Suffolk AA Semifinals
#3 Northport 51 Longwood 47
12th seeded Longwood did a great job containing two of Northport’s stars, holding both Luke Petrasek and Mike Milligan to single digit scoring, but they couldn’t stop Matt Smith, who led the #1 seeded Tigers out of a 12 point hole and into the Suffolk County Class AA Championship Game against Deer Park. Smith was looking to score right from the start, and put Northport up 6-5 on a nice give and go with Petrasek, but Stephon Odle’s three pointer ignited the Lions, and a baseline jumper by Walter Penate and David Barlow’s three pointer put them up 13-6. Emmanuel Ferreira’s drive and Penate’s long three at the buzzer made it 18-8 Longwood, and they tacked on two technical foul free throws by Latrell Washington to take a 12 point lead with one quarter in the books. Thomas Kennedy cut the Northport deficit to single digits with a three pointer from the left wing to open up the second quarter, and then a Petrasek three pointer and a reverse layup by Smith brought the Tigers within 4 with 3:15 to play in the half, but Penate responded with two free throws and then a steal and basket to give the Lions a 9 point lead. Ferreira’s drive and free throw made it 30-18 Longwood, but Milligan answered with a three from the top and it was a 9 point game at intermission. Smith continued to attack the basket in the second half, scoring on three straight drives as the third quarter got underway, but he could only trim a point off the Longwood lead, and a jumper by Odle from the right wing made it 37-27 Lions with 3:50 to go in the quarter. Two free throws by Petrasek and a steal and basket by Smith cut the margin to 6, and after a basket by Camden Orologio bumped the Longwood lead back to 8, Smith buried a three from the right wing to make it a 5 point game after three quarters. Kennedy opened the fourth quarter with another big three to bring the Tigers within 2 with 5:52 to play, and a steal and basket by Smith tied it at 41, but Odle responded for the Lions with a jumper from the left elbow. Andrew Seaman tied it once again, scoring from the lane, but once again the the Lions responded, this time with Penate curling from the wing and scoring at the 2:40 mark. Northport broke through in the next sequence behind Smith, who knocked down two free throws, and then on the next trip down, drove to the basket, spun off a defender and scored to make it 47-45 Tigers with less than a minute to play. Longwood came up empty on their next possession, and fouled Milligan to stop the clock with 26 seconds left, but he hit both ends of a 1 and 1 for a 4 point Northport lead. Washington got it back down to 2 with a big basket from underneath, and the Lions fouled again, sending Austin Marchese to the line with 5 seconds showing, but he confidently drained both free throws to ice the win and send the Tigers on to the final. 2/22
County Titles
Teams with most County Championships in last 10 years:
Malverne - 7
Uniondale - 6
Friends Academy - 5
Greenport - 5
Port Jefferson - 4
Amityville - 3
Center Moriches - 3
East Rockaway - 3
Harborfields - 3
Hills West - 3
Jericho - 3
Wyandanch - 3
Suffolk AA First Round
#16 Hills West 83 Newfield 60
Hills West jumped out to a big lead and cruised past Newfield. Marcus Solomon was the catalyst in the first half when the Colts built their lead, and he finished with 21 points and 9 assists. Willie Jackson had 20 for Newfield. Hills West visits #2 seed Brentwood on Tuesday.
William Floyd 53 Bay Shore 52
The 8/9 game is usually one of the best games of the first round, and this year was no exception. Bay Shore and Floyd battled it out the whole way, tied and the half and after three quarters, and Devonte Dixon’s free throw with 4 seconds on the clock decided it. Devin Burney led all scorers with 25 points for Floyd, while Long Island All-Star Jason Wright finished with 18 for Bay Shore. Floyd goes on the road to face top seed Northport on Tuesday.
Longwood 61 Riverhead 51
Longwood rolled over Riverhead back in early December, but it was a tighter game this time, with the Lions pulling away in the fourth quarter. Emmanuel Ferreira and Latrell Washington both had 21 points for Longwood, while Markim Austin finished with 14 for Riverhead. Longwood will host Huntington, an upset winner over Central Islip, on Tuesday.
Smithtown West 60 Ward Melville 56
Smithtown West rallied for the win and held off Ward Melville down the stretch. Ryan Hickey led the Bulls with 24 points, including 7 in the fourth quarter. Ryan Hart had 22 for the Patriots. Smithtown West will visit Deer Park on Tuesday. 2/15
Championships
SUFFOLK C FINAL
Stony Brook 57 Pierson 27
Pierson beat Stony Brook by 12 back on February 7th, but the two met once again in the Suffolk County Class C Championship game and Stony Brook rolled over the Wildcats. Andrew Daniel led the Bears with 15 points and 13 rebounds while Forrest Loesch had a game high 16 for Pierson. Stony Brook advances to both the Suffolk County Championships Wednesday against Class D Champion Bridgehampton, and the Long Island Class C Championship game March 5th against the Nassau Champion.
LONG ISLAND D TITLE
Bridgehampton 53 Shelter Island 40
Shelter Island defeated Bridgehampton by 5 back on February 1st, but the Killer Bees bounced back to defeat the Indians convincingly for their second straight Long Island Championship. Joshua Jamison led the way with 16 points and 16 rebounds and Nathan Mundy had 13 for SI. Bridgehampton advances to both the Suffolk County Championships Wednesday against Class C Champion Stony Brook, and to the New York State Class D Regional Semifinals against the Section 1 champion on March 10th. Championship game March 5th against the Nassau Champion.
IPPSAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Portledge 66 Martin DePorres 56
Terence Simpson led Portledge to its second straight IPPSAL Championship, finishing with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 7 steals, and 6 assists. They advance to the Private School State Tournament that begins 2/28.
PSAA CHAMPIONSHIP
LWA 61 United Nations School 35
LWA won its 6th straight PSAA Championship. Jake Lundenberg led a balanced attack with 15 points and 7 assists. They advance to the Private School State Playoff that begin 2/28.
Leading Scorers
Long Island's leading scorers and top single game scorers are posted on the STANDINGS PAGE
More Players To Watch
The following players have been added to our PLAYERS TO WATCH.
Tawayne Anderson, LuHi
Markim Austin, Riverhead
Devin Burney, William Floyd
Kavione Green, Amityville
Rokas Lapsys, LWA
Frederick Millar, Copiague
Mike Milligan, Northport
Tim Quashie, LuHi
Fernando Vazquez, Babylon
West Rocks Copiague
Not much was expected from Copiague this season, but the young Eagles have come a long way, and had a chance to pull into a second place tie in League 4AA with a win over Hills West. It was not to be. The battle tested Colts pulled ahead and stayed ahead, rolling to a 78-63 win behind 36 points from Terry Harris. Not to say that Copiague was never in it. In fact, they got off to a quick start on a basket by Kevin Roberts off the opening tip and a jumper by Frederick Millar, and then rallied from a 13-9 deficit to take an 18-15 lead at the first quarter buzzer on a basket by Stephen Scales and a three pointer by Millar from the right wing. But Hills West outscored them 21-6 in the second quarter, with Harris opening the quarter with a three pointer to tie it, Dylan Harlem knocking down another three to make it 26-21, Neneyo Mate-Kole, back from the disabled list, getting out on the break for a 10 point lead, and Harris ending the half with a basket from the lane for a 36-24 halftime advantage. The Colts continued to build their lead in the third quarter, going up 41-28 on a three point play by Harris at the 5:53 mark, but Millar sparked an Eagle run with a three pointer from the right wing and a driving layup off a nice hesitation move, then Kalin Walker scored from underneath, and Millar scored again on a fadeaway from the baseline and Copiague was suddenly back within 4. Harris ended the run, cutting to the basket and scoring, but Roberts answered with a three pointer from the left baseline and it was 43-40 with 3 minutes to go in the quarter. Hills West dug in and closed out the quarter on a run of their own, with a runner by Harris, a three pointer by Blackman, and then a baseline jumper and a three pointer by Harris giving the Colts a 13 point lead with three quarters in the books. Justin Leonard opened the fourth quarter with a drive for a 15 point Hills West lead, and then fast break baskets by Marcus Solomon and Jamir Blackman put the Colts up 71-50 with 4:21 to play, but Copiague would not roll over, and a three point play by Roberts, a basket by Walker from underneath, and a steal and basket by Millar made it a 14 point game with 2:46 to play. Hills West removed all doubt with a three pointer by Ross Greenfield and a fast break basket by Josh Koval that put them up 76-57 with 2:03 left. 1/31
ASK THE REF
Veteran official Skip Yutzler answers your questions!
Tigers Rock Bay Shore
When a team gets off to a surprisingly good start as Northport has, it sometimes struggles on its second trip through the league. Opponents have had the chance to scout them thoroughly and make adjustments, and if the team doesn’t respond to the adjustments, the tide can turn. It’s a test of both coaches and players, and Northport is passing that test with flying colors so far, rolling over 14th ranked Bay Shore 75-50 after beating them by 8 back on December 18th. The Tigers also picked up a 26 point win over a tough Hills East team they beat by 7 the first time through. Points were hard to come by in the early going of this much anticipated rematch, with Bay Shore’s Bryson Lassiter scoring a fast break basket off a turnover at the 2:30 mark of the first quarter for an 8-6 Marauder lead, but the pace quickened, with Matt Smith’s three pointer giving Northport an 11-8 lead, Mike Milligan’s three making it a 4 point game, and Aaron Pulver drilling a three from the left wing for a 17-10 Northport lead at the first quarter buzzer. Bay Shore’s Tisean Wright rebounded and scored to open the second quarter, but Pulver answered with a pull up jumper from the right elbow and the Tigers continued to build their lead. Luke Petrasek’s putback dunk made it 23-12 Northport with 5:42 to play in the half, Smith’s long range three 30-18, and two free throws by Andrew Seaman gave the Tigers a 14 point lead with 3:19 to go. Tisean Wright broke the momentum with a short drive, and his putback brought Bay Shore back within 9, but a Northport free throw made it a 10 point game at the break. Petrasek gave the Tigers a 40-26 lead with two free throws early in the third quarter, but the teams traded baskets and free throws the rest of the way. Bay Shore did manage to whittle away at the lead, pulling within 9 on Farmer’s jumper from the left elbow as the quarter came to a close. Thomas Kennedy sparked the Tigers with a three pointer from the right wing for a 54-42 Northport lead early in the fourth quarter, then Milligan’s three pointer gave them a 13 point lead, and Pulver’s three made it 64-48 with 4:17 to play. Lassiter broke the run with a drive, but Petrasek answered with two free throws and a fast break basket, and then Milligen drained a three pointer from the top to put the Tigers up 72-50 and in complete control with 2:40 left. 1/22
Nassau/Suffolk Challenge
The new Nassau/Suffolk Challenge turned out to be a great day of basketball, with two overtime games and two other hotly contested matchups. Here are the results:
Amityville 75 South Side 65
Farmingdale 64 C. Islip 60 OT
Deer Park 65 Uniondale 63 OT
Baldwin 53 Longwood 32
Smithtown W. 55 Hicksville 49
Individual stories posted
LuHi Over St. Bernard’s
New Jersey's Gill St. Bernards traditionally has a strong basketball program, and was nationally ranked in preseason, but began the season 5-4 playing without two of its best players - Austin Colbert, who has committed to Illinois, and Chris Jenkins, who is headed to Florida Atlantic. They were both back for the big matchup against LuHi in the Dan Finn Classic at the Jersey City Armory, but it didn’t do them any good against Long Island’s #1 team, with the Crusaders rolling to a 49-30 victory behind Chris Atkinson’s 12 points and 6 assists and Kentan Facey’s 11 points and 14 rebounds. It was another outstanding defensive effort for LuHi against a team with three D1 recruits.
1/19 Highlights
#4 St Mary's Rips Kellenberg
St. Mary's looks like they might be taking control in the NSCHAA, improving to 6-0 in the league with an impressive 84-57 win over Kellenberg. Devonte Green led the Gaels with 27 points and Patrick Jackson had 22.
#8 Lawrence Pounds VSS
Valley Stream South looked like the most likely contender to Lawrence in Nassau League A2, but Lawrence made short work of them, outscoring them 84-53. Clifton Lyerly led the way with a tripple double, finishing with 18 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists.
1/17 Highlights
Newfield Over Riverhead
Newfield continued their roll, rallying past second place Riverhead 64-62 with a balanced attack to pick up their 7th straight win!
Smithtown W. Catches N. Bab
A fourth quarter rally propelled Smithtown West to a 63-61 road victory over North Babylon. Ryan Hickey had 31 for West.
Mineola Also under Radar
You can add Mineola to our Under The Radar list. The first place Mustangs improved to 8-3 with a 77-68 win over Island Trees. Malcolm Brown led the way with 29 points.
Twenty Threes!
Copiague and West Babylon combined for 20 three pointers in Copiague's 86-76 victory. WB's Chris Miller was top marxman with 5! Frederick Millar led Copiague with 3 and finished with 31 points and 10 assists.
ASK THE REF!
Calls that should be made, but aren't always! ASK THE REF
Under The Radar Teams
NASSAU
AA - Calhoun 8-2
A - Bethpage 8-3
B - Wheatley 8-2
SUFFOLK
AA - Newfield 7-4
A - Shoreham-WR 8-4
B - Babylon 8-2
C - Stony Brook 7-1
More Players To Watch
We continue to add players to our PLAYERS TO WATCH list. The latest additions are:
Joe Campay, East Meadow
Marc Flynn, St. Dominic
Marcus Solomon, Hills West
Riverhead Wins Face Off
Smithtown West seemed to be fully prepared to defend their home court in this Suffolk League AA3 first place showdown, taking a 12-9 first quarter lead on the strength of Ryan Hickey’scoast to coast basket. They continued to build their lead, going up 22-13 on Hickey’s four point play with 4:18 remaining in the half, but Riverhead kept pace the rest of the quarter, despite struggling badly at the free throw line, and when Markim Austinknocked down a three pointer from the left baseline with time running down, the deficit was down to 6. The Bulls Mike Birbaiardi drove down the heart of the defense in the closing seconds to give them a 30-22 lead at the half. Jeremiah Cheatom and Ryan Bitzer’sback to back baskets narrowed the gap as the third quarter got underway, and Riverhead continued to close in, with a three pointer by Austin making it a 2 point game mid way through the quarter. Brandon Tolliver’s basket off an inbound play put the Blue Waves ahead 35-34 with 3:28 left, and they led 41-39 on a putback by Deon Shorter at the third quarter buzzer. Smithtown's Bill Behrens kicked off the fourth quarter with a basket from underneath that knotted it at 41 all, but Cheaton soared for an offensive rebound and scored and Bitzer knocked down a three from the left wing to make it 46-41 Riverhead. A Behrens three pointer from just behind the right elbow cut it to 46-44, but Riverhead built a 5 point lead on Shorter's fast break hoop with just under 5 minutes to play. Behrens got the Bulls back with 2 with another three at the 4:01 mark, and then the Bulls pulled within a point on Hickey’s drive with 1:46 to go, but Shorter knocked down two big free throws for Riverhead with 23 seconds left to give them a 57-54 lead. Smithtown had two chances to tie it on the other end, but one three pointer was off target and the other blocked, and they had to foul. They got another chance after Riverhead came up empty at the foul line, but the Blue Waves committed a two shot foul with a 3 point lead and 4 seconds remaining, forcing Hickey to deliberately miss his second shot. He and his teammates could not come up with the rebound and fouled Cheatom, who had struggled from the line the whole game, but he came through when it counted most, knocking down both of his free throws to ice the big win. Austin led Riverhead with 17 points, and Cheatom had 15 points and 12 rebounds. Behrens and Birbaiardi both had 17 for West. 1/10
1/5 Highlights
Brentwood Slips By Floyd
In a battle of Suffolk County heavyweights, the two teams that were tied for first place in League AA1 and also at #16 in the Sweet 16 poll played the kind of game you would expect - a close hard fought game that went right down to the wire. Long Island All-Star Femi Olujobi provided the dramatic ending, scoring the winning basket at the buzzer to give Brentwood a 47-45 win over William Floyd.
Deer Park Hammers Hills West
Highly regarded Deer Park finally showed what they're capable of, pounding league rival Hills West 86-57 in a much anticipated matchup. They improved 4-0 in league play and 5-2 overall. Rome Jenkins, who improves by leaps and bounds every season and has demonstrated he is one of the metro area's top big men this year, led the Falcons with 24 points, and fellow Long Island All-Stars Keith Williams and Aaren Edmead added 15 and 14 points respectively.
