Williams puts Copiague girls in quarters
Copiague's Chelsea Williams (15) celebrates with teammates after leading her team to victory over Ward Melville during a Suffolk Class AA first-round playoff game. (Feb. 21, 2011) Credit: Bob Mitchell
Chelsea Williams didn't get the opportunity to showcase her skills for colleges during the summer season in AAU. The Copiague senior forward broke three metacarpals in her left foot in early July that kept her sidelined until the end of September.
Williams is doing all she can to make up for the lost time. Williams had 22 points, eight rebounds, four steals, and three assists to lead No. 8 Copiague to a 49-36 home win over No. 9 Ward Melville Monday in a Suffolk Class AA first-round girls basketball game. Copiague will play at No. 1 Northport in the quarterfinals Thursday at 6 p.m.
Williams scored nine points in the first quarter and 15 in the first half. She is averaging 20.3 points and is second on Long Island in scoring.
"Chelsea has really improved this year," Copiague coach Carole Olsen said. "It's not just her shooting. It's her whole game. She trusts her teammates and passes the ball more. She's so aggressive."
That was apparent in the first quarter. Williams went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the first quarter as Copiague (13-6) led 19-9 after one. The lead expanded to 29-17 at the half.
"She's very tough to defend," Ward Melville coach Lawrence Combs. "They did a great job getting our big girl Megan Murtagh in foul trouble. It opened up the middle and Chelsea recognized that. She's a smart player and took it to the basket."
Caysea Cohen scored five points during an 11-4 run to open the third quarter to bring Ward Melville within 33-28 with 4:12 left. Kelly Ann Sullivan hit a three-pointer and then Domyae Ivory-Byrd scored six consecutive points. Williams capped the quarter with a steal and layup completing an 11-0 run to give the Eagles a 44-28 lead after three.
While Williams carried the team early, she gave credit to Sullivan and Ivory-Byrd for getting the Eagles' offense going.
"I'm glad they were able to step up," Williams said. "They knocked down shots and fueled our offense. We had an offensive lapse for a while and those shots were big. Then the defense turned it up. We pressured the ball well. We knew this game would come down to defense."
Ivory-Byrd scored 12 points and Sullivan scored eight. Cohen led Ward Melville (9-8) with 13 points. Ward Melville made one last run when Kim Geiger hit a three-pointer and Carly Lombardo hit a trey to bring the Patriots within 44-34, but Williams hit a three-pointer with 2:48 left in the game.
"Chelsea is amazing," Ivory-Byrd said. "She's a great role model. I look up to her."
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
