NHP Gladiators win final home game, 58-41

Gregory Giaconelli

The New Hyde Park boys varsity basketball team dominated Division Avenue in their last regular season home game, 58-41. 

This win boosted the team’s overall record to 6-10 and 4-7 in the Nassau A- II Conference. 

Junior point guard Joe Langan led the team with 14 points and added six assists in the victory for the Gladiators. Senior James Messina recorded seven points and junior Jacori Clemons finished with 13 points. Senior Greg Haynes chipped in with 11 points and collected a team high 10 rebounds.

“It was an important win” said head coach Don Rood. “We still have an outside shot at the playoffs and we’ll have to win out. Tonight was the first step.”

Going into the game, the Gladiators were up against a struggling Blue Dragons team looking to play spoilers. To keep their aspirations alive, the Gladiators would have to grind it out all the way through. 

In the first quarter, the Gladiators came out strong and were firing on all cylinders. They would outscore the Blue Dragons 17-5. Haynes would put up three 3 pointers and Langan ran the offense to set the tone early. From that point on, they would never relinquish the lead.

The Gladiators outscored the Blue Dragons, 16-14, in the second quarter, using a strong defense anchored by Messina to take a 33-19 lead into the half.

“He doesn’t always get the points and stats in the papers but he really keeps us under control” said Rood. “He does the little things that we need to do like playing good defense.”

The Gladiators continue to hold the advantage throughout the second half, outscoring the Blue Dragons 28-19 over the final two periods. 

“We came out and played solid defense” said Rood. “We didn’t let them breath. We hit some shots but it was really our defense that set the tone.”

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