CI Back In Win Column
#2 Central Islip escaped with a 50-48 win over a good Kings Park team to improve to 8-1 overall. David McKenzie led the Musketeers with 15 points. CI has a brutal January schedule, having already played Bay Shore and Kings Park, and with Northport, Walt Whitman, and Farmingdale still to come.
They play 6-3 Connetquot too!
New Feature!
We're also happy to announce that we've added a new feature! Rich Alyward has put together a great collection of historical information from over the years, like past champions, playoff tournament brackets, All-Long Island teams, and a lot more! Go to hisLong Island Basketball History Pageto check it out, and feel free to contribute your own bit of Long Island history!
1/4 Highlights
Rams Roll Over Freeport
#6 Farmingdale still looks like the favorite in Nassau AA1, beating upstart Freeport 62-42 after falling behind early. The Rams closed the game on a 17-2 run, with Long Island All-Star Dalique Mingo finishing with 20 points and 8 assists and Curtis Jenkins 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Friars Shock 8th Ranked Titans
St. Anthony's showed they cannot be taken for granted this season, defeating 8th ranked Holy Trinity 59-58 on the road. Nigel Carter's three pointer was the difference.
Calhoun Improves To 6-1
Calhoun passed an early season test, defeating Bellmore 65-53 to remain tied for first place with Great Neck South in Nassau Conference AA3. Kyle McGinley led the way with 23 points
St. Doms Over Teachers
St. Dominic has a big jump on the rest of Long Island's varsity teams, pulling away from the Queens High School of Teaching for a solid 77-68 victory, their second win of the young season. No other Long Island team has played a single game. It was a tight back and forth affair in the early going, with Marc Flynn's basket giving the Bayhawks a 7-6 lead with 4:30 remaining in the first quarter, and Malcolm Mathis scoring on a putback in traffic to tie it at 13 all after one. The teams continued to trade baskets in the second quarter until back to back St. Doms turnovers and a fast break basket by Isaacs gave QHST a 25-18 lead with 3:15 to go in the half. A right wing jumper by Chris Hoffman sparked a Bayhawk rally, with a steal and basket by Kieran Ryan making it a three point game, and Travis Dickerson's fast break basket capped it off to give St. Doms a 29-27 lead at the half. QHST immediately retook the lead as the third quarter got underway, with a three pointer from the right baseline by O'Leary putting the Tigers up 35-29, but Ryan kept it close, knocking down a three with 5:45 remaining in the quarter. A three point play by Bryan pushed the Queens lead to 8, but a three by Dickerson brought the Bayhawks within 2 at the 3:14 mark, and he knocked down another three with 2:18 left to put St. Doms up 45-44. St. Doms continued the run, with Flynn's basket from low post, a putback by Francisco Williams, and another three by Dickerson giving them a 54-46 lead at the third quarter buzzer. Williams opened the fourth quarter with a basket from underneath to give St. Doms a 10 point lead, and back to back QHST turnovers produced a fast break basket by Flynn and low post basket by Williams for a 60-46 Bayhawk advantage. The Tigers responded with 7 straight points to get back into it with 4:58 to go, and the teams traded baskets until the 2:57 mark, when Dickerson's two free throws gave St. Doms another 10 point lead and QHST was running out of time. Anderson's fast break basket cut it to 68-61 with 1:58 remaining, and a three by O'Leary from the right baseline made it 70-64 with 1:47 on the clock, but Williams' basket from underneath, a pull-up jumper by Dickerson, and another basket by Williams put the game out of reach. Dickerson led the Bayhawks with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, Williams had 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Flynn 14 points and 7 rebounds. 11/26/12
Nassau Boys Rock Suffolk!
Nassau County moved out to a big second half lead and then held off Suffolk for an impressive 102-92 victory at the 2012 Long Island All-Star Game. Uniondale's Aaron Cust led the way with 20 points and was named MVP after leading the second half run that broke open a close game and ended Suffolk's winning streak at two. The game was played in front of a large crowd filled with college coaches and scouts, and Nassau drew first blood, jumping out to a 7-2 lead on a tough basket inside by Hunter Sabety of Oceanside off a nice dish by Dalique Mingo of Farmingdale. Hempstead's Tidell Pierre kept it going, knocking down a three pointer to make it 10-4, and Sabety's putback made it 12-4 before Commack's Nick Arnold and Mount Sinai's Mike Guzzardi responded with back to back baskets for Suffolk. Central Islip's Tim McKenzie tied it at 18 all with a putback in traffic, but Nassau answered with a three pointer by St. Dom's Kieran Ryan and a steal and fast break basket by LuHi's Ryan Boyd, and then Ryan gave them a 9 point lead with another three with 7:28 remaining in the half. Boyd's tip-in made it 32-21 Nassau with 6:30 to go, but a drive and then a three pointer by Arnold and a jumper by Brentwood's Femi Olujobi and Suffolk was back within 4. It was a 5 point game at the half. Sabety opened the second half with a basket from underneath to give Nassau a 7 point lead, and then a three pointer by Mingo and another three by Ryan and Nassau had its biggest lead at 59-46. Cust kept it going, scoring 8 points in a run that carried Nassau to a 25 point lead, and although Suffolk whittled away at it the rest of the way, they never really got back into it. There seemed to be hope when Arnold knocked down two free throws to make it 91-78 with 4:30 to go, but Cust scored again on the break to stall the rally, and as the clock dipped below the two minute mark, it was still a 14 point game after Bay Shore's Bryson Lassiter knocked down a three for Suffolk. A highlight film alley-op dunk by Sabety removed all doubt. Boyd finished with 14 points for Nassau, Sabety with 13, and Ryan and Mingo had 12 each. Arnold led all scorers with 24 points for Suffolk and Keith Williams from Deer Park, who had an excellent all-around game, added 18. 10/14/12
2012-13 Season
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Suffolk Girls
Rally For Win!
Suffolk gave up the lead, but then rallied past Nassau County for a thrilling 68-66 victory at the 2012 Long Island All-Star Game. MVP Rebecca Musgrove from St. Anthony's led the way, finishing with a team high 15 points and scoring a crucial basket down the stretch. It was Nassau that had the early edge, with LuHi's Boogie Brozoski getting out on the break to give them a 21-14 lead, but two free throws and a putback by Heather Forster from Huntington and Suffolk drew even at 23 with just under 6 minutes to play in the opening half. St. Anthony's Johanna Impellizeri scored from underneath to give Suffolk the lead, but it was short lived, with two free throws by Staci Barrett of LuHi and a three by Brozoski putting Nassau back on top. Suffolk responded, reeling off 7 straight points sparked by a nice jump hook by North Babylon's Makeda Nicholas from the low post, and then back to back baskets by St. Anthony's Chastity Taylor made it 36-30 Suffolk with 1:14 to go before intermission. Nassau tried to draw even as the half wound down, with baskets by Brozoski and Jordan Agustus from St. Mary's, but Musgrove's two free throws made it a 4 point game at the buzzer. Impellizeri cut down the lane and scored for Suffolk to open the second half, igniting a run that included a three point play and a three pointer by Musgrove and gave Suffolk a 48-36 lead. Nassau drew within 5 on a fast break basket by Agustus, and then Uniondale's Aliyah McDonald scored and knocked down two free throws to tie it with 3:40 remaining. LuHi's Kaela Hilaire hit two free throws at the 2:47 mark to give Nassau their only lead of the second half, but Musgrove made a determined drive down the lane to tie it with less than a minute to play, and then in the game's final seconds, Nicholas hit what proved to be the game winner from the free throw line. Trailing by 2, Nassau came down and got off a good shot at the buzzer that would have been a game winner, but it was just off target. Taylor finished with 10 for Suffolk, and so did Impellizeri. Mei Lyn Battista from St. Mary's led Nassau with 15 points, and Brozoski, who left the game with what looked like a sprained ankle, had 12. 10/14/12
Nassau All-Star Teams
The following players have been
named to the 12 man roster
of the 2012 AABC Nassau Boys
All-Star Team:
Tawayne Anderson, LuHi
Jeremy Arthur, Kellenberg
Mical Ryan Boyd, LuHi
Aaron Cust, Uniondale
Travis Dickerson, St. Dominic
Aaron Jackson, Malverne
Brian Gellineau, Kellenberg
Dalique Mingo, Farmingdale
Tidell Pierre, Hempstead
Kieran Ryan, St. Dominic
Hunter Sabety, Oceanside
The following players have been
named to the 2012 AABC Nassau Girls All-Star Team:
Jordan Agustus, St. Marys
Staci Barrett, LuHi
Mei Lyn Battista, St. Marys
Boogie Brozoski, LuHi
Mariah Butler, Baldwin
Dana Campbell, St. Dominic
Caitlin Garger, Hicksville
Sade Gibbons, LuHi
Kaela Hilaire, LuHi
Alyssa James, St. Marys
Aliyah McDonald, Uniondale
Ali Ricchutti, Herricks
Facey To UConn
Athletic and 6'9, LuHi's returning big man, Kentan Facey, had already attracted the attention of D1 programs, despite his raw skills, but after his Crusaders won the New York State Championship, and he followed it up with a strong AAU season, all the top programs came calling. At first, he reduced his list of prospective schools to St. John’s, UCLA, Rhode Island, Providence, Virginia Tech, Memphis, Rutgers, UConn, USC, Xavier, and Dayton, and then surprised everyone by quickly giving a verbal commitment to UConn after his visit to the campus. MORE
ASK THE REF
Lots of questions answered in this edition of ASK THE REF!
Around the Net
IHoops has put together an article that gives you all the imporatant language used in college recruiting and what it means.......
Charity All-Star Game
Two years ago, three young adults were killed in a horrific crash on their way to work at a camp for challenged kids. The Malone Mulhall Benefit Game is an all-star basketball game in their memory, featuring local stars from the NBA and from professional leagues around the world. It will be held at 1 PM on July 28th at Adelphi University. There will a dunk contest, a three-point competition, and plenty of half time fun! Come join local heros like Danny Green of the San Antonio Spurs, and former St. John’s star, NBA Hall of Famer, and original Dream Team member Chris Mullin, who will coach one of the teams. There will also be a raffle of autographed memorabilia and great tickets to the local professional teams. Following the game, there will be an autograph session with all of the players. All in all, it will be sure to be a fun-filled day with plenty to offer, from the casual basketball fan to hoops-hungry youngsters WEBSITE
Around The Net
Farmindale’s Dalique Mingo and West Hempstead’s Tyree Glascoe attracted the attention of coaches and scouts at the Hoops Group Elite Camp, with Mingo earning a spot on the All-Star Team.......
Northport Crushes Glenn
Northport, who got a few votes in the Preseason Sweet 16 for the first time in many years, opened their season with a 56-35 trouncing of neighborhood rival John Glenn. The Tigers were up 16-2 at the end of the first quarter and never looked back. Luke Petrasek led Northport with 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks, Austin Marchese had 8 points, and Thomas Kennedy and Aaron Pulver both chipped in 7. Darryl Daniels led Glenn with 9 points. 11/29
McVeigh Sparks Lynbrook
Lynbrook and Division were the first public school teams to hit the hardwood this season for an official game, and sharpshooter Michael McVeigh led Lynbook to a 53-44 victory with 21 points in the Owl's home opener. John Boni also had a strong game, finishing with 15 points, while Matt Murphy added 8 points and dished out 5 assists. Steve Marxhousen was high man for Division with 18 points and James Varela finished with 12. 11/27
Players To Watch
The following players are on our preseason watch list for the 2012-2013 All-Long Island Team:
Vincent Abbondola, SJB
Nick Arnold, Commack
Jeremy Arthur, Kellenberg
Chris Atkinson, LuHi
Kewan Beebe, Glen Cove
Ryan Boyd, LuHi
Tristan Brown, Elmont
Aaron Cust, Uniondale
Dwayne Daniel, Lawrence
Kentan Facey, LuHi
Andrew Fellus, Herricks
Shaundell Fishburn, Southampton
Tavon Ginyard, SJB
Tyree Glascoe, West Hempstead
Jessie Govan, St. Mary’s
Devonte Green, St. Mary’s
Mike Guzzardi, Mt. Sinai
Ryan Hickey, Smithtown West
Garrett Johnson, Jericho
Bryson Lassiter, Bay Shore
Timothy McKenzie, Central Islip
Dalique Mingo, Farmingdale
Femi Olujobi, Brentwood
Jon Patron, Harborfields
Jon Patterson, Chaminade
Luke Petrasek, Northport
Tidell Pierre, Hempstead
Eddie Robinson, Lawrence
Kieran Ryan, St. Dominic
Hunter Sabety, Oceanside
Keith Williams, Deer Park
Kyle Williams, SJB
Jason Wright, Bay Shore
WE WILL ADD NAMES AS THE SEASON PROGRESSES
Suburban Sweep
Both the boys and girls Suburban teams were victorious at the 2012 Metro Classic. Deer Park's Keith Williams was a major contributor in the boys 111-106 win, finishing with 24 points, while the girls rolled to a 91-65 victory behind 19 from St. Anthony’s Chastity Taylor and 16 from teammate Rebecca Musgrove.
No Suffolk Top 40
For the first time in many years, we did not publish the rosters or cover the Suffolk Top 40 Doubleheader. Please understand that it was not our choice. Our congratulations and sincere apologies to everybody selected to participate.
Sledge Gets Waiver
Hills West's Tavon Sledge has been given a hardship waiver and will not have to sit out this year at Iona.
Daniel To Iona
Lawrence's Dwayne Daniel has committed to Iona.
Metro Classic
The 9th Annual Metro Classic between the New York City All-Stars and the Suburban All-Stars will be held on Sunday, October 28th at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens. The girls game tips off at 1PM and the boys at 3PM. Long Island is well represented. GO TO ROSTERS
2012 Public School All-Stars
The following players have been named to the 2012 Nassau County Public School All-Star Team that will face the Suffolk County All-Stars :
Kewan Bebe - Glen Cove
Tristan Brown - Elmont
Marc Anthony Campbell - Elmont
Aaron Cust - Uniondale
Brendan Devine - Wantagh
Andrew Fellus - Herricks
Mark Gjonlekag - Roslyn
Garrett Johnson - Jericho
Jerel McGary - Uniondale
Dalique Mingo - Farmingdale
Tidell Pierre - Hempstead
Miking Richardson - Baldwin
The first All-Star Game practice will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 10/17 at South Side HS
Top Returning Scorers
Ryan Hickey, Smithtown West, 22.1
Andrew Fellus, Herricks, 21.4
Terence Simpson, Portledge, 21.4
Caelen McCabe, Smithtown Chr. 21.3
Tyree Glascoe, W. Hempstead, 21.0
Mike Waszczuk, Mineola, 21.0
Garrett Johnson, Jericho, 20.6
Eddie Robinson, Lawrence, 20.4
Tidell Pierre , Hempstead, 19.9
Shaundell Fishburn, Southmpton, 19.8
Alec Ludwig, Great Neck N.19.4
Nick Arnold, Commack, 19.2
Jackson Goes D1
After earning All-Conference honors and leading Miami Dade Junior College in scoring last season, Bay Shore’s Malik Jackson will be playing for Bethune-Cookman of the D1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference this year.
Titans Defeat Comets
It was a back and forth turf war most of the way between the two teams from Hicksville - 16th ranked Holy Trinity and Hicksville HS - but the Titans seized the momentum mid-way through the fourth quarter and pulled away for a 61-45 victory. The renewal of this natural rivalry between two schools just down the road from each other was long overdue, and you could feel an excitement in the air clear out to the parking lot that you don’t usually feel in an early season non-league game. The host Hicksville Comets quickly established that they are a team to be reckoned with, taking a 12-8 lead on 16th ranked Holy Trinity on a beautiful give and go to Nick Petrocelli, but the Titans responded with a driving lay-up by Damon Coleman and a baseline drive by Brandon Thompson and we were tied at 12 all. It was 14 all when the first quarter buzzer sounded. Back to back threes to open the second quarter by sophomore Michael Osmundsen from Hickville and by Peter Alkins from Holy Trinity got the crowd rocking, and the teams continued to trade baskets and free throws to the delight of the fans right up to the 1:52 mark, when two straight baskets by TJ Danns gave the Comets a 4 point lead. The Titans answered decisively, withJack Sixsmith and Rich McCeachern scoring to make it 26 all at the break. Sixsmith kissed a putback off the glass to give Holy Trinity an early third quarter lead, but Hicksville’s Justin Mize had his shot blocked and chased the ball down and scored to knot it up once again at 29. The Titans tried to build a cushion, with Coleman and Isaiah Rowe scoring back to back, but a great hustle play by the Comets, featuring two players diving onto the floor after a loose ball, ended with a fast break basket by Michael Julka and made it a 2 point game once again. Holy Trinity managed to build a small 5 point lead on a fast break basket by Coleman with 1:34 to go in the third quarter, but a putback by Danns made it a 3 point game with three quarters in the books, and then he opened the fourth quarter with a drive from the wing, and Petrocelli followed it up with a nice basket cut and layup to put Hicksville on top 37-36. That would be Hicksville’s last lead. The Titans started to aggressively pressure the inbound pass and caught the Comets off guard, and turnovers led to five straight Holy Trinity baskets, capped off by a three pointer and steal and basket by Mike Farella for a 47-37 lead with 4:30 remaining. Hicksville continued to struggle against the pressure the rest of the way and never recovered, and when Jimmy Golasewski scored on the press break to make it 51-39 with 1:40 to go, the Titans were in complete control. Coleman led Holy Trinity with 19 points, 6 steals, and 4 assist , in an otherwise balanced attack, while Danns finished with 16 points and Petrocelli 14 for Hicksville. 12/6
Lynbrook A Dark Horse?
