Alexander's 17 spur Malverne to 'B' final

Before the game, East Rockaway sang. During the game, Malverne's defense danced, and the Mules boogied their way into another final.

Top-seeded Malverne cruised to a 55-34 win over No. 4 East Rockaway in a Nassau Class B boys basketball semifinal Saturday at C.W. Post's Pratt Recreation Center. The Mules, looking for their sixth straight county title, will play No. 3 Wheatley on Thursday at Post.

The Rocks (9-9) gave their best American Idol audition when they gleefully led the crowd in the Star Spangled Banner after the CD playing Whitney Houston's rendition stopped. But their joy diminished in the second half when the Mules' pressure defense performed its choreographed steps like an Arthur Murray dance class en route to its 13th straight win.

East Rockaway scored a season-low 34 points and had just two third-quarter points on Joey Lores' two free throws with 39.6 seconds left in the period. Malverne's 13-2 third-quarter advantage pushed a three-point halftime margin to a 41-27 lead going into the fourth quarter.

"We added more pressure in the second half," said Cory Alexander, who led the Mules (17-1) with 17 points. "It was enough playing around."

Alexander scored the first seven points of the third quarter on a hoop-and-harm, a lefty scoop shot and a layin off a hard drive. Andre Berry scored the next six - all in the paint. "All of our big men can score," Alexander said, "we just gotta get the ball to them and not take too many shots around the perimeter."

East Rockaway's low-post presence, Matthew Fuller, picked up his third foul 20 seconds into the third quarter and sat the rest of the period. But Rocks coach Joe Lores didn't make any excuses for his team's lack of execution. "Their defense is their trademark," he said.

However, Malverne coach Darrol Lopez was concerned with his team's foul trouble.

"When you play lazy D, you get lazy fouls," he said. "We didn't score the way we should off our defense."

East Rockaway went to the line 21 times, but made just 12. Five of the Rocks' nine second-half points came on free throws. Said Alexander: "We play physical, but we never want to foul. If we do, we make sure they work for [the points]."

East Rockaway led most of the first quarter until Alexander hit two three-pointers from the wing and Ronald Spencer (10 points) hit another and had a layin off a steal to give Malverne the lead for good at 15-10.

With Malverne's defense coming out flat in the first quarter, it gave Lopez a chance to flash his vocal cords, as well. Said the coach: "You can see I'm very loud out there. I keep up the intensity with my mouth."

His defense does it more with its feet.