Thursday, October 1, 2026
With two weeks left in the regular season, the Freeport girls’ basketball team is still chasing history.
The Red Devils remain in the hunt for the program’s first-ever conference championship, navigating late-season adversity while holding their position near the top of Conference AAA. Despite suffering their first league loss of the season Jan. 29, Freeport rebounded quickly and entered the final stretch at 7-1 in conference play and 13-2 overall.
Freeport’s unbeaten run in the league came to an end with a 64-54 loss to Syosset. The Red Devils committed 35 turnovers, yet still kept the game within reach in the fourth quarter.
“We can fix some of those things,” head coach Meredith Jones said. “It’s not that we’re incapable or people are that much better.”
The loss came just days after a major roster shakeup, when sophomore point guard Ja’Niyah Eady unexpectedly moved away prior to the Jan. 23 win over Plainview-JFK. Eady was averaging about 9 points per game.
Her sudden departure forced a reshuffling of roles, something Jones believes contributed to the Syosset loss.
“I truly think it was a situation where everybody’s intentions were good [and were] trying to figure out how to make up for Ja’Niyah not being there,” Jones said.
Freeport showed its ability to adjust last Saturday with a 51-42 win at Port Washington. The Red Devils jumped out early, outscoring the Vikings 18-9 in the first quarter and taking a 27-19 lead into halftime before surviving foul trouble in the second half.
Junior Madison Harris led the way, scoring 12 of her game-high 18 points after halftime. Senior Shaniya Bonny added 11 points as Freeport held Port Washington to 10 points or less in each of the first three quarters.
“She's just amazing,” Jones said of Harris. “Literally every play is 110 percent. We've been working on trying to get her the ball more because a lot of her points in the past have come by her making a play in terms of an offensive rebound putback type situation or a steal and a layup.”
Defense has been Freeport’s calling card all season, with the Red Devils allowing fewer than 40 points per game. Jones credits that identity for helping the team weather foul trouble and lineup changes.
“Our motto is our best offense is our defense,” she said. “So, it shines through.”
Junior Sabrina Ligonde has stepped into a larger leadership role in Eady’s absence, while senior Leah Gaddist moved into the starting lineup and provided stability.
Freeport entered the week battling Baldwin for first place in the conference. The teams met Tuesday at Baldwin in a matchup that loomed large in the title race. The Red Devils close the regular season against Uniondale on Feb. 9, at Herricks on Feb. 11 and home against Oceanside the following day.
Whether or not the conference crown comes this season, Jones believes the recent adversity could pay dividends.
‘You don't like losing, but I'd rather lose now and regroup and win during the playoffs,” she said.