Lynbrook improved to 2-0 with a surprising 70-53 win over Freeport.
Nassau All-StarMichael McVeigh, who looks like he's going to have a big season, scored 27 points,John Boni14 points, andMatthew Murphyhad 14 points and 13 assists.Nino Rodriguezhad 12 points for Freeport. 12/4
The Big Man Is Back!
We tell everybody that will listen that Long Island basketball is entering another golden age, and now that Long Island teams are winning state championships with increasing frequency and Long Island players beginning to repopulate the NBA, the supporting evidence is starting to mount. Leading the resurgence is the stunning return of big men throughout the Island. For years, players 6’7 and up were rare around here, but all of a sudden Long Island is full of legitimate and talented big men. From 6’7 Mike Guzzardi at Mount Sinai and Rome Jenkins at Deer Park, to 6’8 Hunter Sabety at Oceanside and Tighe Oberg at Islip, to 6’9 Jessie Govan at St. Marys, Kentan Facey at LuHi, Kyle Williams at SJB, Luke Petrasek at Northport, and Chris Brady at Harborfields, and 6’10 Bryan Gellineau at Kellenberg, and all of these kids can play! There are others too, away at prep school or just starting to establish their reputations. You know it’s going to be another big year!
LuHi Finishes Third
LuHi defeated host Good Counsel 72-59 to take third place at the Good Counsel Tip Off Classic in Olney, Md. Tim Quashie led the Crusaders with 20 points and was named to the All-Tournament Team, and Ryan Boyd finished with 18. In the semifinals, LuHi dropped a 68-46 decision to St. John's Catholic Prep, Maryland's 12th ranked team. No stats were available. In the first round, the Crusaders defeated perennial powerhouse John Carroll, Maryland's 14th ranked team, 53-42. Quashieled the Crusaders with 17 points, Chris Atkinson had 13 points and 4 assists, and Kentan Facey finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds. 12/2
Lawrence Dominates
Lawrence is considered to be one of the top public school Class A teams on Long Island this season, and they flexed their muscles in their opener, pummeling Class AA Oceanside 89-53 on the road. It looked like a good match-up to start, but Hamed Shamseldin ignited a three point shooting barrage for Lawrence , and then Dwayne Daniel joined in and a tight game quickly became a blowout. Lawrence finished with 15 threes, but showed a strong inside game too led by Clifton Lyerly, who mixed in some spectacular dunks to go with his three pointers. Daniel was outstanding, finishing with 32 points. He is without a doubt one of the top guards on Long Island. Shamseldin, another talented player that doesn't get the attention he deserves, finished with 18, and Lyerly had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Eddie Robinson, fresh off a fantastic football season, was not in basketball shape yet, but still chipped in 7 assists. When he settles in, that gives the Golden Tornadoes 4 players capable of dominating a game. Hunter Sabety, the all-star big man for Oceanside, was held to 19 points. 12/6
Whitman Stuns WB
West Babylon jumped out to a 21-16 lead, but the Walt Whitman Wildcats outscored them 20-3 in the second quarter and rolled to a 77-51 victory. Whitman featured a balanced attack led by Kieran Elmore, who finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds, and Allek Hendrickson with 13 points. John Siefert had 13 for WB. 12/5
Herricks Stops Westbury
Scoring machine Andrew Fellus erupted for 32 points, including 14 points from the foul line, to carry Herricks to a 56-42 victory over Westbury in the season opener for both teams. Ryan Gaitanadded 8 points and 8 rebounds for the Highlanders. Shakeel Cafield led Westbury with 12 points. 12/5
Flyers Rock Commack
Chaminade is a bit of a mystery this season, with lots of new faces playing key roles and a new coach, but they made a strong statement in their opener, decisively beating a good Commack team 64-40. As expected, Jon Patterson led the way with 16 points and 7 rebounds, and he got good support from Liam Murphy with 12 points, and Jack Carrigan with 10. Long Island All-Star Nick Arnold led Commack with 27. 12/4
Glascoe vs Beebe
Two of Long Island's best guards faced off as West Hempstead hosted Glen Cove in a good Nassau Class A early seaon matchup. After a back and forth first half, West Hempstead got some breathing room in the third quarter and pulled away down the stretch for a 77-63 victory behind 27 points from Tyree Glascoe. Anthony Beaubrun and Vinny DiLorenzo added 11 points each. Kewan Beebee finihed with 24 for Glen Cove and Frankie Mickens with 18. 12/4
Oberg Rallies Islip
Islip got off to a slow start, scoring only 8 first quarter points, but forwardTighe Oberg, back from a year at Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, went on to score 21 points, pull down 15 rebounds, and block 5 shots to lead the Buccaneers to a 59-47 come from behind victory over Miller Place. Jo'el Wooten added 11 points and Dante McCarthy 8. Corey Markiewicz had 16 for Miller Place. 12/3
CI Pounds Copiague
Suffolk County Class AA finalist Central Islip, ranked 8th in our preseason Sweet 16, renewed their quest for a Long Island Championship and trip upstate with an 82-57 rout of Copiague. Returning All-New York State playerTim McKenzie led the Musketeers with 23 points, 13
rebounds, and 6 assists, Ishiah Booker had 17 points, and Malcolm Pridgeon 6 points and 14 rebounds. Elijah Rogers led Copiague with 16 points, Jalen Archibald added 13, and Kevin Roberts12. 12/1
Floyd/Lindy Advance
In a David vs Goliath match-up if ever there was one, defending Class AA Suffolk County Champion and Long Island Class AA finalist William Floyd took on Class D Shelter Island, who was 4-13 last year against Class C and Class D competition, in the first round of Floyd’s annual tournament. The Colonials rolled to a 32-7 halftime lead on their way to a 66-25 victory. Devonte Dixon led Floyd with 16 points and Devin Burney, Tom McGinley, and Jason Rivera all finished with 10. Matt Belt-Capollino led Shelter Island with 10 points. In the other bracket, David almost pulled off the upset, with Suffolk County Class AA semifinalist Lindenhurst holding off Mercy 56-48 in a game that was 26-25 at the half.Aaron Coughlin led the Bulldogs with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists,Jonathan Osorio added 11 points, Dan Brzozka 10, and Cody Mitchell 9. Nykel Reese led Mercy with 21 and Asaiah Wilson had 14. 11/29
LuHi/LWA Roll
Long Island's private school powerhouses - Long Island Lutheran and Lawrence Woodmere Academy - both opened their seasons with a bang. #1 ranked defending New York State Champion LuHi crushed Queens High School of Teaching 95-57 behind 18 points from Tim Quashie, Kentan Facey's 13 points and 11 rebounds, and 12 points and 8 assists from Chris Atkinson, while defending PSAA Champion LWA humbled Our Savior Lutheran 72-35 behind 24 points and 15 rebounds from Rokas Lapsys and 18 points from Tristan Braverman. 11/27
LI 108 NYC 95
Long Island pulled ahead in the second half of a tight game and went on to defeat the New York City All-Stars 108-95 in the first annual Alzheimer's All-Star Basketball Classic benefit game. Oceanside's Hunter Sabety was MVP and led Long Island with 21 points. He was also a commanding presence on the boards. Uniondale's Aaron Cust had another big game, following up his MVP performance in the Long Island All-Star Game with 20 points, and Farmingdale's Dalique Mingo ran the offense effectively and finished with 13 points. Julius Sallet from Hillcrest led all scorers with 27pts for NYC, Nosike Obanya from Thomas Edison had 17, and Wesley Meyers from Boys & Girls had 10. The full Long Island roster was:
Tawayne Anderson - LuHi
Nick Arnold - Commack
Mike Boyd - LuHi
Aaron Cust - Uniondale
Bryson Lassiter - Bay Shore
Dalique Mingo- Farmingdale
Femi Olujobi - Brentwood
Tidell Pierre - Hempstead
Kieran Ryan - St. Dominic
Hunter Sabety - Oceanside
Keith Williams - Deer Park
Jayson Wright - Bay Shore
Returning
All-New York State
Garrett Johnson, Jericho
Tim McKenzie, Central Islip
Tidell Pierre, Hempstead
Kyle Williams, SJB
Empire State Games Back
After a two year absence, the Olympic Games style Empire State Games will return in 2013. New York State's best athletes will gather for the Winter Games February 7th - 10th in Lake Placid, and for the Summer games July 24th-28th in Rochester.
Baldwin Falls Short
Baldwin was short handed and playing against defending Section 9 Class AA finalist Kingston, and looking very much like they were headed for a bad loss, trailing 42-23 early in the second half, but back to back putbacks and a free throw by Eric Mack and a baseline drive by Jordan Williams and the Bruins were back within striking distance. The Tigers rebuilt their lead, going up 16 on a pull-up jumper by Justin Robinson, but Williams scored back to back, Oluwa Bembury hit a jumper from just behind the foul line, and Travais Hylton scored on a nice hesitation move and it was suddenly an 8 point game with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. Robinson broke the momentum with a runner, and then Zack Short scored on a fast break basket and it was 51-39 Kingston after three. Micah Riddick opened the fourth quarter with a three pointer for a 15 point Tiger lead, and it looked like the Bruins were in big trouble, but Baldwin regrouped and made another run, scoring on a drive by Williams and a three pointer by Bembury from the left baseline with 5:49 showing. The Bruins worked to get the lead back down to single digits, but Kingston traded baskets with them until Mack’s putback cut it 58-50 with 2:16 remaining. Two free throws by Elijah McMillan at the 1:44 mark made it a 6 point game, and after two free throws by Short for Kingston, McMillan nailed another three to make it 60-55 with 1:21 left, but the Bruins came up empty down the stretch, falling 61-55. 12/9
LuHi Stops Burke
The most intriguing matchup of the 2012 Upstate/Downstate Challenge was between two schools moving up in class this season: Two time defending New York State Class A Champion Long Island Lutheran, who is moving up to Class AA this season, and Burke Catholic, the 2011 Public School Class B State Champion, who is moving up to Class A. It looked like the drama would be over quickly when Tiquan Garner’s three pointer from the right baseline gave LuHi a 13-5 lead, an alley-oop dunk by Kentan Facey made it 17-6, and a putback by Ryan Boyd made it 21-9 Crusaders, but Burke made repeated comebacks, the most dramatic on a three pointer from the left baseline and then a free throw by Michael Kelly that cut the LuHi lead to 27-24 early in the second half. LuHi responded to all of them, this time with Tim Quashie's beautiful spinning move giving them a 38-30 lead, and a Chris Atkinson three pointer at the third quarter buzzer making it a 10 point game. Facey’s jump hook from the lane and two free throws by Garner made it 47-33 as the fourth quarter got underway, and a three by Boyd from the left foul line extended and a basket by Facey from underneath made it 52-35 with 3:03 to go and LuHi was finally in control. Final score: 56-37. 12/9
Lawrence Rocks SJB
12th ranked Lawrence traveled out to West Islip to take on 3rd ranked St. John The Baptist, and after a tight three quarters, pulled away in the fourth for an impressive 70-51 victory. It's important to note that SJB was without Vincent Abbondola and Charles Lloyd, two key players in their miracle championship run last season, but with stars Kyle Williams and Tavon Ginyard on the floor, along with Charlie Joyner,another key contributor last season, plus the home court advantage, you would expect that the Cougars could still compete with just about anyone. Not Lawrence on this day. The two teams did go toe to toe for three quarters, with Lawrence taking an early 5-2 lead, but SJB went on a run and went ahead on two Connor Cronin free throws, and then Joyner's three pointer from the left baseline made it 13-5 Cougars at the 4:08 mark of the first quarter. Eddie Robinson broke the run with a drive down the right side of the lane, and Dwayne Daniel 's three pointer from the right foul line extended gave Lawrence a 16-15 lead at the first quarter buzzer. Cronin cut down the lane and scored to put SJB back on top to start the second quarter, but the teams went back and forth right until intermission, with Lawrence taking a 30-29 lead into the locker room on the strength of a driving layup by Michael Fragner. The Golden Tornadoes reeled off 7 straight points to start the second half, with baskets by Randy Wallace, Daniel, and Clifton Lyerly, but the Cougars would not let them break away, and a foul line jumper by Williams, a putback by Sinclair, a basket by Williams from underneath, and a runner by Ginyard tied it at 37 with 4:08 to go in the third quarter. Daniel recaptured the lead for Lawrence with a drive, and Hamed Shamseldin's three pointer right before the buzzer gave them a 45-42 lead through three quarters. Still anybody's game. The fourth quarter was a different story. A right elbow jumper by Daniel and a fast break dunk by Lyerly gave Lawrence a 54-44 lead with 4:48 to go, and then an acrobatic layup and free throw by Daniel and the Tornadoes had a 13 point lead, their biggest of the game. Lyerly kept it going with a nice runner, and a hard drive by Wallace made it 63-47 Lawrence with 2:35 to go and the Cougars were done. 12/15
Grimsley Back At VSC
Jonathan Grimsley is back at Valley Stream Central after a brief stay at prep school, and he helped VSC to a 73 -61 win over a scrappy Wantagh team and a 2-0 start with 19 points. Xavier Grier added 15 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin Blocker 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Lwimba Mukuka 13 points and 7 rebounds. Gerard Roche had a game high 24 points for Wantagh. 12/11
LuHi Holds Off Dalers
Many in the Long Island basketball community believe that this year’s Long Island Lutheran team is even better than last year’s New York State Championship team, and the Crusaders seemed to be making a good case for that against 7th ranked Farmingdale, a team they had a great battle with last year. Top ranked LuHi took a lead on the Dalers from the opening tip, going up 7-2 on a three point play by Ryan Boyd, 15-4 on a dunk by UConn boundKentan Facey, and 19-6 at the end of the first quarter on two Facey free throws. Farmingdale scored the first 6 points of the second quarter and looked to be back in it despite their poor shooting, but LuHi got the best of the quarter from then on, and a Boyd jumper from the left wing put them up 26-14 before a basket by Matt DiCarlo made it a 10 point game at the half. Curtis Jenkins opened the second half with a three pointer to cut the LuHi lead to 7, but a Boyd jumper at the 5:30 mark of the quarter put the Crusaders up by 12 again. Jenkins answered, knocking down another three to keep the Dalers in it, but a three by Tiquan Garner, a dunk by Facey, and a free throw by Atkinson and LuHi had their biggest lead at 44-28. A Facey putback made it 49-31, but a clutch three pointer by PJ Spadalik in the closing seconds and it was a 15 point game after three quarters. DiCarlo's jumper from the right elbow cut the lead to 14 with 5:35 to go in regulation, but a nice basket by Facey from the low post and a free throw by Quashie and it was 57-40 with 4:59 left. Farmingdale began an unexpected final run with just 3:34 on the clock, withJenkinsknocking down two free throws, DiCarlo scoring back to back baskets from underneath, and Kevin Petit-Frere knocking down two free throws to make it 59-50 with 1:47 to play. After LuHi missed the front end of a 1 and 1, DiCarlo struck again, scoring on a nice feed from Jenkins to make it a 7 point game with 1:23 showing, but Farmingdale was slow to foul, sending Atkinson to the line with just 23 seconds left. He went 1-2 to give the Crusaders a comfortable 8 point lead, but LuHi left the door open by committing a foolish foul in the backcourt, sending Dalique Mingo to the line only seconds later. His two free throws brought Farmingdale within 6 with 21 seconds left, but Atkinson closed the door, going 1-2 at the 19 second mark to make it a three possession game and end the comeback. Final score 61-54 Lutheran. 12/11
Sweet 16 Shakeup!
