Schools

LI FINALS: South Side Hoops Falls to Harborfields, 80-61

Tornadoes offense too explosive for even South Side's stingy defense.

An explosive inside and outside offense orchestrated by arguably the best point guard on Long Island was too much for Nassau County Class A champs South Side during its Long Island finals matchup against Harborfields on Saturday, losing 81-60 in front of nearly 2,000 fans at Hofstra University.

Senior Ryan Spadaford led the Cyclones with 15 points and 9 rebounds, however, the Cyclones offense stumbled in the first half, missing all seven of its three-point attempts — a staple of South Side's potent offense.

With the Cyclones up 8-6 halfway through the first quarter, Harborfields finished on a 14-4 run, hitting four three pointers en route to a 20-12 lead heading into the second.

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South Side was outscored 21-9 in the second quarter, helped by several sparkling plays created by Harborfields stud point guard, Lucas Woodhouse. He finished with 18 points, 9 assists and two steals. South Side cut the deficit to eight midway through the second, but again, the Tornadoes finished the half on a 12-3 run to build its lead to 41-23.

The Cyclones never mustered an offensive run in the second half. They got as close as 16, but South Side's shooters never found their groove. The Cyclones committed 15 turnovers compared to Harborfields seven. South Side also didn't hit a three pointer until midway through the third quarter, and by that point, they were down by 21.

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For the most part, South Side dominated its way through the Class A playoffs, winning by an average of 12 points per game. But Harborfields had too much firepower for even the Cyclones' top-notch defense to control.

Nonetheless, South Side finished the season with its first Nassau County Class A championship in eight years, a feat that cannot be overlooked after its loss to Harborfields.


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