Ofili's 19 points lead Uniondale past MacArthur

You have to hand it to the Uniondale girls basketball team. The top-seeded Knights know how to keep a game interesting.

Midway through the third quarter of last night's Nassau AA semifinal, No. 4 MacArthur looked primed for an upset. An 11-2 run had just pushed its lead to 11.

But then Uniondale made a stop. Then Siara Lowry hit a layup. Another stop. Then a free throw. Then Ifeanyi Ofili hit a couple of baskets. The Knights outscored MacArthur by 18 in the final 11 minutes, holding the Generals to five fourth-quarter points, and won, 53-45, last night at Herricks.

"We just had to play like we were going to win," Lowry said. "We got some stops and felt the momentum starting to turn."

Added Uniondale coach Danielle Nicol: "We wouldn't have it any other way."

Ofili (19 points) passed 1,000 career points with a three-pointer to open the game and was Uniondale's leading scorer throughout. But although she scored six of the first nine points in the late run, it was her teammates who closed it out.

Lowry scored nine of her 13 during the run, including a big three-pointer with five minutes remaining to put Uniondale within a point. Aliyah McDonald (nine points) followed with a layup to put Uniondale (13-6) up for good at 44-43.

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"I was looking for all my teammates at the end," Ofili said. "They all hit big shots."

Uniondale closed it out with another basket from McDonald, six points from Myajha Elston and a free throw from Sakara Hester-Torres.

"We're going to take whatever shot you give us," Nicol said. "Our offense is a lot more than Ofili."

The win keeps the season alive for seniors Ofili, Lowry, Asia Moore and Natasha Perry. Uniondale will play on Baldwin at C.W. Post Saturday at 4:15 p.m.

"It's awesome," Lowry said. "We're just living in the moment right now."

MacArthur (11-8) built its early lead with great ball movement and stellar point-guard play by Elizabeth Alagna. Nicole Crew scored 12 points and Christine Page had 11.

Gatling leads Baldwin. Shayna Gatling scored the game's first two baskets and rolled from there, scoring 26 points as No. 2 Baldwin downed No. 3 Massapequa, 50-38, in the second game of the doubleheader.

Baldwin (15-4) led 6-4 after the first quarter but exploded for 20 points in the second quarter to take a 26-14 halftime lead. Gatling had 15 in the half.

"This means a lot to me," said Gatling, a senior. "I'm very happy with my team and my coach."

Five straight points from Nikki Daly (11 points) and a layup by Danielle Doherty put Massapequa (12-7) within seven with 1:32 remaining, but Baldwin held on.

Baldwin's defense was impenetrable early on. The Bruins didn't allow a basket for the first 4:49, then held Massapequa off the board for almost six minutes to start the second half.

"We've spent 30 minutes on defense in practice every day since the beginning," Baldwin coach Tom Catapano said. Added Gatling: "It's our shell drill . . . It works every time."