennon, who had 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals, picked up her third foul less than a minute into the second half but never came off the court and was instrumental in the victory. She and sophomore Katelyn Mullin were the biggest reasons South Side committed a season-low 12 turnovers.
It was Mullin’s back-door feed to Long early in the fourth that answered a Perfetto trey and gave the Cyclones a 40-33 cushion.
“I felt great about our chances at that point,” Ferrick said.
South Side begins the second trip around the conference slate Thursday at Elmont looking to avenge a 39-37 loss in the AA-III opener.