By STEVE SINISKI
Less than two minutes into the third quarter, the game was postponed due to the serious nature of an injury to starting point guard Tatiana Ritter.
Locked up in a battle for possession with the Lady Marines according to East Meadow coach Lisa Musgrove, Ritter ended up ripping the ball away, but in doing so, lost her balance and fell backward. Unable to break her fall, Ritter suffered a head injury that ultimately led the game being postponed between the teams. ³It was a tie up, she had the ball and went backwards but couldn¹t break [her fall],² Musgrove said.
The game will be continued at a later date this season, picking up at the point of the stoppage after both scorebooks were matched up. Up until that point, East Meadow (0-5 overall) had been well within striking distance of Long Beach, making a few halftime adjustments that paid immediate dividends in the third quarter. East Meadow opened up the third quarter with the first two baskets, trimming the deficit to a single point.
³We had a rough time with their press,² Musgrove said. ³We came out and made a few adjustments to handle it better. At halftime we went in with a positive attitude and spoke about what we had to do to get the score back to [a tie]. We moved from a zone to a man [defense] and I think we put a little more pressure on them.²
The biggest difference was ball movement, an area that has been a key for the Lady Jets this season. When they are able to keep it moving, the offense becomes freer flowing, and the scoring picks up. If the unit becomes stagnant in the offensive zone, defenses have been able to take advantage by forcing turnovers with a variety of traps and presses.
The Lady Jets were able to keep the heat on district-rival Clarke on Dec. 18, setting a season-high in points despite a 48-43 defeat. Lauren Cameron and Ritter each scored 11 points, while Katlyn Carlin scored seven and Nikki Green added six. In Ritter¹s absence, it¹s Green who¹s going to see an increase in responsibilities and workload on the court. Quick on her feet with a knack for making hustle plays, Green steps into the role of starting point guard.
³All the girls are putting in a big effort,² Musgrove said. ³It¹s not one particular girl that carries us from one game to the next.
³The big thing is when they get the chance they¹re able to go out and [play well] for the team.²
The Lady Jets, in search of their first win of the season, host Massapequa this Thursday at 7 p.m., and travel to Farmingdale on Saturday for an 11 a.m. tipoff.
