By Brian Zanzonico
Fourteen players, 14 individuals goals. Some girls were asked to do more rebounding. Others needed to tighten up on defense. Petrocelli's motivating technique worked, as top seed Elmont took a 51-17 lead into the fourth quarter, giving the coach the chance to sit his starters for the rest of the game. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lady Spartans, held without a point in the final frame, beat No. 8 Herricks 51-27 to earn a berth in the semifinal against No. 5 Hicksville on Tuesday at Clarke High School.
"They played great, and each kid responded to what they had to do," Petrocelli said.
In junior Kirsten Jeter's locker, Petrocelli left a note asking her to rebound, stay out of foul trouble and get to the free throw line 10 times. "I don't think I got to 10, but I came close," said Jeter, who scored 17 points.
Elmont, which has beaten Hicksville twice so far this season, has been to the county finals each of the last three years. If they are planning another trip, they'll have to work to avoid putting themselves at a psychological disadvantage, Petrocelli said. The Lady Spartans won the first meeting Jan. 27, when Jeter scored 21 points and Loyola College-bound senior Kaitlin Grant chipped in 18 points. Elmont won in more convincing fashion Feb. 10, when Grant scored 15 points and pulled down 14 rebounds and junior Abena George had 12 points.
So how will Petrocelli keeps the girls from taking Hicksville for granted? "I threatened their lives," he joked. "I'm concerned they'll take it lightly. That's my biggest worry. I emphasized to them that past games are irrelevant."
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