Jesse Tricario, Joe Fernandez 1-2 punch lifts Great Neck South over New Hyde Park
Great Neck South's Jesse Tricario gets pressure from Isaiah Lariosa of New Hyde Park during a Nassau A-I boys basketball game at New Hyde Park on Tuesday. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Stephen Liebertz admitted it. The Great Neck South coach didn't think in the preseason that his team would be standing where it was Tuesday night at around 6:40.
The Rebels, with several young guys playing leading roles, had just walked into New Hyde Park’s gym and emerged with a 74-58 win after allowing only 20 second-half points.
That left them with a shot at claiming the Nassau A-I title, or a share of it. They moved into a tie for first with New Hyde Park. Both have one game left on the schedule.
"I think it’s the development of the younger kids and everybody buying into it," Liebertz said. "We’ve really been trying to work on our defense the whole year, but definitely the last couple of weeks. . . . They work hard as a team."
Jesse Tricario was a 6-5, 240-pound wrecking ball. The center dominated inside with 28 points and 16 rebounds. Forward Joe Fernandez provided the "2" in a "1-2" punch with 24 points. So the Rebels (10-7, 8-3) will bring a four-game winning streak into Thursday’s game at rival Great Neck North.
"Each game that we win, we tell ourselves that the job isn’t finished," Fernandez said. "We strive for greatness after each game."
The Gladiators (10-7, 8-3), who were paced by Sireen Brown, Isaiah Lariosa and Arsh Singh with 11 points apiece, play at MacArthur Friday. The team was trying to clinch the program’s first regular-season conference title.
"They just wanted it more than we did," coach Ben Krauz said.
Great Neck South clung to a 40-38 halftime lead and a 45-44 edge with five minutes remaining in the third.
Then Fernandez converted a three-point play and Tricario made a layup and turned another into a three-point play in a game-breaking 11-0 run.
"I play really hard," Tricario said. "I get the rebounds. My teammates pass me the ball in. I play my heart out out there."
Tricario scored 11 in the quarter.
"He’s come a long way in a short period of time," Liebertz said.
Fernandez hit four technical foul shots after Krauz was ejected for arguing with 1:41 left and made seven free throws overall in the final 2:24, helping the Rebels pull away.
"Being in clutch situations throughout the season, it just hasn’t gotten to me," Fernandez said. "I feel like I’ve been able to hit them and be there for my team when they need me."
