MacArthur grabs conference lead

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After dropping the first two games, MacArthur girls’ basketball is finding its rhythm entering the midway point of the season.
The Generals (8-3) have won eight of their last nine games and are in the mix to repeat as league champions in Conference A-1 playing an aggressive up-tempo style with versatile athletes who shine in other sports. 
“We’re getting better every day,” said ninth-year head coach Dave Radtke. “I don’t have true basketball players so it took some time to get back into basketball form, but we’re playing very well and everybody’s contributing.”
MacArthur has received balanced scoring while playing a deep rotation. In a 66-53 non-league win at Kennedy on Dec. 29, the Generals boasted three players in double digits led by 19 apiece from seniors Marissa Cardon and Ava Angiuli along with 14 by junior Sara Kealey.
Radtke credits his four seniors of Cardon, Angiuli, Hailey Feiler and Lexie Thompson with displaying strong leadership on and off the floor. The veteran group comprises future college athletes with Thompson committed to play goalkeeper for University at Buffalo women’s soccer, Angiuli to the Queens College women’s soccer program, and Feiler to Bentley for softball. Cardon, a reigning All-County player, is fielding offers to continue her basketball career on the collegiate level next year. 

“My four seniors are leaders beyond belief,” Radtke said. “They lead by example and they’ve taken on the young kids.”
Feiler has been instrumental in leading MacArthur’s aggressive pressure defense and is also the team’s leading rebounder. The Generals have limited opponents to under 40 points in six games thus far, which included a dominating 40-12 non-league win against Hicksville on Jan. 2 played at the Nassau Coliseum. 
The Generals carried over the momentum from the Hicksville win into last Wednesday where they rolled to a 50-33 road win at Mepham led by 17 points from Anguili. MacArthur dominated once again on Saturday in a 56-27 home win against Long Beach with 19 points by Anguili to improve to 4-0 in Conference A-1. 
The offense has also been finding its flow of late with the Generals tallying 50 points or more in six games including four of their last five. Radtke said executing on transition after forcing turnovers has been key along with improved free show shooting. 
“We’re starting to finish off the press and transition,” Radtke said. “If we can score we’re going to be dangerous.”
Radtke said the team converted 75 percent of its free throws during a four-game stretch at the end of December, which is a major improvement from past seasons. He said a major key in this turnaround from the charity stripe has been the team’s depth, which enables players to have more energy at the end of games. 
MacArthur will look to stay unbeaten in league play Tuesday at home against Calhoun after press time before a road battle this Friday at Great Neck South.