New Rochelle rolls over Harborfields ..... Hickey's 41 dooms Brentwood .....St. Mary's rallied from a 17 point halftime deficit but fell to Bishop Loughlin..... Lawrence rocks Elmont.....
SCORES ON SCOREBOARD!
Farmingdale Escapes
0-2 Plainview went on the road to Farmingdale, and threw a big scare into the 6th ranked Dalers, climbing out of 20-3 first quarter hole with an 18-4 forth quarter. But Plainview's game winning shot at the buzzer was off target, and Farmingdale held on for a 47-46 victory. Dalique Mingo was the Dalers' only double digit scorer, finishing with 21 points and 8 assists. Chris Tracz finished with 15 points and Jared Bursky had 13 for Plainview. 12/7
BBP Bounces Whitman
Bayport-Blue Point has great potential, but has been inconsistent so far this season. They showed what they were capable of in the final of the Islip Tournament, defeating Class AA Walt Whitman 55-45. Dylan Adams led the way with 17 points, Connor Panzner had 11, and Jared Gray 10. 12/7
West Hempstead Prevails
West Hempstead picked up its second impressive win of the season, defeating a good Hewlett team 69-55. Tyree Glascoe led a third quarter run that put West Hempstead in control after a tight first half, and finished with a game high 23 points. Avery Feldman led Hewlett with 15. 12/7
Kings Park Stops Lynbrook
In a terrific early season intersectional match-up, Kings Park had a strong third quarter and held on to defeat Lynbrook 56-50 behind 17 points from Jonathan Li and 13 points and 8 rebounds from Craig Jeudy. Matthew Murphy led Lynbrook with 21 points and John Boni had 12. 12/7
St. Mary's Holds Off Burke
With so many young players playing key roles, the St. Mary’s Gaels will get better game by game and season by season over the next couple of years. That describes many teams, but what’s exciting about this group is that they are already capable of playing with any team in the Metro Area. They showed that again by defeating Orange County powerhouse Burke Catholic 70-68. The game was tight throughout, with the Gaels leading by 5 at the half, and Burke drawing even at 49 through three quarters. The Eagles bid to take control as the fourth quarter got underway, with Kevin Polman’s three pointer and Stan Buczek’s baseline drive and reverse layup giving them a quick 5 point lead. They went up 59-53 on a baseline jumper by Mike Coffey, but Devonte Green’s three pointer from the right foul line extended kept it close. Buczek made a beautiful spinning move in the lane and scored to give the Eagles a 63-56 lead with 3:48 to go, but the Gaels wouldn’t buckle. Patrick Jackson came down and buried a three pointer, Green scored on an acrobatic drive, Jessie Govan powered up from underneath, and Green pulled up and nailed a left elbow jumper to put St.Mary’s up by 2 with 2:15 to go. Stephen Milhaven’s free throw gave St. Mary’s a 3 point lead as the clock dipped below the 2 minute mark, but then it was Burke’s turn to respond, and they did, drawing back within 1 on a fast break basket by Mike Kelly, and then retaking the lead on a fast break basket by Coffey that made it 67-66 with 1:20 remaining. The Eagles could not keep the rally going however, and St. Mary’s had a chance to build a lead down the stretch, but Green went 1 for 2 from the line to tie it with 1:17 left, and Milhaven went 1 for 2 to put the Gaels up by a single point with 47 seconds left. The door was still open, but after an Eagle turnover, the Gaels took time off the clock and Green put back a missed shot to make it 70-67 with only seconds remaining. Intentionally or not, Burke was not given the chance to take a game tying three pointer, and instead went to the line for two shots trailing by 3 with 1.9 seconds on the clock. Their best hope was to miss the second shot and get a quick putback, but instead the ball went off St. Mary’s and although it was still Burke ball under the basket, there was only 1 tenth of a second showing. They could not get off a good shot before the buzzer sounded and St. Mary’s came away with the big win. 12/15
Bruins Win/Burton 200!
When you put winning teams out on the floor year after year, the milestones fly by. Baldwin coach Darius Burton picked up his 200th career victory at the tender age of 37 when his 16th ranked Bruins defeated Port Washington 59-44 Mike Butler led Baldwin with 17 points and 5 steals, and Jordan Williams added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Burton has racked up a 200-58 career record in just 13 seasons, a .775 winning percentage! 12/14
LuHi Pounds Harborfields
The rematch of last seasons New York State Championship Game was all LuHi. The Crusaders jumped out to an early 27-11 lead, and Harborfields never got closer than 10 after that. Final score 65-47. Tim Quashie led the way with 14 points and Chris Atkinson had 13 points and 5 assists. 12/14
December 12th Highlights
North Babylon threw their hat into the ring with a 55-43 win over Smithtown West, who was fresh off an upset of Brentwood. Isiah Moore was two assists short of a triple double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists for the Bulldogs..... A 20-6 second quarter was the difference between two good teams from the East End, with Southampton defeating Center Moriches 73-62 at CM. Lyle Smith finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds for Southampton …..
Amityville Over Dalers
It was everything you would have expected in a game between the 7th and 8th ranked teams on Long Island, with sophomore Mike Smith knocking down three big 4th quarter three pointers to help Amityville rally for an exciting 65-61 victory over Farmingdale. The game started at a fast pace, with Kevin Petit-Frere opening the scoring for Farmingdale with a putback, Kavione Green answering for Amityville from the low post, Andy Laurent putting the Warriors on top with a fast break basket, and then Jack Burke knocking down a three from the left baseline to reclaim the lead for the Dalers. The teams continued to exchange baskets and the lead non-stop until just 0:58 remained in the opening quarter, when Dalique Mingo’s steal and basket and then his two free throws put the Dalers up 18-12, but a Demetrius Chambers putback and two free throws by Zack Tannis and it was a 4 point game with one quarter in the books. Green opened the second quarter with a three pointer to the left of center, and then he cut to the basket and got a nice dish from Tannis to put Amityville up 21-20, but both teams struggled to score until Smith knocked down two free throws with 5:30 remaining in the half for a 3 point Amityville lead. A fast break basket by Curtis Jenkins and two free throws by Petit-Frere and the Dalers were back in front, and then a drive by Mingo made it 27-23 Farmingdale, but Amityville got the better of a free throw duel in the closing minutes, and trailed by just 1 at intermission. Andy Laurent tied the game with two free throws early in the third quarter, but the Dalers answered with a run, going up by 9 on a runner by Jenkins and two free throws by Mingo. It was an 8 point game at the three quarter buzzer, but Laurent cut it to 6 with a putback as the fourth quarter got underway, and his two free throws and a putback by Smith brought the Warriors within 2 with 6:06 remaining. Jenkins stole the ball and scored for the Dalers, but Smith knocked down a three to make it a 1 point game, and then Green’s three from the left baseline put Amityville on top 55-53 with 4:40 left. Jenkins tied it with two free throws, but Smith drilled back to back threes for a 6 point lead with 3:46 showing. Points were hard to come by down the stretch, but Farmingdale inched closer by hitting 2 out of 4 free throws, and the Dalers had the ball with 1:14 remaining trailing 61-57. Once again, they couldn’t put the ball in the basket, and Sean Walters came down and drained a big three from the left baseline for a 7 point Amityville lead with 0:46 on the game clock. Two Mingo free throws kept the Dalers alive, and after a turnover with 28 seconds remaining, he drove to the basket and scored to make it a one possession game. Farmingdale got the ball back and had two cracks at it in the final seconds but could not convert, and the Warriors held on for a big 65-61 victory. 12/20
Northport Over Bay Shore
Northport has received votes in every Sweet 16 poll we’ve taken this season, but despite building a 5-0 record, did not have the kind of win needed to catapult them into the rankings - until now! In a great League 2 early season matchup, the unbeaten Tigers went on the road and defeated 5th ranked Bay Shore 59-51, making a strong case for being included among Long Island’s best teams. Northport got started right away on a lay-up by Thomas Kennedy off the opening tip, and then Kennedy found Andrew Seaman underneath at the 5:40 mark to put the Tigers up 8-2. Bay Shore responded, tying it at 10 all on a strong move by Gerrel Irvin in the low post, and then took the lead on a runner by Jason Wright with less than a minute to go in the quarter, but Kennedy tied it with two free throws, and then Matt Smith’s long range three pointer gave Northport a 15-12 lead at the first quarter buzzer. Bay Shore went right to work as the second quarter got underway, scoring four quick baskets, the last two a steal and fastbreak basket by Bryson Lassiter and a curling drive to the basket by Wright that made it 20-15 Marauders, but Smith wouldn’t let things get out of hand, knocking down another three, and then Kennedy found Seaman again underneath and it was tied at 20 all. After a Bay Shore free throw, Seaman and Kennedy scored back to back to put the Tigers up 24-21, and then a three pointer by Aaron Pulver and a pull-up jumper by Austin Marchese gave them a 29-23 lead seconds before the half. Tyson Morton was fouled on a buzzer shot, and he went 2 for 3 at the line to bring Bay Shore within 4 at intermission. Marchese opened the second half with a three pointer, and Luke Petrasek’s two free throws gave Northport an early 34-25 lead. Petrasek gave the Tigers an 11 point lead when he spun away from the baseline and knocked down a short jumper, and then Smith made it 46-33 on a steal and basket, and that was the score as the third quarter ended. The teams traded 4th quarter baskets until a three point play by Irvin brought Bay Shore Within 8 with 4:59 remaining, but Northport responded with a spectacular dunk by Petrasek off a perfect feed by Smith. Bay Shore was back within 6 on a putback by Irvin with 1:27 remaining, but that’s as close as they would get. The teams exchanged turnovers, and then two clutch free throws by Smith iced it. 12/18
December 14th Highlights
After a bad loss to Lynbrook, Freeport dropped off the radar in Nassau County, but their equally surprising 59-56 win over 9th ranked Uniondale put them right back in the mix. Kyhiem Chaplin had a big game with 28 points and 7 rebounds and iced the game from the free throw line ..... 8th ranked Amityville got a late start this season, but opened up with a convincing 65-39 victory over Shoreham-Wading River. Kavione Green led the Warriors with 21 points, and Mike Smith, who played at Copiague last season, added 14 points and 4 assists ..... Massapequa has been under the radar so far, but beat Oceanside 67-62 to improve to 4-0 on the season. Dylan Balducci led them once again with 19 points and Brian Flecker had 13 points and 10 assists.
Northport Rocks Commack
Northport improved to 4-0 with a 71-57 thumping of archival Commack. Long Island All-Star Luke Petrasek led the Tigers with 35 points and 19 rebounds, Matt Smith added 11 points and 10 assists, and Thomas Kennedy 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Another Long Island All-Star, Nick Arnold, finished with 16 points for Commack. 12/11
Floyd Back In The Hunt
The post Anthony White era has begun at William Floyd, and the Colonials have made it clear they will be contenders once again this season, improving to 3-0 after soundly beating well regarded Kings Park 67-51. Devin Burney and Brian Samuelson led a balanced attack with 12 points each and Jamel Bridges and Devonte Dixon had 10 points each. Craig Jeudy led Kings Park with 15 points and Jonathan Li had 14. 12/11
Brentwood Bests West
You never know how a team is going to react to games on consecutive days, but Brentwood rose to the occasion, beating a good Hills West team 68-58 on the road a day after defeating a good North Babylon team on the road. They are now 6-1 overall with the two wins. The Indians moved out to an early lead against Hills West, going up 11-6 on a three pointer by freshman Mike Almonacy, and then Almonacy got off a baseline jumper at the first quarter buzzer to put them up 17-10. The Colts scored the first two baskets of the second quarter on a baseline cut by Marcus Solomon and a fast break basket by Tyrell Ryan, but Brentwood answered with four straight, and led 25-14 on Marcus Hall’s basket from the lane and a putback by Almonacy. Michael Certain’s back to back baskets made it 33-21 Brentwood with 25 seconds left in the half, but a Terry Harris three pointer in the final seconds made it a 9 point game as the teams headed into the locker room. Harris knocked down a baseline three to cut it to 33-27 as the second half got underway, but the teams traded baskets down to the 3:15 mark, when Certain’s steal and basket made it 43-33 Brentwood, and the lead grew to 12 after Marcus Cureton’s three pointer with 2:03 left. Two free throws and a three pointer by Harris, and the lead was down to 6, and then after a putback by Femi Olujobi for Brentwood, Harris nailed a running three pointer at the buzzer to make it a 5 point game heading into the fourth quarter. Ali Mableton opened the fourth quarter with a fast break basket for Brentwood, but Solomon answered with a three pointer, and Harris found Jamir Blackman on the baseline to make it 52-50 with 6:41 to play. Blackman followed with another basket from the baseline and Harris with two free throws to give Hills West the lead, but Cureton’s three pointer from the baseline put Brentwood up 58-56, Olujobi‘s putback with 40 seconds remaining gave the Indians a 6 point lead, and Mableton broke free for a fast break basket to ice it. 12/28
12/22 Highlights
LuHi Defeats Troy, NY
Long Island Lutheran completed a weekend sweep of upstate teams with a 74-71 victory over a strong team from Troy, NY. Ryan Boyd had another nice game, finishing with 24 points.
Chaminade Rocks Poly Prep
After an up and down start to the season, Chaminade picked up their second straight impressive win, beating private school powerhouse Poly Prep 66-53 behind 18 points and 7 assists from Thomas O'Connell and 17 points and 6 rebounds from Liam Murphy
North Bab Improves To 5-1
North Babylon has had some great teams over the years, and this years team is hoping to join that list after beating Lindenhurst 54-51 for a quick 5-1 start. Isiah Moore led the way with 21 points and 6 rebounds and Melshawn McPherson had 18 points and 7 rebounds.
12/21 Highlights
LuHi at The Buzzer
The Crusaders traveled upstate to take on Albany Academy, New York State's 20th ranked class AA team, and Tim Quashie's basket at the buzzer gave them a dramatic 58-56 win.
Hicksville Stops Baldwin
Hicksville has been impressive in every game this season, including their loss to #12 Holy Trinity, and they continue to impress, defeating 13th ranked Baldwin 65-55.
Oceanside Stuns Uniondale
Uniondale fell to 2-4 after a stunning 60-58 loss to Oceanside. Long Island All-Star Hunter Sabety led the Sailors to the big upset with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Sabety caught the attention of many D1 schools during the off-season, but chose academics over hoops and will attend D3 Tufts next fall.
Malverne Starts 1-3
Always welll coached and playing a very aggressive brand of basketball, Malverne traditionally racks up win after win, but the Mules have stumbled out of the gate this season, falling to 1-3 after a 52-46 loss to Oyster Bay.
Bellmore Still Unbeaten
Bellmore is quietly off to a 3-0 start after a 53-49 win over Long Beach, joining unbeaten Great Neck South at the top of Nassau Conference AA3.
Dalers Blister SJB
It was one of those games you look forward to as soon as the schedules are published, but 7th ranked Farmingdale was too much for 10th ranked St. John The Baptist, quickly building a lead and then cruising to a 77-59 victory at Amityville's annual tournament. The Dalers had all their weapons working, and executed their game plan to perfection, going up 8-2 on back to back baskets by Dalique Mingo, then 19-9 on a three pointer by Curtis Jenkins, and they led 22-9 at the first quarter buzzer on a nice give and go by PJ Spadalik. A Kyle Williams putback cut it to 24-18 with 5:04 to go in the half, but the Dalers responded with a 14-5 run, with Mingo's putback and two free throws making it 38-23 Farmingdale with 1:14 remaining and it was 41-26 at the half. Mingo opened the second half with back to back baskets, and Jenkins stole the ball and scored for a 21 point lead and the Cougars never seriously threatened after that. Farmingdale will meet 8th ranked Amityville in what should be a terrific championship game between two ranked teams just accross the Nassau/Suffolk border from each other. Game time is 6 PM Thursday in Amityville. The Warriors had no trouble advancing past a good Center Moriches team, picking up a 79-55 victory. A three pointer at the first half buzzer by Mike Smith made it 39-21 Amityville and they continued to build their lead from there. 12/19
Amityville Over Glenn
After a season opening loss to Northport, John Glenn rebounded to win 4 straight, but Amityville ended the streak with a convincing 64-50 victory, led by 19 points each from Andy Laurent and Mike Smith. 12/18
Calhoun Defeats Elmont
Calhoun opened their season with a loss to Freeport, but has since rolled to 3 straight victories, including an impressive 68-62 win over Elmont. Brian Downey finished with 20 points for the Colts and Tom Murphy had 13.
