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By Joseph Staszewski
Brooklyn Daily
The Medgar Evers girls’ basketball team started the season strong — and then lost its steam.
Slow beginnings have kept the Cougars from building any momentum since a lopsided loss to Public School Athletic League favorite South Shore earlier this month. The problem reared its ugly head again in a 61–45 loss to Cardinal Spellman at the Rose Classic Super Jam on Jan. 18 at Nazareth.
“It’s frustrating because you go so far and then you take two steps back,” Medgar Evers coach Mike Toro said.
Poor shooting mixed with lackluster defense put Medgar Evers behind 22–4 after the first quarter and 28–15 at the half. Spellman ripped off a 13–0 run to begin the third and push its lead to 35–15 with five minutes left in the quarter. Getting out of the gate slow cost them two non-league loses by a combined 10 points.
“We need to learn how to start both halves stronger,” Toro said.
Senior guard Mikala Casimir (8 points) had seen enough. Spellman went to its bench early, so she began attacking the basket and picked up her defensive intensity. It is the type of leadership Toro expects from her and needs more of.
“I’m trying to be a leader,” Casimir said. “Mike has been telling me somebody has to step up, and I am trying to be that person.
The team’s effort level grew, and it ripped off a 15–3 run to help pull within 13 points in the game’s final three minutes, but it could not get closer. Brianna Rudolph, Alisia Machado, and Gabriela Moore each scored 10 points for the Cougars. Leah Pinilli paced Spellman with 18 points and Diamond Christian added 14.
The Cougars, who are 4–5 in league play, still have time do get things together with five division games left. Medgar Evers has to face Francis Lewis and will get a second chance at Grand Street, which beat it by just four points.
“We have had a rocky road lately,” Casimir said. “We just have to keep our heads up.”
Boys & Girls rally falls short against Molloy
The Kangaroos squad turned up its full-court pressure to cut a 15-point to six deficit in the third quarter, but it couldn’t complete the rally in a 67–61 loss at the Rose Classic Super Jam.
A Kalima Daniels three-pointer made it 56–52 at the 5:28 mark and a Fatoumata Konare put-back cut the Molloy lead to 59–53 with 4:07 to go. Molloy’s Jenna Mastellone answered with a three and an Emily Johnson put-back kept the Kangaroos at bay.
Daniels (19 points) led four Boys & Girls players in double figures, including Kania Pollock, who chipped in 14. Kathryn Kanhoye scored 11 points and Konare added 10. Mastellone led Molloy, scoring 12 of her 22 points in the second half, and Kathryn Gibson had 18.