On Dec. 22, the Rye Neck girls basketball team closed out 2021 in impressive fashion, putting together perhaps their most complete game to date and downing Tuckahoe 49-28. For the shorthanded Panthers, the victory was a sign that things are trending in the right direction as the bulk of the league schedule looms in January.
Rye Neck got off to a quick start on Tuesday, outscoring the Tigers 16-6 in the first quarter of play. According to head coach Shawn Lincoln, the early surge was predicated on making stops on the other end, something that has been a calling card for the Panthers when they are playing well.
“I think a lot of times our offense will come from our defense,” said Lincoln. “I trust our offense right now, in terms of the kids we have, the positions they play and their scoring spots.”
Although the Tigers would surge back in the second quarter, cutting the lead to seven points by halftime, the Panthers never relented, breaking the Tuckahoe press in the second half, as they would eventually pull away for good in the fourth quarter. Carissa Pecchia led all scorers with 21 points. Point guard Sofia Capparelli had 14 for the Tigers, while Irene Maris notched 14 for the visitors.
“In a way, I think that their press helped us to settle into the game quicker,” Lincoln said. “We might not see a lot of the 2-2-1 that [Tuckahoe] used today, but we have shown over the years that we can play against these types of defenses and having a senior point guard in Sofia really helps out.”
Overall, Lincoln was pleased with the way his team—who was shorthanded due to injury—was able to win battles in the paint with a Tuckahoe squad that is known for its physicality. Despite being a Class C school, the Tigers have proved their mettle so far this year with gritty performances against the likes of Class A Eastchester and other larger schools.
“I worry about us a little bit defensively because we’re a little shallow right now due to a couple of injuries,” he said. “Tuckahoe is a big, physical, strong team—powerful inside—and I was worried about that mismatch when we had to go small, but we managed that well today.”
At 4-2 on the year, the Panthers will head into 2022 as one of the top 10 Class B teams in Section I, but will have to prove themselves against the rest of the teams in their league. Lincoln believes that, with his team getting back to full strength, the Panthers can be a force as long as they are able to keep focused in the face of challenges presented by Covid-19.
“It’s just about trying to keep it as normal as possible. For the sophomores, this has been their high school experience so far,” said Lincoln. “For the upperclassmen, it’s trying to keep that gamely routine as normal as possible whether its coming in to do a little shoot-around before hand or doing a little video work at our regular time, its just making sure you’re able to adjust.”
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