Curtis drew the headlines over the summer for bringing in legendary coach Bob Daggett. McKee/Staten Island Tech has won six of the last seven Island titles. Tottenville went to the ‘A’ final last year.
Those were the teams getting all the hype coming into this season. No one was really talking about New Dorp.
“That’s fine with me,” Central Cougars coach Alex Immella said. “I don’t mind flying below the radar. I know what I have and I know the kids and my staff know what we have.”
The rest of the city might be finding out soon enough.
Jackie Rupelli had 25 points and Arielle Pearce had 12 points and 10 rebounds to lead New Dorp to a season-opening, 61-51 win over Tottenville in PSAL Staten Island A girls basketball Tuesday night. It was the team’s first victory in Huguenot in Immella’s five-year tenure.
“I was just proud of the way the girls played together,” the coach said. “I thought we were able to move the ball and find the open girl and also get second-chance points.”
Pearce had eight of those 12 points in the fourth quarter on putbacks to allow New Dorp (1-0) to pull away. Rupelli had five 3-pointers and her sister, point guard Michelle, had 11 points. Gabby Tasca, a 5-foot-10 St. Peter’s transfer, aided Pearce inside.
Rupelli is the kind of girl who can get hot and drain 3s in bunches, but Immella is really looking for balance this year and he really thinks he has the team to do it.
The Central Cougars, as a No. 22 seed, stunned No. 11 Beacon in the PSAL Class A first round before falling to No. 6 Bryant in the second round last year. Only the Staten Island winner makes the ‘AA’ playoffs and New Dorp has games coming up against favorites MSIT and Curtis, making this victory huge.
The goal as of now for the Central Cougars, with four very tough teams on the Island, is to go .500 and make the ‘A’ postseason.
“To get that first win is tremendous for us,” Immella said. “We need to get to seven wins and make the playoffs. Once we get off the island, I think we have a good chance. It’s just qualifying.”
PSAL CLASS AA
Banneker 54, Grand Street Campus 39: Africa Williams had 26 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and five steals to lead Banneker (3-0, 3-0 Brooklyn AA Group 2). Grand Street Campus is 1-2 and 1-1 in league.
PSAL CLASS A
August Martin 57, Hillcrest 49: Shiclasia Brown had 23 points, Evanda Redwood had 15 points and Xander Burns had 12 points for Martin (1-1 Queens A East). Danielle Pearce had 17 points and Diamond Edwards had 12 points for Hillcrest (1-1).
Lane 48, Robeson 18: Angelika Ruggiano had 27 points and Julia Key followed with 10 points for Lane (1-0 Brooklyn A East). Robeson is 0-1.
Brooklyn Tech 59, Prospect Heights 10: Crystal Barnes had 18 points and Lauren Wu had nine points for Tech (1-0 Brooklyn A East). Dana Christian-Warne had 10 points for Prospect Heights (0-1).
Clara Barton 42, ENY Family Academy 5: Fortune Ekworuku had 14 points and Christina Rose notched 17 rebounds to lead Clara Barton (1-0 Brooklyn A East). Family Academy is 0-1.
PSAL CLASS B
Scholars Academy 62, Far Rockaway 6: Taylor Gallagher had 19 points and Emma Michaels had 13 points for Scholars (1-0 Queens B East). Far Rock is 0-1.
Queens Vocational Tech 40, Construction 20: Shakirra Smith had 23 points and 16 rebounds to lead Queens Vocational (2-0 Queens B West). Construction is 0-2.
Academy of American Studies 68, Baccalaureate 19: Hui Hui Chen had 11 points and Carly Nevis, Nadia Semmar and Anna Maria Miti all had 10 points for American Studies (2-0 Queens B West). Baccalaureate is 0-2.
South Bronx Prep 48, Bronx Academy of Letters 15: Lillybeth Garcia had 13 points, Gianna Norfleet had 11 points and Tajania Scott added 10 for South Bronx Prep (2-0 Bronx B East). Bronx Academy of Letters is 1-2.
Bushwick 34, Van Arsdale 29: Chelsea Silva and Shanique Dennis each had 12 points to lead Bushwick (3-0 Brooklyn B2 East). Jasmyn Cumberbatch had 19 points for Van Arsdale (0-2).
All City Leadership 34, Transit Tech 24: Kristin Yates had 18 points and 19 rebounds to lead All City Leadership (2-0 Brooklyn B1 East). Transit Tech is 1-1.
OTHER SCORES
Jamaica 49, RFK 23
Info Tech 34, Televison and Film 20