Gianna Belone's clutch free throws help Oceanside girls basketball caps comeback, secure overtime win
Oceanside's Karley Handleman drives to the basket against Herricks during a Nassau girls basketball game at Oceanside High School on Thursday. Credit: Derrick Dingle
Down by one with 11 seconds left in overtime, Oceanside senior Gianna Belone didn’t flinch. She buried two clutch free throws to seal a 48-46 win over Herricks in Nassau AAA on Thursday night for the Sailors’ first victory of the season.
“I was just thinking if I miss these, I’m going to be disappointed in myself,” Belone said. “Watching them both make it in the net, it was awesome.”
The Sailors trailed for nearly the entire game, and entered the fourth quarter down 32–26. But coach Jared Stoler said their resilience is what sets them apart.
“We’ve had four tough games so far this season and they never gave up,” Stoler said. “They fought and fought until the final seconds and I give them all the credit.”
Herricks’ Mariyah Darr knocked down a three and followed with a layup to push the Highlanders’ lead to nine — their largest of the game. But the Sailors answered with an 11-4 run, sparked by back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore Riley Sokoli and junior Ella Murray.
“You could feel the stress on the court, and that kind of gave me an electric feeling,” Sokoli said. “I could feel it was the right time to take a shot.”
The deficit was cut to one with just over three minutes remaining. Sokoli then drove for a layup to flip the lead, and Karley Handleman followed with a three-pointer, giving Oceanside a three-point cushion heading into the final stretch.
But Herricks wasn’t ready to give up just yet. After Darr’s three-pointer cut Oceanside’s lead to one, Dall Madden’s free throw in the final seconds of regulation tied the game and forced overtime.
“Honestly, this was poetic justice,” Stoler said with tears filling his eyes. “I’m getting emotional because I’m just so happy for them, and it’s a true testament to how hard-working they are.”
Handleman finished with 15 points, Murray had 13 and Sokoli added 11 for Oceanside (1-4).
Madden had 16 points and nine rebounds, Darr added 11 points and Ashley Shiu grabbed 12 rebounds for Herricks (2-2).
With one win finally on the board after four straight losses, the Sailors hope this performance becomes a turning point.
“I think communication on the court has been the biggest thing we’ve struggled with,” Murray said. “But we had a powerful urge to get the win, and once we got our flow and were able to tie it, it all came together.”
