{"id":124105,"date":"2025-01-13T15:49:51","date_gmt":"2025-01-13T20:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com\/?p=124105"},"modified":"2025-01-14T12:46:40","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T17:46:40","slug":"blue-waves-eyeing-return-to-basketball-playoffs-after-another-league-1-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com\/2025\/01\/124105\/blue-waves-eyeing-return-to-basketball-playoffs-after-another-league-1-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Blue Waves eyeing return to basketball playoffs after another League 1 win"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When Anaiis Mitchell took an elbow to the mouth defending a drive to the hoop early in the third quarter on Friday night at Riverhead High School, Walt Whitman had no idea they just summoned what turned out to be a career-best performance from the sophomore point guard<\/a>. Mitchell was pulled from the game temporarily by the referees because of blood on his jersey but the second he got cleaned up he came rushing back in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From that point on, Mitchell could not be stopped, scoring from mid-range and inside, netting 12 of his 21 points in that third quarter to lead Riverhead to a 65-56 win and improve the team\u2019s League I record <\/a>to 4-1 on the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI got real mad about that,\u201d Mitchell said. \u201cThey didn\u2019t even call it a foul. It definitely got me fired up. Something clicked in my mind. All my shots started falling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe just flipped a switch,\u201d head coach Pat Fabian said. \u201cHe came up to me during the timeout and said \u2018keep setting that screen, my mid range is on.\u2019 So he knew he wanted to take over. By all intents and purposes, he won us that game in the third quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contest didn\u2019t start out great for the Blue Waves as they fell behind by as much as 10 points in the second quarter before Landon Zaleski checked into the lineup. Though Zaleski is typically the starter, Fabian went with Jack Bartolo against Whitman because of the matchups. Bartolo kept their best shooter in check all game but Riverhead needed a spark. Zaleski came in with a bang, coming up with crucial rebounds and nailing two treys before halftime to give the Blue Waves a one point edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThose threes I feel like really turned it around for us,\u201d Fabian said. \u201cIt got the crowd back into it and really fired up the kids heading into halftime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Mitchell was carving up the defense in the second half, he was also finding senior captain Liam Lennon off screens and under the basket to the tune of six assists. Lennon, who has been battling ankle injuries, finally felt 100% coming into the game for Whitman. The senior scored 19 points, corralled seven rebounds, and snatched three steals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHonestly the chemistry we have as a team is all the difference this year,\u201d Lennon said. \u201cI think each of us has improved because of it. We\u2019re coached hard and practices are fun. We\u2019re really enjoying this season and the results are showing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n