Harborfields girls basketball's Maddie Michalopoulos, Maren Korsh key win over Hauppauge
Maddie Michalopoulos of host Harborfields finds an open teammate during a Suffolk girls basketball game against Hauppauge on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026. Credit: David Meisenholder
With an undefeated record on the line, the Harborfields girls basketball team handled the pressure.
The Tornadoes slipped past Hauppauge, 46-43, in a tense Suffolk IV battle at home on Tuesday. The win marks the ninth in a row for Harborfields, which is 4-0 in league play. Sophomore Maddie Michalopoulos led the team with 10 points and two assists.
“We still have a lot to work on,” said 6-4 freshman Maren Korsh, who finished with nine points.
“Our rebounding was not our best today, but it makes it easier knowing I’m here to help my teammates in the middle. I do it for them, they’re who I want to help.”
Harborfields outscored Hauppauge 15-3 in the second quarter to give the team a 24-14 lead heading into halftime. However, Hauppauge’s Alexa Grandstaff and Alexa Fortune netted nine and seven points, respectively, in the third quarter to bring the Eagles back within reach.
Freshman Alexa Grandstaff led Hauppauge with 14 points and three assists as the Eagles fell to 5-1 in league play.
Grandstaff and Alexa Fortune netted nine and seven points, respectively, in the third quarter as the Eagles rallied.
The Tornadoes only led, 37-34, going into the fourth quarter. But Antoinette Henderson remained a steady playmaker for Harborfields. The junior dished out seven assists on top of her six points.
“I try to have close bonds with my teammates so we have those connections on the court,” Henderson said. “We move with and for each other, so it’s easier for me to find them open.”
Before heading into an intense fourth quarter, Henderson said coach Jason Brittman emphasized sound defense and smart possessions.
“There was definitely some anxiety, but coach was just telling us to focus, get back on defense and rebound, rebound, rebound,” Henderson said. “There were a lot of emotions and I think it started to get to us at points, but we handled it in the end and now it’s on to the next.”
“We preach rebounding and defense,” Brittman added. “Those are the two backbones of the program. Even when we struggle to score, we pride ourselves on those two things and it’s what we’ll continue to preach.”
Despite the perfect record, Brittman said the high-pressure competition was a learning experience, and that he won’t let the numbers get to his team’s head.
“We take it one game at a time,” Brittman said. “I tell them before every game that we’re 0-0. That’s our record. We’ll learn and build from this, but we never want to look too far ahead.”
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.
