By ANDREW McCLURE
Coming into the 2007-08 season, Malverne coach Lisa Gress knew the realignment of the Nassau girls' basketball conferences would not only mean a schedule composed of tough, unfamiliar foes, but also a chance to get battle-tested prior to the Class B playoffs.
Gress hopes playing in Conference ABC-I will pay off when it matters most. "I think playing tougher opponents in the regular season will be great for us come playoff time," she said after last Saturday's 61-55 overtime loss to Manhasset. "We're growing and maturing as a team each game."
Wins over Walt Whitman, Valley Stream South, Roosevelt and MacArthur -- the latter two coming in the Lady Devils Tournament at Freeport -- has the Lady Mules at 4-3, though they are 0-2 in conference games. The slow start in league play has not discouraged Gress. "I'm very optimistic," she said. "The girls are playing well as a team, and the bench is getting stronger and stronger. We're OK."
Junior guard Brittany Jenkins has been as good as advertised. Jenkins has averaged just over 21 points per game, including a 27-point effort in the win over Roosevelt. Jenkins, who hit five from long range, is among the county's leaders in three-point baskets with 19. Long-time back court partner Alexis Gabbe has been very impressive on both ends of the floor. Gabbe might not put up big numbers in the box score, but the senior captain brings intensity and other intangibles to the court that are unmatched.
Junior forward Alisha Steele has picked up right where she left off a season ago. Steele has scored at a 14-point per game clip, including a 25-point game in a loss to Wantagh in the opening game of conference play. Steele scored 20 points and pulled down 12 rebounds while leading the Lady Mules to a 69-57 win over Valley Stream South in early December. Five-foot-10 sophomore forward Brianna Cunningham, who also scored 20 in the win over South, has been solid in the front court.
One of the things the Lady Mules have discovered is that playing against stronger opponents means that no lead is safe. In losses to Hempstead and Manhasset, Malverne held decent leads only to have the margin close quickly.
"The girls have to realize that being up 10 points in this league doesn't mean the game is over," Gress said. "Of course you want to win every game, but we'll learn from it and be better because of it later in the season."
With strong veteran leadership and continued growth of the underclassmen, the Lady Mules appear to be on the right track for another run at a county championship that has eluded them in recent years.
Malverne will host Island Tress this Saturday at noon.
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