Uniondale girls believe less is more in free-throw practice

Uniondale hasn't had much success at the free-throw line this season. That usually means spending extra time in practice working on foul shots.

But the Knights went a different route this week. They decided not to shoot any foul shots in the practice before a game, especially after passing up working on free throws and going 16-for-21 against Baldwin on Tuesday.

It worked again Friday night. Uniondale shot 26-for-31 from the free-throw line, including 14-for-16 in the fourth quarter, to beat host Massapequa, 49-44, and clinch the Nassau Conference AA-I championship.

"Finally," Uniondale coach Danielle Nicol said. "We've been poor from the free-throw line all year [50 percent, she estimated]. The last two games we finally shot better from the foul line. We're not doing anything when we're taking them in practice, so I decided not to take them."

Ifeanyi Ofili had 13 points and six rebounds, Aliyah McDonald had 10 points and 12 rebounds and Siara Lowry scored 10 points for Uniondale (11-6, 10-2).

"In the practice before the game, we didn't take free throws," Ofili said. "We noticed we do better that way. I think it has a big impact. We don't think about it as much and there isn't as much pressure."

The Knights clinched the top seed in the Nassau Class AA playoffs and will have a bye into the quarterfinals. It also was the first time the Knights beat Massapequa in Nicol's 11-year tenure. "I was joking around that I didn't want to be 0-25 against them," she said.

SEE PHOTOSUniondale 49, Massapequa 44

The game was tight throughout before Uniondale took the lead for good late in the third quarter. McDonald hit a putback with 1:02 left in the quarter and then scored on a drive with six seconds left to give Uniondale a 29-25 lead.

Massapequa (10-6, 7-4) got to within one point twice before Ofili, who has a knack for delivering in the clutch, scored on two drives during a 10-2 run to push the Knights' lead to 43-34 with 2:04 left. Danielle Doherty (nine points) hit a three-pointer with nine seconds left to bring Massapequa within 47-44 before Myajha Elston sank two free throws with eight seconds left.

Massapequa coach Shari Roessler mainly played her seven seniors on Senior Night. The Chiefs still could get a first-round bye with a win in their final game, but it was Uniondale's seniors who finally got a league title and a victory over Massapequa.

"It was very important to us," McDonald said. "It's special to get the league title. It was great for the seniors."