LAKE HUNTINGTON, NY — When you go up against a deadly three-point shooter, chances are you’re going to have a hard row to hoe.

And that was exactly the case on Friday night, December 8, when the home team Lady Bulldogs of Sullivan West took on the visiting Livingston Manor Lady Wildcats. The home team’s Nicole Reeves shot the lights out by aceing 8 three-pointers from outside the arch, plus a solo 2-pointer to lead her team to a decisive 56-26 win over the opposition.

For the mathematically inclined, that’s a total of 26 points, which represents just a small decimal point over 46 percent of the Lady Bulldogs’ scoring: 3 ‘three’s’ in the first frame, a repeat in the second, a basket in the third, and 2 ‘three’s’ in the fourth.

For the record, on December 7, Reeves recorded 7 three-pointers as Sullivan West topped the Lady Panthers of Monticello, 61-31.

On December 8 in the opening frame, it was almost all Lady Bulldogs, until late in the inning, when Manor got on the scoreboard to close out the period 18-2.

In the remaining periods, it was SW 20, LM 10; SW 8, LM 10; and SW 10, LM 0.

SW’s top scorers:

Nicole Reeves (26); Karlee Diehl (11); Ella Herbert (7, including a three-pointer); and Liz Reeves (with a three-pointer). 

LM’s top scorers:

Sarah Evens (10) and Athena Niforatos (8). 

Stats from the free-throw line:

SW 4/8 (50 percent), LM 2/2 (100 percent).

Maggie Fitzpatrick heads up the newly merged Lady Wildcats (1-3), a team made up of varsity bucketeers from Livingston Manor and Roscoe.

“I’m really excited about the numbers,” she said. “We have a lot of girls on varsity and junior varsity, and that’s great; so now we can build a program.”

She noted that one of the challenges is getting the hoopsters from the neighboring schools on the same page to play together, “and develop into a team.”

As to goals, Fitzpatrick said, “I would like to make it to the playoffs, and see more versatility in my team.”

Manor takes to the hardwood with six seniors: Isabella Francisco, Hailey Sheehan, Sarah Evans, Sarah Gorr, Athena Niforatos and Zaylee Cox.

The captains are Niforatos (Roscoe) and Evans (Livingston Manor).

Pat Donovan heads up the Lady Bulldogs (2-1), a squad composed of five seniors, all of whom rotate as captains on the floor: Sophie Flynn, Abby Parucki, Nicole Reeves, Liz Reeves and Karlee Diehl.

Of note this season: Sullivan West has moved up a notch to Class B competition, thus battling larger high schools. 

In providing a snapshot of his team, Donovan said, “All seven of them can shoot, and our philosophy is to shoot well, and none of them are gun shy.” 

And of Nicole Reeves, Coach Donovan summed it up by saying, “She’s my player.”