The transition was an easy one on paper. When Alex Immella stepped down as New Dorp girls basketball coach in December, Michael Padmore was there to fill the slot. Padmore was the schools JV girls hoops coach and also Immellas assistant.

In that situation, though, you never know what could happen especially in the middle of the season. It took three games for things to settle in, Padmore said. In that contest, New Dorp defeated Midwood, a team that will play in the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals.

I think that was the game that it was like, OK now you guys know Im the coach not just the assistant and how I do things, Padmore said.

Robert Cole

Monet Keane Dawes helped to lead Midwood to its 11th straight PSAL quarterfinals.

The Central Cougars scuffled a bit after that, falling in a few non-league games over the holidays. But theres no doubt theyve settled in now. New Dorp (13-11) has won nine in a row, capped by a victory over Graphic Communication Arts in the PSAL Class A second round Tuesday. The 10th-seeded Central Cougars will travel to rival and No. 2 Curtis for the quarterfinals this coming Tuesday.

Having the relationship I had with them, it made it a lot easier, Padmore said. I think it was tough in the beginning. But it wasnt like I was a new person and they had no idea who I was.

On Tuesday, New Dorp has a chance to do something the girls program at the Staten Island school has never done: make the final four at any classification. Its an even bigger game because of the opponent. ND lost to Curtis by just nine early in the season. But the latest time, the Warriors shellacked the Central Cougars, 70-35. Padmore has been hammering the revenge storyline home since his team won in the second round.

You dont usually get a second chance on things in life, he said he told his players. Make use of it. We lost pretty badly. We just want to get retribution for what we did.

The play of senior guards Jackie Rupelli and Racquel Baudanza has been immense for ND. The two combined for 49 of the teams 72 points against Graphic Communication Arts. Baudanza scored the 1,000th point of her career last month. Rupelli is averaging 19.3 points per game this season and has emerged as one of the best players on Staten Island.

Original post:
INSIDE PSAL GIRLS HOOPS: New Dorp in 'A' quarters despite coaching change, Midwood continues streak