Thursday, October 1, 2026
Calhoun’s girls’ basketball team was in a difficult and unexpected spot after a 37-36 upset loss at Long Beach Jan. 8 left the Colts with one win over their first five Conference AA-I games and with five defeats in their last six overall after a promising opening month.
“That Long Beach game was a wake-up call,” head coach Dan Catapano said of a first half that put Calhoun in a 25-9 hole. “We battled back after a rough first half but couldn’t come all the way back. It was a quiet bus ride home.”
Having a non-league game on the schedule 36 hours later was a plus, Catapano said.
“We had a competitive and high-energy practice the day after the Long Beach game,” he said. “We’ve missed the playoffs by a game two seasons in a row and our seniors wanted nothing more than to make it in their final year.”
The Colts responded to the Long Beach setback by rolling Bethpage by 20 points behind freshman point guard Lia Biscardi’s 15 points and junior Angie Kasimatis’ 12 in a performance that not only stopped the bleeding but sent the team on a heater that culminated with a playoff-clinching 65-32 victory at Great Neck South Feb. 11.
“We’ve been inconsistent, but the past month we’ve played our best basketball of the season,” Catapano said. “We’re in the playoffs and going in with confidence. We played the top two teams really tough the second time around and our offense has picked up the pace.”
Though the Colts were unable to top conference-leading and likely No. 1 Class AA seed MacArthur and second-place New Hyde Park down the stretch, losing both rematches by six points apiece gave Catapano’s squad plenty of positives to take away.
“We’re sharing the ball and running the floor so well,” he said. “Everyone found their roles and things are clicking. It’s an unselfish group that just wants to win.”
Senior Katie DiPaola led Calhoun with 16 points in its 54-48 loss at New Hyde Park Jan. 30, and Kasimatis poured in 23 in a 55-49 nailbiter loss to MacArthur two days later.
It was the second time in a week Kasimatis produced a career-high in points. She starred with 23 points in a 63-44 win over Kennedy Jan. 27 that proved huge in the playoff picture. Biscardi and DiPaola had 11 apiece that evening as the Colts avenged a loss to the Cougars in the first meeting between district rivals.
“Angie hit five threes in that Kennedy game and is the type of kid who shows up early for practice and stays late,” Catapano said. “She can play anywhere we need her.”
Seniors Julia Kopelman and Ruthie Small have played significant starting roles as well. “It’s awesome for the seniors to get the program back to the playoffs,” Catapano said. “Katie is one of our top scorers and top defender, and Julia and Ruthie bring the intangibles.”
Calhoun (6-6 in AA-I) enters the postseason with an overall record of 11-9.
