Mount Sinai girls basketball's Mia Betancourt figures out tough Shoreham-Wading River defense
Mount Sinai's Mia Betancourt goes up for a basket while being defended by Shoreham-Wading River's Laurel Coster during a girls basketbal game at Mount Sinai High School on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. Credit: Kathy M Helgeson
When Mia Betancourt is on the floor, Mount Sinai wants the ball in her hands. She proved exactly why Thursday.
Betancourt had 22 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, five blocked shots and three steals to lead the host Mustangs to a 48-34 victory over Shoreham-Wading River in a Suffolk League VI girls basketball matchup.
“She’s been this way the whole season,” coach Jeff Koutsantanou said. “She will do whatever she needs to do to win. She can create, not just for herself but for others. That’s what makes her so special.”
Shoreham-Wading River won the last matchup between the two teams, a 58-55 overtime victory on Dec. 17. This time around, the Mustangs had a different answer.
“We wanted to win this game badly,” junior forward Alexa Cergol said. “We came out with so much energy and intensity. We played our brand of basketball.”
The Wildcats, known for their physical, elite defense, immediately went to a trap, sending double teams and forcing turnovers. But Betancourt was able to get back in transition and stop easy fast-break points.
“They wanted to trap us as soon as we were driving down the sideline,” Betancourt said. “It doesn’t matter who we [play], we are going to play as hard as we can, and we’re going to work the ball the same.”
Offensively, Betancourt adjusted quickly by splitting the double-team, getting to the rim and finding her teammates in the post by making passes through tight windows. During the Mustangs’ 10-2 run in the second quarter, she was responsible for eight points.
“It’s all mental,” Betancourt said. “It’s going to happen. People are going to come at you, but you have to keep pushing. Honestly, I take it as a compliment that they wanted to double-team me.”
The Mustangs used a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter to extend their lead to 44-26.
Cergol had 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists and Addison Chartrand added nine points and 10 rebounds.
Katherine Keegan scored 12 points, and her twin sister Anabel had nine for Shoreham-Wading River (14-1,8-1)
The Mustangs (13-3, 7-1) are on a 10-game winning streak. It’s all just another step toward their goal: winning the Long Island championship.
“These girls have been resilient all year,” Koutsantanou said. “They want to win the [Long Island championship] this year and they’re going to do everything they can to accomplish it.”
“We want to win the last game we play,” Betancourt said. “We are going to be competitive in every game we play because we have a goal, and we are going to reach it.”
Jonathan Ruban covers high school sports for Newsday after graduating from St. John’s.
