LAKE HUNTINGTON – The Sullivan West Girls basketball team hosted an undermanned Chester Academy squad on Friday night, resulting in a predictably lop-sided league win for the hometown Bulldogs 54-9.

Right from the start of the game Sullivan West asserted their dominance using a modified half-court press to rattle the visiting Academy squad who could only dress seven players for the match. Sullivan West coach Pat Donovan said, “We wanted to speed them up a little, see how they would react.”The Bulldogs overwhelmed Chester, making it difficult for the visitors to get the ball over the center court line in the allotted five seconds without turning the ball over.

The tone was also set early by the strong play of Bulldogs’ forward Ella Herbert, who scored the first seven points for Sullivan west and who also controlled the boards. 

At the end of the first quarter, the Bulldogs held a commanding 16–2 lead over the visitors with little sign that they would relinquish that advantage.

Chester Academy showed toughness and resolve continuing to battle, especially Brooke Battiato. They worked hard, trying to overcome the deficit, despite the imbalance in numbers, but just couldn’t get the job done.

Sullivan West, on the other hand, kept their focus and energy, playing hard regardless of who was out on the court. Their defense really stood out; even when they backed off on the half-court press, their swarming defense still made it difficult for Chester to get off any decent shots, either forcing a turnover with a shot clock violation, or pressuring them into taking bad shots before the shot clock ran out.

Although Ella Herbert led all scorers with 21 points, it was a total team effort, with all the Sullivan West girls getting out on the court to help secure the win.

Coach Donovan added, “We all played well, executed well, all ten girls. Defensively, everyone’s contributing, it was a team win, and an important division win.” The Bulldogs now have a 3–1 overall record.