“When we made that championship run two years ago, I expected for us to go undefeated,” SWR head coach Adam Lievre said. “We were just that good. This year has been a surprise. I didn’t expect us to be undefeated this deep into the season. Our defense has been carrying us all season long, and it showed up again today.”

Mt. Sinai, the second place team in the league at 6-1, did give the Wildcats some problems. They kept the game close from the start and at one point stretched their lead to as many as six points in the third quarter, behind the sharp-shooting of guard Mia Betancourt, who scored a game-high 15 points.

When the Wildcats needed help on the offensive end, Leslie Jablonski answered the call. The guard came off the bench and drained two three-pointers in crucial situations, contributing 12 points in a game that saw only two Wildcats score in double digits.

“I just made sure I was setting my feet before every shot, breathing and relaxed,” Jablonski said. “This game was a real eye opener. It felt like a playoff atmosphere out there.”

Ashley Bell, captain and senior point guard, was the only other Wildcat consistently finding the bottom of the net, adding 13 points as the defenses on both sides of the court really shined. “We lost to them twice last year, so for us to beat them now shows how much stronger we got,” Bell said. “Even though they didn’t have one of their starters, it was still a major test for us against a team we’re going to see in the playoffs.”

When the Wildcats began to fall behind in the third quarter, Lievre considered shifting to 1-3-1 zone on defense. Then Bell hit the first of two free throws, before Shealyn Varbero came up with the rebound on the second attempt and found Anabel Keegan in the corner for a three pointer to cut the lead to one.

“That play completely shifted the momentum,” Lievre said. “Instead of making a change we just stuck with what we were doing, and we were able to take back control of the game.”

The Wildcat defense toughened up and started pressing Mt. Sinai into turnovers. SWR held the Mustangs to just four points in the fourth quarter. Lievre kept Varbero and Jablonski on the court for the duration to help the defense respond. The duo combined for seven steals, including three in the final minute. SWR amassed 25 steals on the game.

The win over Mt. Sinai clinched the Wildcats playoff spot — for the 18th consecutive year.

“Going undefeated the rest of the year would be great, but it really doesn’t matter,” Lievre said. “Once the playoffs come, it doesn’t matter what seed you are or what you did during the regular season. It doesn’t matter what color jersey you’re wearing. Everyone gets a fresh chance out there. It’s just about being at your best come February. The important part was getting in. Right now for us, it’s imperative to get our offense going. Our defense is always going to keep us in games but we need to make our shots.”

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Shoreham-Wading River enjoyed success in the first few games of the season, earning wins over Miller Place, Pierson and Smithtown Christian but Monday night was a game to forget. Bayport-Blue Point led from start to finish and dominated all facets of the game as they defeated the Wildcats at Shoreham-Wading River High School, 66-35.

Bayport-Blue Point (1-1 League IV, 3-1 overall) executed well on every offensive possession as the lead swelled from 10 to 20 points over the course of the third quarter. Every time Shoreham-Wading River put together a few buckets, the Phantoms had an answer. 

“That was the poorest game we played all year,” Wildcats Head Coach Kevin Culhane said. “I thought we were prepared – clearly we weren’t.”

Rebounding was a key in Bayport-Blue Point’s success as they dominated the paint. The phantoms had a clear size advantage but that wasn’t a good enough excuse for Culhane.

“We didn’t rebound at all,” the distraught coach said. “We’re not the biggest but we still need to box out. Not only our bigs – everyone needs to box out. The effort has to be there.”

Shoreham-Wading River (1-2 League IV, 3-3 overall) definitely showed flashes of brilliance with the free-flowing play of junior guards Max Julian and Alex Makarewicz. 

Julian led the team in points with 13 and added 10 rebounds. He was strong when driving to the basket but his shooting wasn’t quite there. Makarewicz had 10 points and exhibited a soft touch inside the paint, showing off his tear-drop shot when given the opportunity.

The duo’s production wasn’t enough to propel the team to victory and head coach Culhane blames it all on effort and intensity.

“I’m embarrassed about the effort we gave today,” Culhane said. “We’re a better team than that. It’s the effort more than anything else.”

Senior Anthony Osness chipped in 7 points for the Wildcats.

The Wildcats will look to get back in the victory column next game as they host Mt. Sinai on Thursday.

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