Pavinelli helps Northport stifle Copiague
Northport HS's Allie Pavinelli drives to the net during her teams 44-43 victory over Copiague HS. (Feb. 20, 2012) Credit: Bob Mitchell
Allie Pavinelli was very nervous when she stepped to the free-throw line with 7.4 seconds left and the score tied in overtime. The Northport sophomore could hear everything the raucous Copiague fans were saying to her and she missed the first free throw.
Pavinelli hit the second one and it was final point of the game as No. 10 Northport eked out a 44-43 overtime win over host No. 7 Copiague Monday in a Suffolk Class AA first-round girls basketball game. Copiague trailed by eight points with 2:25 left before tying the score with 15 seconds left in regulation.
"I was really nervous after I missed the first one," said Pavinelli, who scored 10 points. "When I took the second shot, I needed to pull through and get everyone out of my head."
Pavinelli got to the line by forcing a steal and getting fouled as she went in for a layup. No one scored in overtime until Cypher McCloud's basket with 1:13 left gave Copiague (12-7) a 43-41 lead. Northport turned the ball over with 27 seconds left and had planned to foul with the shot clock off, but Copiague lost the ball out of bounds with 25 seconds left.
Dorrien Van Dyke (12 points) scored off a pass from Allie Clarke (10 points) with 21 seconds remaining to tie the score at 43 for Northport (12-7), which plays at No. 2 Lindenhurst at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the quarterfinals. After Pavinelli hit the winning free throw, Copiague turned it over on a double dribble with 4.7 seconds to play.
"They showed a lot of resolve," Northport coach Rich Castellano said. "We played defense the way we can. They didn't shoot well and I think we had a say in that. We didn't give them open looks."
Domyae Ivory Byrd hit a three-pointer with 1:25 left in regulation to bring Copiague within 39-34. Eighth-grader Mikaiya Moore (18 points) hit a three-pointer off the glass with 27 seconds left to cut the lead to 39-38 before Clarke hit two free throws with 24 seconds left. Moore hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left to tie the score at 41.
Northport, the No. 1 seed last season, was upset by No. 8 Copiague in the quarterfinals.
"That's especially why we're so happy," Pavinelli said. "They're a tough opponent. This is the best feeling in the whole world."
