Valley Stream North boys basketball's Noah Obukwelu, Tristan Mitchell key big win over Wantagh

Valley Stream North remembered December.

The Spartans had fallen at Wantagh on a three-pointer with one second left.

“That was definitely on our mind because we knew we shouldn’t have lost that,” junior guard Tristan Mitchell said following Friday night’s rematch at Valley Stream North.

Wantagh rallied in the sequel, shrinking a 13-point halftime deficit to six in the third. Then the Spartans went on one wondrous run that lasted the rest of the quarter and for much of the fourth.

VSN scored 28 of the next 30 points, including 20 straight to start the final period, and so it didn’t have to worry about any late heartbreak.

Senior center Noah Obukwelu delivered 14 points and 12 rebounds and Mitchell also scored 14, and the Spartans took a 56-30 Nassau VI victory.

This basketball team rose to 10-5 overall and 4-3 in the league. It stands two league wins away from clinching a pass into the Nassau A playoffs.

“This one was really satisfying,” Obukwelu said. “We started 3-3 in the league, so we knew that this one was really important.”

Last season, they went to the semis.

“I’m very optimistic since we have a lot of returners from last year,” Mitchell said.

Coach Michael McVeigh essentially starts five guards, a possible advantage in the postseason.

“It’s nice to have good guards,” he said. “When you have good guard play, it makes it easier because they can kind of make something out of nothing sometimes, which tonight was evident, a couple of plays where late in the shot clock, someone just made a play.”

The decisive run began when it was 27-21. Obukwelu then was fouled on a three-point try and hit all three free throws. By the end of the third, the margin was up to 12.

Matthew Hunt, Vincent Rienzie, Obukwelu and Kai Fields drilled threes in the 20-0 eruption that made it 55-23.

“We did a good job on defense containing the ball and just did a good job of being physical and playing hard,” McVeigh said.

The Spartans nailed seven threes en route to a 25-12 halftime lead.

Wantagh coach Matt Simeone felt it was just an off night, but he was disappointed “because we played so well against them the first time.”

Joe Nicholson topped Wantagh with seven points. The team is 5-9 overall and 4-3 in Nassau VI.

“We’re right there, too,” Simeone said. “We can compete with anybody.”