12/18
CI Stops Northport
Long Island's last unbeaten team went down in dramatic fashion, with 4th ranked Northport’s game winning shot rolling out at the buzzer to give #13 Central Islip a thrilling 53-52 home victory. It didn’t look like there would be much drama at the start, with Central Islip building a 17-8 first quarter lead behind Ishiah Booker and Tim and David McKenzie, and it was 19-8 on Booker’s putback to start the second quarter, but baskets by Luke Petrasek and Mike O'Hara got the Tigers rolling, and then a three point play by O'Hara and Northport was back within 3 with 1:17 left in the half. Matt Smith’s runner from the left wing made it a 1 point game, then his steal and basket gave the Tigers the lead, and a Petrasek three pointer at the Buzzer made it 26-22 Northport at intermission. The teams were trading baskets to start the second half, one of them a beautiful alley-oop dunk by Petrasek, but back to back baskets by David and Tim McKenzie sparked an 11-0 CI run that put the Musketeers up 37-31. Mike Milligan broke the run with two free throws, and Andrew Seaman answered Corey Pope’sbaseline runner with a basket from underneath to keep the Tigers within 4 with three quarters in the books. Malcolm Pridgeon’s putback gave the Musketeers a 6 point lead as the fourth quarter got underway, and after a Petrasek jumper, Booker’s three from the left baseline made it 44-37 Central Islip. Northport’s Thomas Kennedy kept it close with a baseline jumper, but Pope’s pull up jumper from the left elbow with 5:21 left gave the Musketeers a 9 point lead. Another big basket by O’Hara kept the margin in single digits, and then Petrasek’s three pointer from the top and Northport was back in it .Tim McKenzie answered with a basket, but Milligan’s three pointer from the right wing brought the Tigers within 3 at the 3:27 mark, and his steal and two free throws made it 50-49 with 2:38 remaining. Tim answered the call again, this time knocking down two free throws with 2:20 showing, but Northport kept coming, and Petrasek’s three from straight on tied it at 52 with 1:38 left. The Tiger defense dug in, forcing a shot clock violation by CI, but Northport could not capitalize, and Booker drew a foul going to the basket with 4.8 seconds to play. He missed his first shot, but shook off the pressure and knocked down the second to give the Musketeers a 1 point lead and Northport called time. The Tigers got the ball in to Smith, who flew down the court, glancing quickly at the clock and then going in for the layup, but the burst of speed that got him to the basket in time worked against him as he let the ball go, and it rattled around the rim and rolled out as the buzzer sounded. Tim McKenzie finished with 14 for CI, Booker with 13, and Pridgeon 10. Northport’s Petrasek led all scorers with 19 points. 1/8
LI vs NYC
We've told this story over and over, but about five years ago, we decided to track the season series between Long Island and New York City boys varsity teams because we were convinced that the results would be closer than most people expected. We were as surprised as anyone to discover that New York City's perceived dominance over Long Island was a complete myth, and that in fact Long Island wins the season series by a wide margin year after year. This year is no exception, with Class AA Wings Academy's 63-55 win over a shorthanded Class A Amityville team breaking a streak of 6 straight wins for Long Island to close out 2012. Long Island now holds a 13 game advantage over NYC as the new year begins.
Undefeated Teams
There are only three undefeated teams left on Long Island as the new year begins, but it won't last for long because two of them are in the same league! The unbeaten teams are:
Central Islip
Kellenberg
Northport
CI and Northport first meet January 8th at Central Islip, although CI will be tested twice before the big matchup, first on January 3rd at Bay Shore, and then when they host Kings Park on the 5th. Northport also has to get by a good Whitman team on January 4th. Kellenberg's next test is January 2nd when they host 8th ranked Holy Trinity.
12/29 Highlights
Longwood Snuffs Harborfields
Two good teams that have been inconsistant so far met in the championship game of the Eastern Officials Tournament, and Longwood came out on top 39-31. Latrell Washington led the Lions with 15 points and 7 rebounds and Walter Penate added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Bay Shore Tames William Floyd
Bay Shore picked up its first win over a ranked opponent, defeating 15th ranked William Floyd 59-49. Bryson Lassiter led the Marauders with 20 points and 5 assists, and Gerrel Irvinadded 15 points and 9 rebounds.
Amityville Falls To Wings
Amityville is 0-2 up in Massachusetts, falling ironicly to NYC's Wings Academy 63-55 on day two of their trip.
12/28 Highlights
New Rochelle Stops #2 Gaels
New Rochelle came into the game 1-4, but rallied past #2 St. Mary's 71-64. Details later 12/28
Whitman Over Jericho In OT
After leading big early, Jericho needed a basket in the closing seconds to send the game into OT, but they couldn't stem the tide and Whitman dominated the extra session for a 72-67 victory. Details later. 12/28
12/27 Highlights
Uniondale Over #12 Bay Shore
Uniondale defeated Bay Shore 66-63 in a great high school basketball game.
STORY LATER 12/27
Amityville Falls in Mass.
The Warriors went up to Massachusetts without a key player and fell to Mansfield, one of the top teams in the State, 63-58 in OT 12/27
Brentwood Tops Bulldogs
Two teams looking to crack the Sweet 16 faced off, and Brentwood made their case with a solid 71-63 road win over North Babylon. Brentwood moved out in front early and held the lead throughout the first quarter, with a jumper by Femi Olujobi putting them up 16-11 at the buzzer. Mike Almonacy’s three pointer made it 19-12 Brentwood early in the second quarter, but a basket from underneath and two free throws by Isaiah Moore brought the Bulldogs within 2 with 3:45 to go in the half. The Indians responded, with Zach Hall coming off a screen and knocking down a three pointer, Michael Certain scoring on a running hook shot from the lane, and Ali Mableton knocking down two free throws to give them a 33-23 lead at the break. Melshawn McPherson opened the third quarter with a nice pull-up jumper from just behind the foul line to cut the lead to single digits, and and his two free throws at the 4:42 mark made it a 6 point game, but Brentwood closed the quarter on a run, with back to back fast break baskets by Marcus Cureton and Almonacy, a basket by Certain from underneath, and Mableton and Almonacy scoring off turnovers and they led 50-34 with seconds remaining. Kamal Lewter hit a big three pointer for North Babylon at the buzzer to keep things from getting out of hand, and it was a 12 point game as the fourth quarter got underway. Two free throws by Noah Buffins brought the Bulldogs within 10, and a baseline jumper by Moore and his runner with 5:11 left to play made it a 6 point game, but a fadeaway jumper by Olujobi, a runner by Almonacy, a fast break basket by Mableton, and a three point play by Almonacy and it was a 15 point game at the 3:28 mark. Zachary Moore kept the Bulldogs in the hunt, knocking down a big three with 3:07 to go, two clutch free throws by Chris Coalmon kept hopes alive with 2:31 left, and then Zachary Moore nailed another three to make 62-55 with 2:03 remaining, but Mableton broke the run with a basket from underneath, and Almonacy’s fast break hoop gave the Indians a 66-55 advantage with 1:36 to play. The Bulldogs got within 7 in the closing seconds, but would get no closer. 12/27
ASK THE REF
Time once again for Skip Yutzler's very popular column!
The topic is "Things That Look Bad, But Are Not."
Trouble For St. Doms
Two of Long Island’s best teams have added highly regarded players to their rosters at the expense of the St. Dominic basketball program. Long Island all-star Travis Dickerson and west coast import Michael Milligan, Jr. have both left the Bayhawks, and are expected to be eligible with their new teams in the coming weeks. Dickerson is returning to his hometown team, the 8th ranked Amityville Warriors, and the 6’5 Milligan, one of the top players on one of the top teams in Los Angeles last season, has enrolled at Northport. None of the parties involved have commented on the reasons for the transfers.
12/20 Highlights
Southampton At The Buzzer
Two of Long Island’s top Class B teams met in a big League 7 match-up, and Shaundell Fishburne’s three pointer at the buzzer gave Southampton a 67-64 win over Babylon.
Hills West Needs Rally
Hauppauge may be a dark horse this season in Suffolk, led by 6’5 Anthony Sbarro, who transferred in from LuHi. After a slow start this season, he is rounding into basketball shape and getting comfortable with his new teammates, and the Eagles had Hills West on the ropes as a result, leading after three quarters. But the battle tested Colts rallied for a 59-50 victory. Jamir Blackman poured in 31 points for Hills West and Sbarro had 16 for Hauppauge.
Titans Stop Lawrence
Sixth ranked Lawrence was beginning to look unstoppable, racking up one impressive win after another, but they met their match in the 12th ranked Holy Trinity Titans, falling 72-66. Damon Coleman led a balanced Holy Trinity attack with 19 points and Jimmy Golasewski posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. 12/19
LuHi Still Number 1!
Long Island’s two top ranked teams faced off and Long Island Lutheran reaffirmed their #1 ranking by defeating #2 Deer Park 76-64. The Crusaders built a comfortable lead through three quarters on their home court, and Deer Park’s late run wasn’t enough. Ryan Boyd led LuHi with 22 points and Tiquan Garner had 14. Deer Park’s Rome Jenkins led all scorers with 27 points. 12/18
Farmingdale Rocks Tigers
Farmingdale blew open a close game with a 26-5 third quarter and went on to defeat Hempstead 71-43. Dalique Mingo led the way with 21 points and 8 assists. 12/18
A choice that can change your child's life!
Bay Shore Ends CI Run
It was the hard nosed game everyone expected through three quarters, with #2 Central Islip leading at the half and Bay Shore up by 4 after three, but the Marauders broke it open with a 16-2 closing run and ended CI's seven game unbeaten streak 57-37. It was 41-35 Bay Shore with 4:39 to play when two free throws by Long Island All-Star Bryson Lassiter began the run. A short jumper by Devin Farmer made it a 10 point game, Lassiter's three point play on a nice drive through traffic made it 49-35 with 3 minutes to go, and then another acrobatic drive and free thow by Lassiter at the 1:32 mark gave the Marauders an insurmountable 52-35 lead. Lassiter led all scorers with 19 points, and Farmer had 11 for Bay Shore. Ishiah Booker led CI with 17 points and Long Island All-Star Tim McKenzie had 10. 1/3
St. Mary's Slips By SJB
The future of the NSCHSSA was on display when young and talented St. John The Baptist went on the road to take on young and talented St. Mary’s. Both Teams have shown flashes of brilliance in their non-league schedules, but both have also stumbled against more experienced teams. Which one will be ready for prime time? They both looked ready in this matchup, with the Gaels scoring the last 5 points of a hard fought game to prevail 67-62. Jessie Govan won the battle of premier big men, outscoring SJB’s Kyle Williams 21 to 8, and it was his jumper that gave St. Mary’s the lead with 22 seconds remaining. Danny and Rashad’s little brother Devonte Green added 19 points for the Gaels, including two big free throws down the stretch, while SJB sharpshooters Vincent Abbondola, whose back to back three pointers tied the game at 62, and Tavon Ginyard finished with 18 points each. 1/2
More Players to Watch
With the first month of the season in the books, we have some additions to the PLAYERS TO WATCH list that we posted before the season began:
Damon Coleman, Holy Trinity
TJ Danns, Hicksville
Terry Harris, Hills West
Curtis Jenkins, Farmingdale
Rome Jenkins, Deer Park
Thomas King, East Hampton
Mike Smith, Amityville
The complete list is our list of players that we will consider for post season awards, including the All-Long Island Team and Player Of The Year.
St. Mary's Nips Chaminade
Jack Carrigan's three pointer with 16 seconds remaining put 6th ranked Chaminade on top 73-72, but # 4 St. Mary's reclaimed the lead on Devonte Green's two free throws with 9 seconds left, and then Stephen Milhaven iced the game with a clutch steal and two free throws in the final seconds. There was a surprisingly small and quiet crowd on hand for this big NSCHSAA matchup, so Chaminade’s quick 6-0 lead did not get the home gym rocking as you would normally expect, even though the Flyers continued to hold the lead until the 2:10 mark of the first quarter before Green’s three pointer from the top put the Gaels up 12-10. St. Mary’s proceeded to build a 6 point lead of their own on a steal and right wing jumper by Patrick Jackson, and led 18-13 as the first quarter came to a close. The Gaels continued to add to their lead in the second quarter, with Jackson’s three pointer from straight on giving them a 26-17 advantage, but Chaminade narrowed the gap, and Mike Walsh’s three point play brought them back within 2. St. Mary’s would not let them draw even however, and closed out the half on an 8-0 run, with Jackson’s basket basket giving them a 38-28 lead at the break - their largest of the game. Chaminade started to chip away at it as soon as the second half got underway, with Brian Ehrhardt getting a steal and basket andLiam Murphy putting back his own miss. Ehrhardt’s back to back baskets and Jon Patterson’s basket from underneath got the Flyers within a point with 3:06 to go, but the Gaels held them off once again, building a 7 point cushion on Jackson’s drive down the right side of the lane as the third quarter expired. Walsh opened the final quarter with a putback, but the teams traded baskets from that point forward and it was still a 7 point game with 3:12 to go in regulation. Patterson started the final Chaminade run with a jumper from the right elbow, Murphy scored a fast break basket, and Thomas O'Connell hit a runner from the left elbow to bring the Flyers within 2 with 1:21 remaining. Green stopped the run with a drive, but Patterson made it a 2 point game again with a basket from underneath with 36 seconds left on the clock. After a big St. Mary's turnover, Carrington seized the opportunity and knocked down his only basket of the game, a baseline three pointer that gave Chaminade its first lead of the second half, but there was still plenty of time left, and Green made another determined drive on the other end that drew a foul. After this two clutch free throws, Chaminade had 9 seconds to score the winning basket, but Milhaven poked the ball away and was fouled with 3 tenths of a second showing. He hit both of his free throws and the Flyer’s desperation full court shot was off target at the buzzer. 1/15
Deer Park Nips Uniondale
Uniondale built a 15 point first half lead, but #9 Deer Park came storming back to defeat the Knights 65-63 in OT at the Nassau/Suffolk Challenge. Both teams have been inconsistent this season, Uniondale more so, but after falling behind early, the Knights took the lead on Alan McDonald’s basket with 3:10 to go in the first quarter, and it was 15-11 Uniondale on Aaron Cust’s drive as the first quarter came to a close. Deer Park tied it 15 as the second quarter got underway, with Rome Jenkins scoring off a nice dish from Keith Williams and then Williams scoring on a baseline runner, but Jerel Mcgary‘s three point play, Cust’s three pointer from straight on, and a putback by Nick Danns gave the Knights a 9 point lead with just over 4 minutes to play in the half. Cust’s three pointer from straight on made it 35-21 with 1:28 to go, and then he knocked down another three just before the buzzer to make it 39-24 Uniondale at the break. Jenkins knocked down a jumper from the lane to open the second half, but Mcgary answered with a drive for the Knights. Two free throws by Aaren Edmeade and a baseline drive by Karon Blackwell narrowed the gap, and then consecutive drives by Williams, Edmeade, and then Williams again brought Deer Park within 6, but Cust broke the run with a drive to make it 44-36 Uniondale with 2:51 to go in the quarter. Edmead’s runner made it a 6 point game with three quarters complete, and then he opened the fourth quarter with a fast break basket, but Tyler Desire banked one off the glass and it was still Uniondale by 6. The teams traded baskets and free throws until the 1:53 mark, with the score 54-47, but Edmead’s drive and a three point play by Williams brought Deer Park within 2 with 1:36 left. After a Uniondale turnover, Blackwood drove the baseline and scored to tie it with 46 seconds on the clock, but Cust drew a foul on the other end and put the Knights back in front with two free throws. Edmeade found Carrel Joseph, who had a terrific game, in the closing seconds to tie it and send the game into overtime. Cust fought his way through traffic to open up OT, but Williams tied it with two free throws and then Edmeade found Williams to put Deer Park up by 2. After a Uniondale free throw, Jenkins scored from underneath for a 3 point Falcon lead, but Jazz Styles brought the Knights back within 1 on a putback. It was back to three on Edmeade’s two free throws, and back to one on two by McDonald, but the Falcons were 1 for 2 on the next trip, and it was Uniondale ball trailing by 2 with 3 seconds left. The Knights got a good look, but the game winning shot didn’t fall and Deer Park held on for the win. 1/20
Elmont Sleeping Giant?
Elmont was ranked 13th in our preseason poll, but got off to a slow start and fell out of the rankings. The Spartans are finally showing signs of life, picking up their 4th straight victory with a solid 80-57 win over Bellmore.Tristan Brown led the way with 21 points. 1/16
1/15 Highlights
Copiague Shocks #8 Deer Park
Sophomore Elijah Rogers erupted for 6 threes and 37 points to lead Copiague to a 78-72 upset win over 8th ranked Deer Park. Copiague is a young and talented team that got off to a slow start, but they improved to 5-2 in the league with the win.
