Harrison’s win against Mount Vernon on Thursday night started out with a celebration of its three senior leaders. By the end of the first quarter, however, one of those seniors—Stella Perini—celebrated a milestone of her own, notching her 1,000th career point.
Coming into Thursday’s game just 13 points shy of the the milestone Perini didn’t waitlong for to eclipse the mark, scoring 17 of her 19 points in the first quarter and getting her 1,000th on a corner three.
“I knew my teammates were going to do my best to get me the ball,” said Perini. “And on that shot, it’s just a simple play we’ve run a lot.”
Perini is the second Harrison player to score her 1,000th point this season, as junior Mia Strazza reached the mark earlier in the year. The duo have been key cogs in Harrison’s success over the last five years, helping guide the Huskies to two Section 1 finals appearances in that time.
“I started in eighth grade, she started in seventh and we’ve played together ever since,” said Perini. “To be able to do this in the same year is amazing; she was so excited for me, and I was equally as excited for her.”
Overall, the Huskies had little trouble with the Knights on the afternoon, eventually outpointing Mount Vernon 59-45 in a game that was delayed late in the fourth quarter by a fire alarm. But the win sent Harrison into the postseason on something of a hot streak, winning four of their last five games to finish the regular season with a record of 14-6—good enough for a No. 3 seed in the Class AA playoffs.
The Huskies will kick off the Class AA tournament on Friday, Feb. 16, when they take on the winner of an out-bracket game between No. 19 Yonkers and No. 14 Poughkeepsie. A first-round win would send Harrison to the Class AA quarterfinals, which are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22.
