Roessler leads Massapequa back to AA final
Massapequa's Morgan Roessler, left, looks to dribble past MacArthur's Courtney Noakes in the fourth quarter. (Feb. 28, 2012) Credit: James Escher
Morgan Roessler had all of her 14 points in the first half and added five assists and Lauren Van Buren had 10 points and 10 rebounds for No. 2 Massapequa in a 56-42 win over No. 3 MacArthur Tuesday night in a Nassau Class AA girls basketball semifinal at Oyster Bay.
Massapequa (17-2) advances to the county final to face top-seeded Baldwin at 2 p.m. Saturday at LIU Post.
The teams traded baskets in the early going with Massapequa taking a 12-10 lead after the first quarter. Roessler had eight points, including a running hook shot midway through an 18-9 second quarter, as the Chiefs took control 30-19 at halftime.
Roessler was 6-for-10 from the field and as usual, most of her buckets came in transition.
"It's just practice. We always do it in practice," said Roessler, who added three rebounds and two steals. "Even to start off every practice we do one-pass transition layups and scrimmaging and quick transition and push the ball."
Courtney Noakes had 21 points for MacArthur (16-3). It did not go down without a fight, but never got closer than nine in the second half.
"A team like that that has some different scoring opportunities, I don't feel that 10 or 11-point [lead] was safe," Massapequa coach Shari Roessler said. "They played us an even second half, let's give them credit, they picked up their defensive intensity, they shut down some of our transition."
Massapequa's depth has been its strength and Tuesday night was no different as 10 players scored for the Chiefs, who took a 45-31 lead after the third quarter. Van Buren had the first six points of the fourth before she fouled out with 3:38 to play.
"She's a playoff player. She rises to the challenge of playoffs," Shari Roessler said.
The Chiefs will play for a county title for the first time since 2009.
"I'm very excited. For us it's been a little bit of a drought," Shari Roessler said. "I'm really glad these kids get the opportunity to try and play in a county championship."
