New Dorp guard Jordanna Schrecker launched a three-pointer in the first minute of its game against Beacon, as she was fouled, and then proceeded to come down on her ankle.
For a moment, the crowd held its collective breath, but the sophomore standout proved to be all right. She dusted off the momentary ankle woe and went on to drain a game-best 22 points with13 rebounds and four assists in the Central Cougars’ 62-29 non-league victory over Beacon (Manhattan) at the Hoopers NY’s and Coaches Choice USA MLK Classic tournament at Wagner High School Saturday on Staten Island.
Schrecker, however, did not do it alone, as pint-sized junior dynamo guard Mya Nisbet dropped in 18 points in a well-played overall tilt. But New Dorp head coach Frank Guglielmo said, when it comes down to crux of the matter, it is the team’s defense that creates its offense.
“Jordanna and Maya certainly are our two main point-gathers,” Guglielmo said. “We expect most of the shots that we take go up from them. But like I told them in the locker room, ‘when you work off one another, that creates things for others.’ And that was the first time all year where we played the way they needed to play. Their effectiveness allowed other girls to be effective. But at the end of the day for us, it comes down to our defense. When we stop people out here, we’re good; easy baskets. That’s what kind of really propelled us.”
Moreover, Guglielmo said due to the squad’s youth, he never stops pushing his girls to be their best while learning and developing at every turn.
“I have a very young team, and they need to be coached up; it’s just the way it is,” said Guglielmo, who has been at the Central Cougars’ helm since 2004. “They’ll continue to be coached up because they’re so young. If this was a senior team, I’d be sitting them down most of the game.”
The Blue Demons (14-2) hung in there against New Dorp (11-3) in the first quarter, trailing by just five points at 18-13.
But the Central Cougars extended their lead to 27-19 going into the locker room. From there, New Dorp took flight, as Schrecker, the game’s MVP, opened up the third period with nine points for a 36-19 advantage midway through the quarter.
The Central Cougars finished the third period ahead by 21 points and put the game to bed in the fourth quarter.
New Dorp faces Baldwin (Long Island) in the final day of the tournament on Monday at 1:00 p.m.
— Jerry Del Priore
Brooklyn Sports World/NY NJ Sports World 