Basketball

First light

Swerdling’s five three-pointers fuel Lady Comets’ victory over Monticello for first win of the season

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MONTICELLO, NY - It’s always darkest just before the dawn.

But for the Lady Comets, who have endured what has seemed like an everlasting night in search of their first win, daylight finally arrived with a 36-25 spirited triumph over Monticello on January 26.

First-year coach Daniel Redmond knows that his young team, comprised of a number of freshmen and sophomores, needs time to learn the fundamentals and to gel. That said, he also knows how frustrating it’s been for his hard-working squad that has struggled to score.

So, it was a huge lift when sophomore Shaina Swerdling found her stroke and buried five three pointers to give her team the lift it sorely needed. “She can shoot it,” he said following the win. “We just need to get her the ball.” Redmond also had praise for guard Keyshawn Kennedy, who added 12 points to the winning effort. “She’s a great slasher to the basket, but we still need to work on finishing and our free-throw shooting. We could have scored 20 more points tonight if we had made lay ups and converted free throws,” he said.

For Monticello, which also has only one win to its credit this season, a victory over New Paltz, playing without leading scorer/defender and team leader Nyoki Tate, was extremely problematic. Tate rolled her ankle in a game against Washingtonville last week and is on crutches. Coach Karen Atack described Tate’s role as central. “She’s a talented player who is just coming into her own,” said Atack, who added that Tate is learning to love a game she used to list as second fiddle to soccer.

Atack was also missing Mandee Heal. That put even more of the burden of the team’s other leader, Dorentina Rraci, who found herself in early foul trouble and had to sit for two quarters. All of those factors, coupled with Fallsburg’s fiery play, rebounding advantage and Swerdling’s hot hand, set the Comets ablaze and brought the long sought win.

Monticello got out to an early lead with buckets by Rraci and Brittany Santos, but the Lady Comets finished the quarter with an 11-0 run. Turnovers and fouls abounded in this fray. By game’s end, the Lady Panthers had turned it over 18 times. Fallsburg had 15 turnovers and sent the Lady Monties to the line for 25 free-throw attempts.

Much to Atack’s chagrin, her team converted only nine of them for a dismal 36 percent. Fallsburg hit five of 15 for an even poorer 33 percent.

Fallsburg led 15-6 at the half, as neither team could muster much offense in the second quarter.

Swerdling hit a trio of treys in the third quarter to propel her team to a 17-point output in the frame. Kennedy had six, as she used her quick first step to take it down the lane and to the rim. The Lady Comets led 32-15 after three quarters. Kennedy added a bucket early in the fourth quarter and a technical foul sent teammate Rebecca Courtney to the line where she canned one of two to make it 36-15.

Monticello (1-11) scored the final 10 points of the game with eight points coming from the charity stripe. The win puts Fallsburg’s record at 1-12.

“We’ve improved and we’re starting to grow as a team,” said Redmond. “I was very proud of the effort tonight.”

Atack credited Fallsburg’s play, but thought her own team lacked a great deal. “We didn’t play smart tonight,” referring to some of the unnecessary fouls incurred by people who could ill afford to sit. Rraci led her team with seven points.

The road ahead for each team is difficult, to say the least. Fallsburg will host powerful S.S. Seward on February 2 and then travel to Class A Goshen on February 5. Monticello headed off to encounter league-leading Cornwall on January 28. They host league rival Port Jervis on February 2 and then travel to Liberty for a non-league tilt on February 3 before hosting Burke on February 5.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of game photos.