Sports

Girls Basketball: A bloodied Dwyer sets Mattituck’s all-time scoring record

It took years of blood, sweat and tears for Liz Dwyer to get to where she is as a basketball player. So, what was a little blood on the night when she became Mattituck High School’s all-time leading scorer?

Dwyer suffered two bloodied knees from a hard fall she had taken in the fourth quarter of the Suffolk County League VII opener between Mattituck and Pierson/Bridgehampton Wednesday night at Pierson High School. She laughed, though, while both knees were being bandaged up during timeouts and blood was being cleaned off the court.

The senior forward could afford to laugh. Earlier in the game, she had tied the Mattituck record previously held by Stephenie Pisacano (Class of 2010).

Dwyer went on to complete a 23-point performance with five three-pointers as Mattituck pulled away to a 57-39 victory. That raised Dwyer’s five-year varsity total to 1,475 career points.

Entering the game, Dwyer needed 13 points to equal Pisacano’s total. She didn’t force anything and coolly swished a deep three-pointer on her first shot from straight on. Then she made her second shot, another three.

By halftime she had 11 points, which happened to be the point differential between the teams, 33-22 in Mattituck’s favor.

Dwyer joined Pisacano as Mattituck’s all-time top scorer on a layup off a pass from the wing by Jane DiGregorio (eight points, seven assists) a little over four minutes into the third quarter.

Later, with 15 seconds left in the quarter, Dwyer took the record for herself, knocking down a three-pointer (also assisted by DiGregorio) for a 46-30 Mattituck lead.

Dwyer’s shot was on. She hit 7 of 13 field-goal attempts.

The two bloodied knees were perhaps appropriate. They were an indication of the type of all-around player Dwyer is. She is not afraid to fight and scrap for the ball. Her 23 points and 11 rebounds were both game-high figures. She also had four assists, deflected eight passes and blocked a shot.

Mattituck’s overall record is 2-1.

Pierson (3-1 overall) received a strong performance by Katie Kneeland (15 points, 10 rebounds). Chastin Giles added nine points and four assists while Celia Barranco had six points and 10 rebounds.

[email protected]

Photo caption: Liz Dwyer with Mattituck coach Steve Van Dood after Wednesday night’s game in which Dwyer became the Tuckers’ all-time leading scorer. (Credit: Bob Liepa)