SJB over Kellenberg At Buzzer
After a missed Kellenberg free throw, Tavon Ginyard found Kyle Williams going to the basket for a last second 57-56 SJB victory.
Mingo Carries #3 Farmingdale
Dalique Mingo scored 16 fourth quarter points, finishing with 39 in the Dalers 64-55 win over Uniondale
N. Bab Knocks Off Riverhead
North Babylon handed Riverhead their first conference loss of the season, taking over first place with a 48-44 victory. Cortland Speight led the Bulldogs with 18.
Calhoun Trips Up #15 GNS
Calhoun pulled into a first place tie with Great Neck South, picking up a big 55-49 home win. Tommy Murphy led a second half rally and he Tom Joannou both finished with 15 points for the Colts.
SJB Stops Wood-Ridge
St. John The Baptist played shorthanded in the Dwight Morrow High School Showcase in Englewood, NJ on Sunday, but still ended Wood-Ridge NJ's 9 game winning streak 84-61. Wood-Ridge was ranked 7th in Bergen County coming into the game. Tavon Ginyard led the way with 31 points, Charlie Joyner had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, and Kyle Williams 13 points and 11 rebounds. 1/13
1/11 Highlights
East Meadow Upsets Hicksville
#14 Hicksville dug out of a 21-9 first quarter hole to take a 5 point lead with 30 seconds to play, but Joe Campay scored and then Cody Zafran converted a three point play with three seconds remaining to send the game into overtime - an overtime dominated by East Meadow. Final score 66-56, the second upset win of the season for the Jets. They handed Great Neck South their only loss back on December 29th. Campay finished with 28 points in this one and Zafran with 13. TJ Danns had 18 for Hicksville.
Chaminade Crushes Kellenberg
After a 7-0 start, Kellenberg dropped its third straight game, falling 77-55 to #6 Chaminade. Liam Murphy led the Flyers with 23 points and Jon Pattersonadded 17.
1/10 Highlights
Bethpage Nips Hewlett
In a see-saw Nassau Conference A2 showdown, Bethpage pulled into a first place tie with Hewlett on Mohid Farhadi's driving layup with seconds remaining, giving the Golden Eagles a 46-45 victory. Troy Hill led Bethpage with 12 points, Farhadi finished with 11, and Carl O'Brien had 10 points. Weldon Irvine finished with 15 for Hewlett.
CI Pounds Whitman
Central Islip picked up a second impressive win this week - a convincing 50-32 victory over Walt Whitman.Tim McKenzie led the Musketeers with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists. David McKenzie added 14 points and Malcolm Pridgeon 8 points and 16 rebounds.
1/9 Highlights
Lawrence Gets Past Floral Park
No matter how they start the season, Nick Simone's teams always come on strong as the season progresses, and Floral Park gave 9th ranked Lawrence an unexpected battle before falling 78-71. Clifton Lyerly had a big game for Lawrence, finishing with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Richard Hawkins led Floral Park with 23.
#14 Hicksville Rolls Over Port
Hickville flexed their muscles, decisively beating Port Washington, who had been playing well coming into the game, to improve to 8-1 overall. TJ Danns had 25 points and Nick Petrocelli 15 for the Comets.
1/8 Highlights
Amityville Rallies Past Mt. Sinai
Amityville had no answer for Mt. Sinai big man Michael Guzzardi, but still came out on top 60-56 behind 11 fourth quarter points and 6 assists from Mike Alston. Guzzardi finished with 23 for the Mustangs.
Titans Catch Chaminade
It was a back and forth game the whole way between the #6 and #8 ranked teams, and Holy Trinity finally prevailed 53- 50 behind Rich McEachern's 14 points and 11 rebounds and Damon Coleman's 13 points and 6 assists.J on Patterson led Chaminade with 26.
Wheatley Alone in 1st In B/C
Wheatley and Friends Academy faced off for sole possession of first place in Nassau B/C and Wheatley came out on top 50-49. Christian Hyon led the Wildcats with 19 points, including a big three pointer that put them in front to stay. Jack Forlines led Friends with 22.
Bulls Hold Off Comets
Both of theses teams would be ranked if we did a Top 25 instead of a Sweet 16, but it didn’t look like such a good matchup in the first half, with Smithtown West building a 17 point lead before holding off a Hicksville second half rally for a 55-49 victory.
Smithtown drew even at the 3:40 mark of the first quarter on a three pointer by Mike Baiardi, the beginning of a run capped off by a Ryan Hickey three pointer at the first quarter buzzer that gave the Bulls a 23-11 lead.TJ Dannsopened the second quarter with a nice drive from the top for Hicksville, but Hickey found Mike Cohen going to the basket on consecutive trips to put West up by 17. Michal Julka’s three pointer, a spinning drive by Danns, and another three by Julka brought the Comets within 8 with 3:30 to go in the half, but the Bulls closed on a 7-2 run, with a Bill Behrens runner making it 40-25 Smithtown and it was 40-27 at the break. Ryan Mannix knocked down a three pointer and Danns scored back to back to cut the Hicksville deficit to 8 midway through the third quarter, but it was a standoff the rest of the way and the Bulls led by 7 at the buzzer. Hicksville closed within 2 early in the fourth quarter on a putback by Danns, but they couldn't draw even and a turnover led to a fast break basket by Hickey and a 51-45 West lead with 3:24 to play. The Comets could not close the gap in the final minutes, with both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket and Hicksville struggling from the line. They got no closer than 4 down the stretch. 1/20
Bruins Roll Over Lions
When Baldwin controls the pace, they win the game, and except for a brief stretch of the third quarter, they controlled the pace in this one, leading wire to wire and pulling away for a convincing 53-32 win over a good Longwood team.Travis Hylton was the difference, knocking down 4 three-pointers and finishing with 20 points while no one else on either team reached double digits. It was the third time this season the Bruins have held an opponent under 40 points. 1/20
Amityville Over S. Side
Missing two starters, second ranked Amityville used their great depth to defeat a scrappy South Side team 75-65. The underdog Cyclones came to play, never wilting under the Warrior’s relentless pressure defense, even though at times, it seemed like Amityville got a hand on every pass. When they did break through the pressure, South Side finished, taking an early 7-5 lead on back to back jumpers by Alex Sorensen and Dane Flaherty. The Warriors retook the lead onTravis Dickerson’s putback, and then Dickerson's pull-up jumper from just behind the right elbow made it 16-11 Amityville at the first quarter buzzer. Mike Alston opened the second quarter with a three pointer off a nice dish by Andy Laurent, Kavione Green scored on the break, and then a steal and basket by Alston put Amityville up by 13. They extended the lead to 15 on Ryan Doyle’sthree pointer with 3:39 to go in the half, and it was beginning to look like Amityville might put the Cyclones away early, but back to back baskets by South Side, the second off a steal by Keith Ruiz, and the Cyclones were still within striking distance. A three pointer by Brendan McDerby made it 35-29 less than a minute before intermission, but Amityville scored twice in the final seconds, Laurent right before the buzzer to give them a 10 point lead heading into the locker room. Sorenson opened the second half with a drive, and then Gerald Mitchell knocked down a three pointer and South Side was within 5 early in the third quarter. A steal and basket by Dickerson and a basket from underneath by Green put Amityville back up by 13 with 3:15 left in the quarter, but once again, the Cyclones held the line, with Paul Pandolfi scoring from underneath, and then brother Matt scored and McDerby scored to cut it to 55-48. A three pointer at the buzzer by Alston and Amityville led 61-50 as the fourth quarter got underway, but two free throws by Paul Pandolphi and the margin was back to single digits. Green reeled off 5 straight points to put the Warriors up 13 with 5:35 to play, but South Side got back within 6 after a three pointer by Mitchell with 3:01 on the clock. Dickerson answered with a turnaround jumper from just inside the foul line, Sean Walters found Green underneath for two more points, and then Green scored again on a fast break basket for a 12 point lead with 1:35 left and the Cyclones were done. 1/20
Elmont Over GNS
Elmont is back in the thick of it, beating 16th ranked Great Neck South 58-49 to pull into a first place tie with the Rebels in Nassau Conference AA3. The Spartans didn’t post their first win until January 4th, but seven straight league wins later and they are starting to look like the team that everyone expected them to be. Tristan Brown got them going in this key matchup, stealing the ball and scoring, and after another steal by Brown,Tim Lewis made it 6-2 Elmont with a three pointer from the right wing. The Rebels rallied, taking an 11-10 lead on a three pointer by Brandon Brown, and although Reggie Pierre responded with back to back fast break baskets for Elmont, Dylan Forrester scored from the baseline and then rebounded and scored to put Great Neck on top 15-14 at the first quarter buzzer. Pierre opened the second quarter with a jumper from the right elbow, and a three point play by Lewis made it 19-17 Spartans, but the teams traded baskets and free throws right to the half, with Elmont clinging to a 25-24 lead as the teams headed into the locker room. Mitchell Finkel scored to open the second half and give the Rebels the lead, and Forrester’s drive made it 28-25 Great Neck, but Pierre scored on a drive for Elmont to keep it close. Forrester and Finkel scored again back to back to give GNS a little breathing room, but Pierre brought the Spartans back within 2 with a three pointer from the left wing, and a reverse layup by Lewis made it a 1 point game after three quarters. Finkel pulled down an offensive rebound and kicked it out to Ben Lee on the right wing, who knocked down a three pointer to open the fourth quarter and put GNS up by 4, but Marc Campbell answered with a three pointer from the top, and then his putback made it 38-37 Elmont. Two free throws by Tristian Brown gave the Spartans a 3 point lead, and then Lewis sliced across the lane and scored, and after a turnover, he rebounded and scored to make it 44-38 Elmont with 5:13 to play. Brandon Brown’s two free throws and Lee’s baseline three pointer got the Rebels back in the hunt as the clock dipped under the 4 minute mark, but Pierre looped one in from just inside the foul line, and Tristian Brown scored on a putback and it was 48-43 Spartans with 3:11 left. Brandon Brown knocked down two more free throws for Great Neck with 2:49 to go to cut the margin to 3, but Daniel Alexande ranswered with a jumper from the right elbow. A technical foul call put Brandon Brown back at the line, and once again he knocked down both free throws to give Great Neck the ball trailing by 3 with 2:12 showing, but they couldn’t take advantage and Kevon Chambers rebounded and scored on the other end to make it 52-47 Elmont with 1:38 left. Finkel put back his own miss and the Rebels were back within 3 with 1:25 to play, but Lewis curled down the lane and looped one in with less than a minute to go, and then Pierre scored off a turnover and it was a 7 point game with 34 seconds on the clock and Great Neck was done. 1/29
New York State Rankings
CLASS AA
1. Long Island Lutheran
18. Brentwood
24. Northport
30. Deer Park
CLASS A
12. Amityville
13. St. Mary's
16. Lawrence
19. Harborfields
20. Holy Trinity
CLASS B
20. Southampton
CLASS C
15. Stony Brook
Chaminade Trips Nazareth
Nazareth is undefeated in NYC CHSAA Class A league play and has compiled an impressive 13-3 record so far this season, but Long Island’s 5th ranked team, the Chaminade Flyers, used a big third quarter, led by four three pointers from Thomas Ahern, to roll past them 62-50 and improve to 12-5 overall. It was a back and forth first quarter, with the teams trading baskets and free throws up to the 2:44 mark, but a steal and dunk by Sampson Usilo and a baseline drive by Naquan Chandler gave Nazareth a 14-7 lead. Ahern’s three pointer cut the Kingsmen lead to 16-12 at the first quarter buzzer, and then Liam Murphy opened the second quarter with another three and Mike Walshscored from underneath to put the Flyers on top 19-18, but Nazareth got back on track and neither team had the upper hand the rest of the quarter. Chaminade eased ahead 29-26 on a three point play by Patterson with 1:40 left, but the Kingsmen’s cut it to 1 at the half on a fast break basket by Tristan Duncan. Ahern struck early in the pivotal third quarter, with his four straight three pointers giving Chaminade a 41-30 lead at the 3:21 mark. Patterson followed him with a fast break basket and two free throws, and Walsh with a turnaround jumper from the foul line to completed a 17-2 Flyer run that put them up 46-30 with three quarters in the books. Ammad Alkhulaidi opened up the fourth quarter with a putback for Nazareth, but Ahern’s barrage continued, with another three from the left foul line extended giving Chaminade a 17 point lead. The Kingsmen crept back within 8 after a steal and basket by Patrick Villenfranche and a free throw by Usilo with 4:57 remaining, but John Carrigan and Patterson both scored on the break and the lead was back to 12 with 3:12 to go. The Kingsmen never threatened after that. 1/26
LuHi #1 In New York State!
Long Island's number one team is now ranked #1 in New York State by the New York State Sportswriters Association after the previous #1 team, Christ The King, was upset.
Hewlett Defeats Glen Cove
The Bulldogs are threatening to break away from the pack in Nassau A3, improving to 8-1 in the conference after holding off Glen Cove 51-44 behind 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists from Avery Feldman. Feldman put Hewlett up 12-6 in the early going with 6 straight points, the first two on a strong move from the low post, and the last two when Weldon Irvine found him alone under the basket, and the lead was still 6 at the first quarter buzzer. It was Hewlett by 8 after a Dimitri Baptiste three pointer with 3:40 to go in the half, but two free throws by Anton Seaman, a putback by Kewan Beebe, and then a short jumper by Seaman off a nice dish by Beebe and Glen Cove was back within 2 with 52 seconds remaining. Feldman pushed the Bulldog lead to 5 with a three point play as the clock ticked down, and that’s the way the half ended. Glen Cove opened the second half with a fast break basket by Ralik Jackson, and Beebe’s two free throws brought the Big Red within 1, but Irvine held them off with a three pointer from the top to put Hewlet up 28-24. The teams exchanged baskets and free throws the rest of the quarter, and it was still a 4 point game at the third quarter buzzer, but Feldman opened the fourth quarter with a basket from underneath to put Hewlett up by 6, and Batiste’s three pointer from the right wing gave them a 43-36 lead with 3:36 remaining. Feldman scored again from underneath to put the Bulldogs up by 9, and then Bryan Eckerley’s basket from underneath made it 47-36 Hewlett, but a three pointer by Beebe and two free throws by Franklyn Mickens kept Glen Cove alive, cutting the lead to 47-41 with 1:25 to play. Nico Leguillow quickly ended the threat, looping one in from the lane to make it an 8 point game with 1:10 showing, and then his drive down the left side of the lane was the back breaker, giving the Bulldogs a 10 point lead with only 49 seconds on the clock. 1/29
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LuHi Can't Stop Friars
Nationally ranked St Anthony's of Jersey City, New Jersey's #1 team, faced off against the Long Island Lutheran Crusaders in the championship game of the SNY Classic, and the Friars picked up their 81st straight win with a hard fought 52-45 victory over New York State’s #1 ranked team. The Crusaders uncharacteristically struggled at the foul line, going 5 for 15 and missing the front end of a number of one and ones, and that proved to be the difference in the game. Lutheran defeated a good Cardinal Hayes team 70-68 to advance to the championship game. In the title game, LuHi caught St. Anthony’s by surprise at the start, jumping out to a quick 8-0 lead on a putback by Kentan Facey, a three pointer by Ryan Boyd, and a pull-up jumper from the right elbow by Tawayne Anderson, but the Friars settled in and answered with a run of their own, going up 9-8 with 2:12 left in the opening quarter. The Crusaders regained the lead on Boyd’s jumper from just outside the lane, but a St. Anthony’s three pointer with time running down made it 14-12 Friars at the first quarter buzzer. Anderson opened the second quarter with a three, and followed it with a midrange jumper off a nice dish from Tim Quashie for a 17-14 LuHi lead, but St. Anthony’s reeled off three straight baskets to take a 3 point lead with 3:55 to go in the half. Quashie tied it at 20 with a three pointer from the right wing, but two missed LuHi free throws left the Crusaders trailing 24-22 at intermission. Facey drove from the foul line to tie it at 24 as the third quarter got underway, but another three basket run by the Friars gave them a 33-27 lead at the 4:47 mark of the quarter. After a basket by Boyd, three more St. Anthony’s baskets in a row, two of them three pointers, and LuHi was on the ropes, trailing 45-31 with their big man was on the bench in foul trouble, but Chris Atkinson answered the call, hitting an elbow jumper to keep the Crusaders within striking distance. Once again though, they came up short at the foul line, missing the front end of a 1 and 1, and trailed 45-33 as the third quarter came to a close. Anderson knocked down another three pointer to open the fourth quarter, cutting the St. Anthony’s lead to single digits, and Facey came through with 2 free throws to make it a 7 point game with 4:09 remaining, but 3 more missed free throws stalled the comeback and time was running out. An incredible steal and three pointer by Atkinson kept the Crusaders alive, trailing by 3 with 54 seconds to play, but St. Anthony’s went 4 for 4 from the line down the stretch to ice it. 1/26
West Stops Newfield
Newfield knocked off Riverhead and North Babylon, two of the teams ahead of them in the standings, but Smithtown West, who is tied with Riverhead for first place in Suffolk League 3, put an end to their 8 game run, defeating the Wolverines 54-50 behind Mike Baiardi's 18 points and Ryan Hickey's 16 points and 9 assists . 1/24
Twenty One Threes!
