Blue Devils Clinch Playoff Berth
With its season on the line, the Huntington girls’ basketball team played with a single-minded purpose earlier this week, besting Hauppauge and clinching a spot in the Suffolk Class A play-offs on Senior Night in Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
The Blue Devils trailed by a point at halftime but went on a 31-13 tear in the second half to secure a post-season appearance, besting the Eagles, 51-34 before 200 loud fans.
Huntington head coach Brad Reminick used a pre-game ceremony to tell the crowd of 250 how much seniors Lauren Visbal and Meredith McCourt have meant to the program. The pair was joined by their parents on the floor and presented with bouquets of flowers by the coaching staff as their teammates stood in a single file and applauded.
Huntington was backed into a proverbial corner entering the game. With a 6-7 record in league play, the Blue Devils needed a win to keep their season alive. The got just that as junior Jackie Waldron connected for 16 points, including eight free throws and freshman Raynisha Witherspoon added 14 points to pace the Blue Devils.
Huntington came out of the gate strong, but Hauppauge rebounded to take the lead in the second quarter. But, as the second half got underway, the Blue Devils exploded offensively, going on a 12-5 run in the third quarter and then outscoring the Eagles in the final frame, 19-8.
The well-balanced Huntington attack saw Visbal score nine points and pulled down countless rebounds on both ends of the court. McCourt added six pounds and numerous assists. “Lauren and Meredith have been a big part of our success and they are just great competitors,” Reminick said during the pre-game ceremony. “We are going to miss them.”
The Blue Devils must now wait to see who, where and when they will play in the opening playoff round.
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