Roessler, Van Buren help Massapequa roll
Massapequa's Morgan Roessler looks to pass in the fourth quarter quarter. (Feb. 22, 2012) Credit: James Escher
With 12 days between games, Massapequa had a lot of time to rest, practice and plan for its next opponent. Chiefs coach Shari Roessler had her players write down what the team needed to do and what they needed to do individually in order to be successful against Freeport.
"We reminded them 'what do you have on the paper? Go out and do it,'" Roessler said.
The Chiefs fulfilled their game plans as Morgan Roessler had 17 points and Lauren Van Buren had 16 rebounds to lead host No. 2 Massapequa over No. 7 Freeport, 53-36, in a Nassau Class AA girls basketball quarterfinal Wednesday night.
Massapequa (16-2) advances to the semifinals to play No. 3 MacArthur at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Oyster Bay.
The Chiefs and Red Devils split their regular season meetings, each winning on the road.
"We watched the tape when we won and when we lost and we knew we had to come out hard," Morgan Roessler said. "We knew that if we came out strong and came out harder than them, they kind of let down."
Nicole Scicutella's three-pointer to close the first quarter gave the Chiefs a 15-10 lead.
Massapequa carried the momentum into the second quarter with six more points to take a 21-10 lead. Freeport (11-7) responded and cut the gap to 23-19 at the half.
Roessler (seven) and Danielle Doherty combined for a 10-0 run to start the third quarter and the Chiefs coasted to the finish.
Doherty (nine points) and Roessler were also the primary defenders against Freeport point guard Monique Jones (17 points).
Shari Roessler acknowledged moving on to the semifinals was a significant goal for her squad after they lost in the quarterfinals last season. "Last year was the first year in 16 years we didn't advance. . . . I wanted especially the seniors, the kids that have been two-year players, to experience playing in a semi again."
Massapequa is back in the semifinals. You can put that in writing.