Deer Park and West Babylon combined for 21 threes in Deer Park's 80-66 victory. Keith Williams led the Falcons with 5 and finished with 29 points, while Tim Kranz led WB with 4. 1/24
1/22 Highlights
Deer Park Sweeps Hills West
Hills West has been the team to beat in Suffolk League AA4 for the past few years, but their reign is in jeopardy this season after 13th ranked Deer Park swept the season series from the Colts, beating them 64-56 to take sole possession of first place. Rome Jenkins led the Falcons with 16 points.
Newfield Takes 8th Straight
It's great when a program turns around after struggling for a few years, and Anthony Agostino has his young Wolverines at the top of their game, winning their 8th straight, a 46-40 road victory over North Babylon. Steve Cohen was high scorer with 15 points.
Nine Threes For Burkley
We're putting together our list of Long Island's top sophomores, and Chris Burkley from Harborfields has made his case, knocking down 9 three pointers and finishing with 31 points in the Tornadoes 83-56 win over ESM
Babylon Improves to 11-2
Class B Babylon improved to 11-2 with a 60-35 win over Wyandanch. The Panthers only two losses are to a good Class AA North Babylon team, a game they led at the half, and to 12-1 Southampton at the buzzer. Fernando Vazquez led Babylon with 25 points.
LuHi Rocks Albany
The two teams met last season in the Private School Class A State Championship Game, with LuHi advancing to the Federation Tournament of Champions 65-40. This season, LuHi came into a regular season rematch ranked #1 in New York State Class AA, and Albany Academy #1 in Class A, but once again it was no contest, with the Crusaders hammering the Cadets 75-46. It looked like it would be a close game in the first half, with Albany trailing by two with one quarter in the books. Tim Quashie and Ryan Boyd opened the second quarter with fast break baskets, but the Cadets responded, pulling back within a point on a fast break basket by Matt Knezovic. LuHi closed out the half on a run, however, with Kenton Facey’s putback giving them a 6 point lead, and then his steal and jump shot, Elijah Bailey’s three pointer from the right wing, and a drive by Chris Atkinson made it 33-22 at the break. The Crusaders took command in the waning moments of the third quarter on Boyd’s three point play, back to back baskets by Facey, and a three pointer by Atkinson that put them up by 19 at the buzzer, and put the game away when Matt Borer found Darnell Grayunderneath to make it 67-41 with 2:43 to play. 2/2
2/1 Highlights
Farmingdale Rips Freeport
Farmingdale bounced back from their surprising loss to Hempstead by rolling over second place Freeport 66-47. Kevin Petit-Frere and Dalique Mingo both had 17 for the Dalers
Jericho Outduels South Side
In the latest installment of this rivalry, first place Jericho fell behind early, but rallied for a 51-41 road win over South Side to avenge their only league loss of the season. Garrett Johnson and Erik Kanzer led the Jayhawks with 18 points each.
Amityville Rallies
The Warriors trailed at the half, but rallied past Mt. Sinai 60-50 to remain undefeated in Suffolk League 6.Kavione Green led Amityville with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 1/31
Ryan Creighton Honored
There was a packed house at Greenport High School to honor Long Island's all time leading scorer, Ryan Creighton, whose number was retired in ceremonies before the Porters 74-37 shellacking of Southold. Creighton finished with an amazing 2,799 career points, the second highest total in New York State history.VIDEO 1/30
1/29 Highlights
SJB Routes #3 St. Mary's
St. John The Baptist outscored third ranked St. Mary's by 20 points in a dominating second half, crushing the Gaels 90-65 behind 7 threes and 25 points from Vincent Abbondola and 19 points and 12 assists fromTavon Ginyard.
Floyd Upsets Brentwood
Floyd pulled off a big road upset, coming from behind to defeat #10 Brentwood 64-63 on a three point play by Devonte Dixon with 4 seconds remaining. Dixon led Floyd's comeback with 13 fourth quarter pts.
Northport Holds Off CI
They had a standing room only crowd for the big rematch between 6th ranked Northport and 9th ranked Central Islip at Northport High School, and host Northport rallied from a 7 point halftime deficit to take a 15 point lead, but they had to hold off a late CI rally for a 58-53 victory. The win gave the 15-1 Tigers sole possession of first place in Suffolk League 2, and avenged their only loss of the season. Northport seemed tentative at the start, allowing the Musketeers to slowly build a 9-0 lead on a three pointer by Tim McKenzie with 3:24 go in the opening quarter. Luke Petrasek broke the ice for the Tigers moments later with a jumper from the right elbow, but McKenzie picked up a loose ball and scored to make it 12-2 with 1:43 left. A Matt Smith fast brea k basket cut it to 12-4 at the first quarter buzzer. Brandon Hodge opened the second quarter with a three pointer from the left wing to give CI an 11 point lead, but Petrasek answered with back to back three pointers, and then his fast break dunk and a drive from the top by Mike Milligan brought Northport within a point with 3:50 to play in the half. McKenzie stopped the run with a three pointer from the top, and then his pull up jumper from the foul line gave CI a 23-16 lead and it was 25-18 at the half. Northport’s Thomas Kennedy opened the third quarter with a three pointer from the right baseline, and the Tigers were quickly back within a point on Petrasek’s three from the top, but Ishiah Booker responded with a three from the right wing and Malcolm Pridgeon knocked down two free throws to make it 30-24 CI. A basket by Austin Marchese and back to back baskets by Aaron Pulver, the second a three pointer from the right baseline, put Northport on top 31-30 with 5:26 to go in the third quarter, and then Milligan knocked down three straight three pointers to close out the quarter and give the Tigers a 40-33 lead. Smith found Petrasek underneath to open the fourth quarter and put Northport up by 9, and then Smith scored on a drive and Northport was threatening to break it open, but McKenzie cut the lead to single digits with a fall away jumper from the right elbow. A baseline drive by Milligan put Northport up by 12, an incredible alley oop slam dunk by Petrasek made it 52-39, and then Milligan’s fast break basket gave Northport a 15 point lead with 3:30 to play, but Central Islip was not done. McKenzie got them going with a baseline jumper, Pridgeon scored from underneath, and then McKenzie scored again on a drive and they were within 9, but with just a minute to play, it seemed like too little too late. After a Northport free throw, McKenzie went coast to coast to make it an 8 point game, and then he made an incredible steal and knocked down a baseline three pointer to cut the lead to 5 with 30 seconds left and the impossible suddenly looked possible. Northport came up empty at the foul line with 28 seconds remaining, missing the front end of a 1 and 1, and Pridgeon’s basket cut it to 56-53 with 14 seconds on the game clock, but Marchese shook off the pressure and came through for the Tigers on the other end, knocking down two free throws with 9 seconds left to ice it. 2/1
1/25 Highlights
Hempstead Upsets #3 Dalers
Hempstead lost their first game against Farmingdale 71-43, but shocked the first place Dalers 49-45 behind 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists from Long Island All-Star Tidell Pierre and an outstanding team defensive effort. Pierre put the Tigers ahead with two free throws and then iced the game with another with 6 seconds to play.
SJB Rallies Past St. Anthony's
In a rematch of last season's NSCHSAA championship game, St. John The Baptist rallied from a 35-20 halftime deficit to defeat St. Anthony's 66-57. Charlie Joyner led the comeback with 13 third quarter points and finished with 20 points, 9 assist, and 7 steals.
21 Threes By Chaminade!
Chaminade knocked down an incredible 21 threes in their 90-49 pounding of St. Dominic, 9 of them by Thomas Ahern
Islip Over Kings Park
It's a simple formula for Islip: WhenTighe Oberg has a big game, the Buccaneers win, and when both he and Dante McCarthty play well, they can play with just about anybody in Class A. Oberg had 15 points and 10 rebounds and McCarthy had 13 points and 12 rebounds as Islip defeated Kings Park 51-49 to pull within a half game of the second place Kingsmen.
GNN Overwhelms Bethpage
Nassau Conference A2 will be a dogfight down the stretch, with 4 teams fighting it out for the title, but Great Neck North sent a message to the other contenders with a 48-28 trouncing of Bethpage.Evan Dormanled GNN with 17 points and 12 rebounds
1/18 Highlights
St. Mary's Over Holy Trinity
In an NSCHSAA first place showdown, #4 St. Mary's rallied in the third quarter and held on for a 90-80 victory over #5 Holy Trinity. Devonte Green led the Gaels with 27 points and Jessie Govanhad 25 points and 25 rebounds.
49 For Fellus
Andrew Fellus led Herricks back from a 21 point halftime deficit and then scored all 17 of their points in overtime in an 81-67 victory over Calhoun. He finished with 49 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals.
Northport 12-1
Mike Milligen Jr., whose dad still holds the Long Island record for points in a game with 76, scored 33 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in Northport's 78-52 thrashing of Hills East.
SJB Holds Off Bay Shore
After trailing by 11 at the half, Bay Shore rallied to draw within 1 with 10 seconds to play, but Charlie Joyner's two free throws clinched a 66-63 victory for St.John The Baptist. Vincent Abbondola led the Cougars with 19
SWEET 16
FINAL 2012-2013
*1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
LuHi
Northport
Chaminade
Amityville
Baldwin
Holy Trinity
Deer Park
Farmingdale
St. Mary's
Brentwood
Uniondale
Harborfields
Hicksville
Jericho
Lawrence
SJB
LuHi Holds Off Lawrence
It was a special night at LuHi. Not only was it senior night, but it was the night that Ryan Boyd scored his 1000th career point, and 7th ranked Lawrence almost spoiled it, storming back from a 24 point deficit to draw within 2 before falling 70-66. It looked like the game might be over quickly, with Boyd opening the game with a three pointer and Tawayne Anderson and Tiquan Garner both stealing the ball and scoring. Three straight baskets by Kentan Facey, the second an intimidating fast break dunk, had Lawrence reeling and in a 13-0 hole, but Clifton Lyerly’s clutch three pointer broke the ice and the Golden Tornadoes settled in, drawing within 6 on a fast break basket by Dwayne Daniel. Anderson’s tip in and Boyd's coast to coast basket gave LuHi a 21-10 lead as the buzzer approached, but a three point play by Randy Wallace made it an 8 point game with one quarter complete. Lyerly nailed a three pointer from the top to make it 21-16 as the second quarter got underway, and Eddie Robinson’s fast break basket cut it to 23-20 at the 6:25 mark, but LuHi went on a run, with six straight free throws, four by Boyd and two by Anderson, and a three pointer from the left baseline by Gardner giving them a 34-22 lead with 2:12 to play in the half. Anderson continued the run with a tip-in and Boyd converted a three point play to put the Crusaders up by 19 points before Lyerly scored to cut it to 41-24 at the half. Boyd went coast to coast and Darnell Gray rebounded and scored to make it 45-24 LuHi as the second half got underway, back to back threes by Gardner made it 53-31 with 3:20 to go in the quarter, and Boyd’s drive and three pointer gave the Crusaders a 24 point lead, but Lyerly signaled there was no quit in the Tornadoes, going coast to coast to make it 58-36 at the buzzer. Hamed Shamseldin drove the baseline and scored for Lawrence to open the fourth quarter, but Chris Atkinson countered with a drive down the right side of the lane, and Boyd with his 1000th career point, a jumper from the right wing. Shamseldin scored again, starting the improbable comeback with a fast break basket, but it was still a 22 point game with 5:17 to play. Daniel’s fast break basket and Lyerly’s back to back baskets cut it to 63-46 at the 4:02 mark, and then Robinson’s steal and basket and then his two free throws made it 63-51 with 3:04 to go. Atkinson curled down the lane and scored to interrupt the Lawrence run, and after two missed Lawrence free throws, LuHi had the ball with a 14 point lead and 2:41 on the clock, but Robinson’s three pointer from the top and Lyerly's steal and fastbreak basket cut it to single digits with 1:26 to play. Lyerly went down with what looked like an ankle injury and gave the Tornadoes another chance to fold, but they did not. Trailing by 8, Robinson drilled a three to make it 68-63, and after a missed LuHi free throw, he was fouled attempting a three with 8 seconds remaining. He knocked down all three shots to leave the Crusaders clinging to a 2 point lead, but Atkinson was back at the line and saved the day for the home team, hitting both of his free throws to ice it. 2/11
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2/7 Highlights
Deer Park Survives
Playing once again without point guard Aaren Edmead, who is out with an ankle sprain, Deer Park avoided its second straight loss with a 76-72 overtime victory over Copiague. Keith Williams and Karon Blackwell picked up the slack, scoring 27 and 17 points respectively.
GNN Tops Glen Cove
Great Neck North set up a 2/11 first place showdown with Hewlett by beating Glen Cove 49-45. Alec Ludwig led the way with 19 points.
Friars Sweep #4 Titans
One of the preseason favorites in the NSCHSAA after playing in the league championship game last year with a young team, the St. Anthony’s Friars started off their season on the wrong foot when one of their best returning players, Andre Walker, transferred to Christ The King. Then they got off to a slow start, with a few bad losses along the way, and dropped completely off the radar. All that has changed. They have come on strong in January and February, and knocked off another ranked opponent with a 62-57 victory over #4 Holy Trinity, sweeping the season series from the Titans. The win puts them in third place in the NSCHSAA, behind St. Mary’s and Chaminade, and they still have a game remaining with both teams. Nigel Carter led the Friars with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. 2/5
LI vs NYC Thru 1/31
January is usually the month that Long Island puts away New York City in the season series between the two regions, and this year was no different than the previous six, with Long Island taking a commanding 18 game lead over the City, highlighted by LuHi's wins over Cardinal Hayes and Bayside and Chaminade's win over Nazareth.
