Allie Twible's game-winner lifts East Meadow over Division
Allie Twible of East Meadow, right, looks to drive to the net during the Nassau Class AA girls basketball quarterfinals against Division at East Meadow on Tuesday. Credit: James Escher
East Meadow High School and Division High School are less than three miles apart and the only thing that surpassed the environment inside the packed East Meadow gymnasium the geographic rivals created was the action on the floor.
Both teams generated standout performances in their postseason matchup, but in the closing seconds, the defending Long Island Class AA champions proved they aren’t willing to give up that title easily. With the score tied and seconds remaining, East Meadow senior Allie Twible received a pass in the post and was determined to deliver a victory.
The ball was momentarily knocked out of her hands, but she corralled it before it hit the floor, ducked under a defender and made the winning layup with 13 seconds left to give host East Meadow a two-point lead as the third-seeded Jets defeated No. 6 Division, 68-65, in the girls basketball Nassau Class AA quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
“We worked so hard the whole game. We deserved this,” Twible said. “I knew I had to put it up and get the lead. [The feeling] was unmatchable. I just knew after that my team was going to take it.”
East Meadow (14-7) plays No. 2 Garden City (19-2) at 8 p.m. on March 3 at Farmingdale State College in the Nassau Class AA semifinals.
“Allie’s a gamer,” coach Peter Olenik said. “She’s one of the most competitive players I’ve ever coached . . . She’s just really a great player and comes up big in great moments.”
Twible finished with 16 points and Emily Zaradich had 19 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, for East Meadow. Zaradich made a three-pointer with 4:06 left to knot the score at 60. She also corralled the final rebound off an intentionally missed free throw with four seconds left and made a foul shot for the game’s final point.
“It was really exhilarating and also very nerve-wracking, but I fought through it,” Zaradich said. “All I could hear was the crowd and I was really willing myself and telling myself I can do this and my team can rely on me.”
Angelina Cronin finished with 13 points.
Alice Beckett had 23 points and Emma Robins had 22 points for Division (17-5). Ashley Anderson added 16 points, including going 2 of 2 at the foul line with 30.1 seconds left to tie the score at 65, for Division.
Division held one-point leads after the first quarter and at halftime before a second half that featured seven lead changes and four ties. The Jets led 54-53 entering the fourth quarter and it remained a one-possession contest the rest of the game.
“It was a track meet,” Olenik said. “They couldn’t stop us defensively, we couldn’t stop them defensively. I told the girls at half it was going to be whoever had the ball last [would win] and that’s really what it turned into. They are a good team. We knew it was going to be a good game.”
East Meadow won the Long Island Class AA championship last season and knows it will be a challenge to defend that title. Tuesday’s contest was another reminder of that in a back-and-forth postseason atmosphere.
“It was insane, but we just relied on each other the whole game,” Twible said. “The whole season, we’ve grown to trust each other so much. The energy was amazing and especially coming from last year’s playoff run, this is exactly what we want.”
