V.S. South eliminates Hewlett

Posted Wednesday, February 20, 2013 12:06 am

Valley Stream South's Nnamdi Nwaigwe, right, had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

There’s a first time for everything.

Valley Stream South, the No. 11 seed in the Nassau Class A boys’ basketball playoffs, will play in the semifinals for the first time in program history. The Falcons pulled off their second straight road upset, beating third-seeded Hewlett, 60-49, on Tuesday night behind 16 points apiece from senior Diego Maldonado and freshman Dana King.

South, which led by four at halftime, used a 2-3 zone in the second half to contain Bulldogs junior Avery Feldman, who scored 18 of his game-high 27 points in the opening half. The Falcons, who knocked off No. 6 West Hempstead in the opening round, will take on second-seeded Jericho next Wednesday in a semifinal at SUNY-Old Westbury.

“We have great chemistry, and when we’re shooting well we can hang with anyone,” VSS coach Matt Johnsen said. “It’s not so much the trophy that’s driving these guys. More than anything else, they just don’t want the season to end.”

Junior William Knight added 13 points, while senior Nnamdi Nwaigwe had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Falcons. Senior Weldon Irvine netted 11 for the Bulldogs.

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