Copiague girls basketball's Janiya Morris, Madison Mais spark Suffolk II win over Commack
Copiague's Janiya Morris shoots in the first quarter during the Suffolk girls basketball game against Commack on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026 at Copiague High School. Credit: Bob Sorensen
After falling short to Commack earlier this season, the Copiague girls basketball team came into the rematch ready to play.
The Eagles defeated Commack, 54-39, in Suffolk II on Saturday. Janiya Morris and Madison Mais led host Copiague with 15 and 11 points, respectively.
On top of the earlier loss to Commack, Copiague was coming off a four-point defeat to first-place Ward Melville earlier this week. First-year head coach Tayanee Peay said those combined losses drove her team’s mentality.
“We just knew we needed to bounce back,” Peay said. “We want [to be] league champions and that goal is still very much in sight, so we’re taking it game-by-game and knocking those goals off the list.”
Mais, a freshman, put up nine of her points in the first half, helping Copiague to a 26-18 halftime lead. She said speed and communication were the difference on Saturday.
“It was about energy today,” Mais said. “We needed to bring the energy. In the first game [against Commack], we didn’t move the ball enough so we focused on that. I think our ball movement got us this win.”
Morris supported the momentum Mais built, netting 10 of her points in the second half. A 6-1 power forward, Morris efficiently drew fouls in the paint and drained nine free throws. She said the intensity with which Copiague plays is something she and her teammates take pride in.
“From the start, we had the momentum,” Morris, a sophomore, said. “That helped us a lot in this game. We always play well when we set the tone and start off strong. It’s something we were missing in those losses so we knew we had to find it today.”
Commack’s Gianna Solch and Ashley Arizonis netted back-to-back three-pointers to open the third quarter, but Copiague sophomore Aaliyah Jones retaliated with two of her own that brought the crowd to its feet. She said the energy from the stands plays an undeniable role in the team’s momentum.
“I see the energy that they bring and I just try to match it,” Jones said. “It gets us going for sure and I think we feed off of that.”
Adi DeLeon had 13 points for Commack (8-5). Copiague improved to 12-2, and Morris said it’s only the beginning.
“We’re fighting for the highest seed we can get,” Morris said. “We want that bye, we want that week off and we have to keep winning to get there.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
