Commack girls hope to defy the odds against Ossining in state semifinals
Commack's Jackie DelliSanti drives the baseline against Baldwin on March 5, 2016. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
The Commack girls basketball team understands the challenge awaiting them.
“I don’t think there’s too many people north of 25A that would give us much of a chance of winning this game,” Commack coach Denis Conroy. “We are going to go in with the attitude that there’s no such thing as an unbeatable team.”
In the midst of a historic run that began with the team’s first county title last season, the Cougars, led by Jackie DelliSanti, won their second straight Long Island championship last week. They play in the state semifinals tonight at 8 at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, where they’ll face one of their biggest obstacle yet in Ossining, winners of the last three state Class AA championships.
Entering the season, Ossining seemed vulnerable because three freshmen were being incorporated into the starting lineup. But the freshmen — Aubrey Griffin, a 5-11 forward; Kailah Harris, a 6-1 center, and Jaida Strippoli, a 5-5 guard — have fit in seamlessly, helping Ossining (24-2, 10-0) extend its Section I winning streak to 85 games.
Griffin, the daughter of former NBA player Adrian Griffin, has been particularly impressive, averaging a team-best 25.3 points per game, including multiple 40-plus-point performances. She has teamed with 6-foot senior Shadeen Samuels, who is averaging 25.3 points per game and headed to Seton Hall, to create a formidable scoring duo.
“We have to make it difficult for them to get it in the post, pressure the ball before they get into position, and box out and rebound like hell,” Conroy said.
Help defense, and knowing when and how far to stray off defenders, will be crucial for perimeter players such as Casey Hearns, who has thrived in the postseason, and Jill Spagnuola, the Cougars’ best on-the-ball defender.
“We just have to amp up our defense,” Hearns said after Commack’s Long Island championship game victory over Baldwin. “And just keep this ride that we’re on going.”
Leanne Corso, a 5-9 forward, has done a masterful job all season defending opposing teams’ centers. She has compensated for the height differential with her athleticism and leaping ability, along with help from teammates such as Sam Miller.
Commack (22-2), which fell to Rush-Henrietta, 60-46, in a state semifinal last season, has proved doubters wrong on multiple occasions the last two seasons. With their balanced offense, a go-to star in DelliSanti and tough defense, the Cougars might have more believers than expected both north and south of Route 25A. “Every time you step on the court with a better team, you have a chance to do something great and memorable,” Conroy said. “So why not take it?”
