Cold Spring Harbor Captures Second Straight Long Island Class B Basketball Title Behind Mulada's 27 Points

Cold Spring Harbor’s girls basketball team secured its second consecutive Long Island Class B championship Saturday, defeating Babylon 76-43 at Suffolk Community College in Selden behind a dominant 27-point performance from Olivia Mulada. The Seahawks’ success continues a remarkable run of excellence, building on their recent accomplishment of capturing the third straight Nassau County basketball title.

The Seahawks (19-4) used their star player’s ball-handling skills to neutralize Babylon’s aggressive full-court press, according to head coach Rory Malone, who called Mulada his simple solution to breaking the defensive pressure.

“She makes our job so easy,” Malone said, according to the game coverage. “She’s so good with the ball. I don’t worry about teams because I know she can handle it.”

Mulada scored 17 of her 27 points in the first half, consistently finding ways to attack the basket through traffic while creating opportunities for teammates. Her ability to handle Babylon’s pressure defense proved crucial in establishing Cold Spring Harbor’s early control.

“We prepare for the press in practice,” Mulada said after the victory. “But we create a lot of space, and with that open space, it helps a lot because I can see my teammates cutting through and making the right play.”

Beyond her offensive contributions, Mulada took on the challenging defensive assignment of guarding Babylon standout point guard Morgan Fiedler for the full 94 feet of the court. The defensive strategy aimed to prevent the Panthers from establishing their half-court offense.

“There’s no challenge she doesn’t accept,” Malone said about his versatile player. “I get caught up watching her play, going ‘ooh and ahh.’”

Mulada acknowledged the difficulty of containing Fiedler, who finished with 20 points for Babylon, calling her “an amazing player” and noting she’s only a freshman. However, Cold Spring Harbor’s defensive adjustments in the second half helped limit Babylon’s offensive flow.

The game’s turning point came in the third quarter when Ainsley Dircks sparked a decisive 19-2 run with a euro-step layup in transition. The five-minute surge effectively put the game out of reach, as Cold Spring Harbor held Babylon to just three field goals in the entire third quarter.

“We definitely picked up in the second half,” said Dircks, who contributed 15 points. “We played our brand of basketball, super fast-paced, and we all worked together.”

The victory showcased Cold Spring Harbor’s depth, with nine different players finding the scoring column. The balanced attack complemented the team’s defensive intensity and transition game that has become their trademark.

Peyton Logue-Boyd added 12 points for Babylon (18-4), but the Panthers couldn’t match Cold Spring Harbor’s offensive firepower or solve their defensive pressure in the second half.

As defending state Class B champions, the Seahawks now advance to face the representative from Section I/Section IX in the Class B Southeast Regional final. The game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on March 15 at Farmingdale State College.

Malone expressed confidence in his team’s experience handling big-game situations, noting their success across multiple sports programs at Cold Spring Harbor.

“Through all their sports, soccer, lacrosse, these games are nothing new to them,” Malone said. “It’s going to be a great game, and we are excited for the challenge.”

The players remain focused on their ultimate goal of repeating as state champions. Dircks emphasized the team’s collective approach and championship experience as key factors moving forward.

“We relied on each other a lot,” Dircks said. “We know we have been here before and keep working together to try to repeat last year.”