Noel Hodges helps Southampton to B title
Hampton Bays' Theresa Carey (5) takes the rebound up court against Southampton's Paris Hodges (24) in the second half. (Feb. 21, 2012) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Southampton was on the precipice of watching its seasonlong goal dissipating. The Mariners came into Tuesday night's championship game on a 12-game winning streak and already defeated Hampton Bays by double digits twice in the regular season.
The Mariners were trailing by eight points early in the fourth quarter and scored three points on one basket in the third quarter. Southampton's defense became smothering and it translated into offense and a comeback.
Noel Hodges hit the go-ahead jumper with 2:16 left in the game and top-seeded Southampton eked out a 35-31 win over No. 2 Hampton Bays in the Suffolk Class B girls basketball final at St. Joseph's (L.I.). Southampton (17-3) won its first county title since 1999.
"It was a little hard to believe to be down in the fourth quarter," Hodges said. "We picked up our defense. Our defense became our offense and we were able to force turnovers."
Hodges' jumper made it 30-29 and then her older sister Paris dished to an open Dominique Taylor for a layup. Taylor, who started for the injured Carley Guida, was fouled and hit the free throw to give the Mariners a 33-29 lead with 53 seconds left.
"It feels really good to contribute," Taylor said. "I usually don't shoot. I just go up for rebounds."
Theresa Carey (14 points) ended Southampton's 12-0 run on a drive to the basket to cut the deficit to 33-31 with 45 seconds left. Cassidy Guida (nine points) scored on a putback with 12.8 seconds left for the final score.
"We stayed tough," said Paris Hodges, who scored nine points. "We doubled Theresa at some points. In a playoff atmosphere, everything is different."
Hampton Bays' defense was stifling for three quarters as it led 27-21. Alexis Fotopoulos hit two free throws with 7:43 left to give Hampton Bays (15-5) a 29-21 lead, but it didn't score for the next 6:58.
"We had to hang in there," Southampton coach Rich Wingfield said. "At the end of the day, it's defense, defense, defense. I told them don't give in and that's how they played. We had to press at some point, but we couldn't press too much. We timed it right."
Said Noel Hodges: "It's a great moment to fulfill a goal. We had trouble with them for a while and turned it around."