Nassau A Semifinals
#13 Jericho 63 Valley Stream So. 50
With Lawrence out of the playoffs, Jericho became the clear favorite in Nassau Class A, and the Jayhawks played like a favorite, building up a big lead and then holding off Valley Stream South to earn a spot in the Nassau County Class A Championship game against league rival Roslyn. Valley Stream South looked aggressive and confident at the start, grabbing a quick 4-0 lead on a fallaway jumper by Dana King and a basket from the lane by David Strickland, but Jericho quickly turned the tables, moving in front on back to back baskets by Eric Kanzer, and then taking command on a three pointer by Garrett Johnson, another basket by Kanzer, and back to back threes by Johnson that made it 19-7 Jayhawks. Johnson’s fast break basket gave Jericho a 28-13 lead with 4:33 to go in the half, and it was 37-22 at intermission. Johnson’s deep three pointer made it 42-25 early in the third quarter, but King's back to back drives and a three pointer by Jajuan Hernandez brought the Falcons within 12 at the third quarter buzzer. Kanzer broke Valley Stream’s momentum with a baseline jumper to open the fourth quarter, and Derek Mendolla’s two free throws and a three pointer by Johnson produced a 19 point Jericho lead with 5:31 to play, but King sparked another Falcon run with an aggressive baseline drive, and Diego Maldonado’s three pointer and drive from the left wing made it a 14 point game with 3:09 left. Another three by Maldonado brought Valley Stream within 13 with 2:44 to play, but time was running out and the Falcons needed stops to get back into it and didn’t get them. Mendolla knocked down a right elbow jumper to make it 61-46 Jericho at the 2:16 mark, and then his two free throws gave the Jayhawks a 17 point lead with 1:37 showing and they were on their way to their 6th Class A final in the last 10 years. 2/27
NSCHSAA Final
The 5th ranked Chaminade Flyers continued their strong postseason run with an impressive 85-64 victory over 7th ranked Holy Trinity in the NSCHSAA championship game. Chaminade’s Jon Patterson opened the game with a nice post move and lefty hook off the glass. This was the beginning of a game-long trend for Patterson, who finished with 27 points and was unstoppable in the low post. After a turnover by the Titans, Chaminade’s Liam Murphy scored on a runner off a pass from Mike Walsh, which marked the beginning of another trend, as Walsh continued to orchestrate the Flyers’ offense throughout the game. Holy Trinity responded with back to back buckets-- first a 3 by Damon Coleman and then a spinning drive by Isaiah Rowe--and took a 5-4 lead. Throughout the rest of the highly competitive first quarter, the Flyers impressed with their balanced scoring and good ball movement, while the Titans relied on the offensive exploits of Isaiah Rowe, who scored 11 in the period. With the Titan up 16-15, Rowe picked up his second foul fighting for a rebound at the 19 second mark, which meant he finished the first quarter and started the second quarter on the bench. The Flyers took advantage by going on 23-4 run that stretched from the 19 second mark of the first to the three minute mark of the second period, spurred by Murphy, who scored 10 points in the second. By the time Rowe checked back into the game, he had lost his hot hand and the momentum had swung firmly in favor of the Flyers. Chaminade went up by as much as 22, but the Titans responded, led by the aggressive defense and rebounding of Brandon Thompson and Rich McEachern, and finished the second quarter down only 15. Holy Trinity’s Coleman started the second half as a man on a mission, single-handedly trying to will his team back into the game with an array of jump shots and drives to the basket. They got as close as 11, but then Chaminade’s Patterson answered with some super scoring of his own, and Holy Trinity missed too many easy shots and free throws to close the gap. Ahead by 17 going into the fourth quarter, Chaminade opened the period with a 5-0 run to go back up by 22. Despite a valiant effort, the Titans were never able to get much closer than that, as Patterson, Walsh and Tom O’Connell scored in bunches for the Flyers to put the game away. Next up for Chaminade is a date with the CHSAA Upstate Champion in the Class A State Semifinals. 2/26
LuHi Tourney Champs
#1 LuHi swept through the postseason Collegiate Tournament in New York City, crushing five time defending New York State Federation Class B Champion Collegiate 72-35 in the final. 2/24
Suffolk Class A Final
#2 Amityville 52 #12 Harborfields 42
Outstanding defense has become the trademark of this year’s Amityville team, and it was on full display in the Suffolk County Class A Championship Game as the Warriors clamped down on defending New York State Champion Harborfields, forcing 19 turnovers and holding the Tornadoes almost 30 points below their season average. Defense was actually the theme for both of the teams in this rematch of the last two Suffolk County Class A Championship Games, with Harborfields taking a 9-4 lead and the teams tied at 9 all after the first quarter. The Amityville offense came alive in the second quarter, led by Sean Walters and Mike Smith, and gave the Warriors a 26-16 lead at the half, but Jon Patron singlehandedly kept Harborfields in the game, at one point scoring 25 of the Tornadoes 32 points, including 17 in a row, so when Doug Gaffney knocked down two free throws, it brought the Tornadoes within 4 as the seconds ticked down in the third quarter. Smith responded for the Warriors, draining a three pointer from the right wing at the buzzer to make it 41-34 Amityville with three quarters completed. It was an ugly fourth quarter, with Harborfields getting as close as 5 on a putback by Chris Brady, and within 6 on a basket by Patron later in the quarter, but neither team could consistently find the basket and both wasted numerous opportunities at the free throw line. Drives by Travis Dickerson and Kavione Green and a few stray free throws were enough to give Amityville a 10 point win. Kavione Green led the Amityville attack with 18 points and 7 rebounds while Jon Patron had a game high 28 for Harborfields. 2/23
Nassau Class B Final
Wheatley 56 Oyster Bay 35
It was expected to be a tight matchup, but Wheatley rolled over Oyster Bay, leading wire to wire to capture the Nassau Class B Championship. A late first quarter - early second quarter run led by Andrew Tripi and Christian and Joshua Hyon gave the Wildcats a 30-14 halftime lead, and then Tripi's 9 third quarter points helped put Wheatley up 48-22 after three quarters. The Baymen never seriously threatened after that. The Wilcats will take on Suffolk Champion Babylon for the Long Island Class B title March 5th at SUNY Old Westbury. 2/23
NSCHSAA Playoffs
#10 Holy Trinity 71 St. Dominic 39
The Titans pounded St. Dominic to advance to a semifinal matchup with St. Anthony’s.
St. Anthony's 61 Kellenberg 59
St. Anthony’s held off a late charge by Kellenberg and will face Holy Trinity in the semifinals. 2/22 DETAILS LATER
More Players To Watch
We continue to add players to our list as the season winds down.
Thomas Ahern, Chaminade
Mike Almonacy, Brentwood
Nigel Carter , St. Anthony’s
Aaren Edmead, Deer Park
Dana King, Valley Stream South
Eric Mack, Baldwin
Terrence Pierce, Roslyn
Matt Smith, Northport
Nassau AA Quarters
#6 Farmingdale 72 Carey 59
Carey came into the game having won 7 out of their last 8 games, but Farmingdale broke their momentum with a dominant first quarter and then put the game away in the third quarter to advance to the Nassau Class AA Semifinals against rival Uniondale. Game time is next Tuesday at 5pm at SUNY Old Westbury. Dalique Mingo continued his outstanding play, finishing with 21 points while Adrian Denner, new to our Players To Watch list, had a game high 31 for Carey.
#8 Baldwin 45 Freeport 39
In a game where every basket was a big basket, Travais Hylton scored 8 fourth quarter points to hold off Freeport and send Baldwin into the Nassau Class AA Semifinals Tuesday against Hicksville. Hylton finished with a game high 13 points, while Kyhiem Chaplin led Freeport with 12.
#15 Hicksville 64 Great Neck S 61 OT
The teams looked evenly matched going in, and they were. Great Neck South had the early edge, building a 12 point lead on the hot shooting of Ben Lee, but Hicksville rallied behind Michael Julka's 11 fourth quarter points and led by 2 with 6 seconds remaining regulation. Two clutch free throws by Great Neck South's Mark Jason tied it and sent the game into overtime, and the Rebels took a 1 point lead with two minutes to play on Mitchell Finkel 's putback, but points were hard to come by down the stretch, and two big free throws by Nick Petrocelli put the Comets on top to stay, and two more by TJ Danns iced it.
Uniondale 60 Elmont 57
Uniondale came into this season’s playoffs in the unusual role of underdog, but the Knights advanced to the Nassau Class AA Semifinals with a win over red hot Elmont, the tournament's third seed. The Spartans took an early 12 point lead behind 8 first quarter points from Tristan Brown, but Aaron Cust led a Uniondale rally that put the Knights on top in the second quarter and out to an 8 point lead in the third. Elmont drew even mid way through the fourth quarter led by Marc Campbell, but a dramatic three pointer by Jazz Stykes put Uniondale up by 3 with less than a minute to play. Uniondale added a point to their lead from the free throw line, but Brown responded with an aggressive drive through traffic to bring the Spartans within 2. Uniondale picked up another point from the line to go up 3 again, but with just 17 seconds on the clock, Elmont needed a three pointer and the shot was off target. Campbell's putback brought them within 1, but only 2 seconds remained and after they fouled, Cust went to the line with 0.5 showing. His two free throws made it 60-57 for the final margin. Cust finished with 20 points and 4 assists while Marc Campbell led Elmont with 21.
Suffolk AA Quarters
#3 Northport 63 William Floyd 45
It was tied at the half, but Northport pulled away in the second half to eliminate the defending champions. Luke Petrasek led the Tigers with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 blocks and Matt Smith added 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 6 steals. Devonte Dixon finished with 16 for Floyd.
#9 Brentwood 76 #13 Hills West 73
Brentwood came from 11 down to take the lead, but Marcus Solomon's runner tied it and sent the game into OT. The overtime was a back and forth duel between Solomon and Brentwood’s Femi Olujobi, and Olujobi got the best of it, scoring 9 points to lead Brentwood into the Suffolk Class AA Semifinals Friday against Deer Park. Olujobi finished with 28 points and freshman Mike Almonacy with 26, while Terry Harris had 26 and Solomon 25 for Hills West.
#11 Deer Park 66 Smithtown W. 65
Smithtown West came roaring back from a 20 point third quarter deficit, but couldn't get the game winner, sending Deer Park into a semifinal matchup with Brentwood on Friday. Aaren Edmead led the Falcons with 25 points, and Ryan Hickey had a game high 35 for West.
Longwood 54 Huntington 39
Longwood is this seasons Cinderella team in the Suffolk Playoffs, advancing to the semifinals after pulling away from Huntington in the fourth quarter. Latrell Washington had 21 points to lead the Lions, while Patrick Reilly led Huntington with 13. Longwood will get an extra edge in their semifinal matchup with top seed Northport, which will be played in Longwood's gym next Tuesday. 2/19
Editor's Inbox
CHSAA JV/Freshman Playoffs
Chaminade won both the JV and Freshman NSCHSAA Championships this season, so the Flyers are in good shape for the next few years! The JV team finished an undefeated league season by beating St. Anthonys in the finals 52-48 and the freshman upset top seed Kellenberg 58-51.
Glen Cove's Basabe At Iowa
We don't get to see Iowa play very often around here, but Glen Cove's Melsahn Basabe is having another good year for the Hawkeys, and someone sent us a link to one of his dunks! VIDEO
COLLEGE CHOICES
Holy Trinity star Damon Coleman has committed to Adelphi!
Bowles Twice ECC Rookie
Kellenberg's Kevin Bowles has been named ECC Rookie of The Week twice this season at Molloy College.
Nassau B Semifinals
Wheatley 59 East Rockaway 37
Wheatley pulled away in the second half to advance to the Nassau County/Section 8 Class B Final. Christian Hyon led the Wildcats with 19 points and David McClure had 16 points for East Rock. It is Wheatley’s first County Championship Game since 2001. HIGHLIGHTS
Oyster Bay 58 Malverne 35
Oyster Bay picked up their 8th straight win, dominating perennial powerhouse Malverne to advance to the Class B Final. Their last loss, however, was to Wheatley, their opponent in the championship game. Austin Seaman led a balanced attack with 14 points. Aaron Jackson had 10 points for Malverne. 2/16 HIGHLIGHTS
Nassau AA First Round
Uniondale 74 East Meadow 61
Tied at 44 all after three quarters, Uniondale racked up 30 fourth quarter points to pull away. Long Island All-Star Aaron Cust led the Knights with 21 points, and sophomore Joe Forrler had 20 for East Meadow. Uniondale will play at Elmont on Wednesday.
Carey 59 Port Washington 42
Carey picked up their 7th victory in their last 8 games, beating Port Washington after winning their outbracket game against Herricks. Adrian Denner had a huge game with 25 points and 20 rebounds. Josh Gordon had 14 for Carey. The Seahawks take on #2 seed Farmingdale on Wednesday.
Freeport 50 Calhoun 46
Freeport had the edge most of the way, but Calhoun would not quit. Kyhiem Chaplin was the difference, scoring 14 second half points for the Bulldogs and finishing with 19. Tommy Murphy had 14 for Calhoun. Feeprt faces #1 seed Baldwin on Wednesday. 2/16
Nassau A First Round
#7 Lawrence 84 Glen Cove 47
Lawrence was impressive, running a solid Glen Cove team out of the gym. Eddie Robinson led the balanced attack with 21 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Kewan Beebe had 24 points for Glen Cove. Lawrence takes on South Side in the next round this coming Tuesday.
Valley Stream So 72 W. Hempstead 64
Valley Stream South knocked down 12 three pointers in the upset. Diego Maldonado led the way with 26 points, hitting 5 threes. Tyree Glascoe finished with 22 points for West Hempstead. South visits Hewlett in the next round on Tuesday.
Jericho 64 Seaford 43
Garrett Johnson scored his 1000th career point and finished with 21 on the day, and Derek Medolla also has 21 points and pulled down 9 rebounds as Jericho rolled over Seaford. Rich DiPuma led the Vikings with 16 points. Jericho will host Great Neck North on Tuesday.
Great Neck North 58 Floral Park 50
Great Neck North climbed out of a 16-5 first quarter hole to defeat Floral Park. Evan Dorman led the way with 22 points and 13 rebounds. The Blazers take on #2 seed Jericho on Tuesday. Richard Hawkins was high scorer for Floral Park with 16.
South Side 62 Roosevelt 54
Defending Nassau Class A Champion South Side pulled away in the fourth quarter of a tight game to defeat Roosevelt behind 14 second half points from Gerald Mitchell, who finished with 19. Khalil Wilson had 22 for Roosevelt. They will take on top seed Lawrence Tuesday.
Mineola 60 Lynbrook 47
Mineola jumped out to a 21 point first half lead and held off Lynbrook. Sophomore Stephen Gessner led the way with 21. John Boni and Matt Murphy had 14 for Lynbrook.
Hewlett 70 Wantagh 61
Wantagh has been a tough opponent for just about everybody they’ve played this season, but third seeded Hewlett gradually pulled away for the win. Avery Feldman had a big night with 24 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Eric Regenbogen led Wantagh with 17. Hewlett will host Valley Stream South Tuesday.
Roslyn 52 Bethpage 39
Roslyn pulled away in the second half for the win after leading by 1 at the half. Terrence Pierce led all scorers with 19 points for the Bulldogs, while Greg Gerber had 17 for Bethpage. Roslyn is on the road at Mineola on Tuesday. 2/15
SUFFOLK A QUARTERS
#11 Harborfields 64 Mt. Sinai 52
Harborfields was in command the whole way against a solid Mt. Sinai team, jumping out early and holding on for a 64-52 victory in their first round Class A playoff game. The Tornadoes never really broke away from the Mustangs, but Mt. Sinai had no answer for either John Patron or Chris Brady, who finished with 25 points and 18 points respectively, and were never a serious threat to the defending State Champions. Mike Guzzardi had a game high 26 points for Mt. Sinai
Islip 56 East Hampton 53
After a see-saw game, Dante McCarthy hit a layup with 30 seconds left to give Islip the lead for good. He finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds and Tighe Oberg with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Rolando Garces led East Hampton with 22. Harborfields takes on Islip Tuesday.
Bayport-BP 58 Rocky Point 39
Rocky Point edged BBP back in early December, but the Phantoms completely turned the tables on the Eagles, taking an early lead and cruising to a Suffolk Class A quarterfinal victory. Dylan Adams led the way with 18 points, and Connor Panzner finished with 14. Andreas Vouliakis led Rocky Point with 8. BBP faces Amityville in the next round Tuesday. The 16-2 Warriors had a first round bye. 2/14
2/12 Highlights
Kellenberg Over Chaminade
Kellenberg started the season 7-0 after capturing the NSCHAA regular season title last year, but the wheels came off the bus after a tough home loss to Holy Trinity, and the Firebirds ended up losing 4 out of their next 5 games. Signs that they were starting to get back on track began with a 3 point road loss to league leader St. Mary's, and now they have become a feared first round playoff opponent with a 71-66 road win over second place Chaminade. Long Island All-Star Jeremy Arthur led the way with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Whitman Advances
Connetquot HS was closed once again today, and with the playoffs starting tomorrow, their was no choice but to award a forfeit to Walt Whitman in the regular season finale for both teams. The win gives the Wildcats the 18 seed in the Class AA playoffs, where they will face #15 North Babylon Wednesday for the right to play #2 Brentwood on Friday.
12 Straight For Elmont
After dropping their first two league games, Elmont reeled off 12 straight wins to finish in first place in Nassau Conference AA3. They completed their regular season schedule with a 72-54 win over Mepham. Tim Lewis was high scorer with 20 points.
EDITORS INBOX
Winter All-Time Leading Scorer
South Side's Jesse Winter is Cortland's All-Time Leading Scorer! STORY
Two Long Island Players Help U. of Rochester To Of D3
There are two Long Island sophomores on the University of Rochester team that has been ranked as high as #1 in D3 this season. Both Tyler Seidman from Holy Trinity and Kevin Sheehy from Chaminade play major minutes!
Bailey Excels At Mercy
St. Mary's Kirk Bailey helped Mercy claim two ECC wins by averaging 15.5 points per game and 14.0 rebounds per contest. In a victory versus Roberts Wesleyan, the Freeport native scored 13 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. In a victory against UDC, Bailey netted 18 points and pulled down 15 boards
Mike Russell In Trouble Again
Former East Hampton star and Long Island Player Of The Year Mike Russell has been arrested STORY
2/5 Highlights
#11 Deer Park Falls In 2OTs
When LuHi big man Anthony Sbarro transferred to Hauppauge, you knew the Eagles were going to be better, but how much better? After going 2-16 last season, they came into this game 7-5 in Suffolk League 4, and took a huge step forward with an 82-75 double overtime upset of 11th ranked Deer Park. Sbarro had 14 points in the extra periods and finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds.
#3 Chaminade Over #10 SJB
The Flyers reeled off their 7th straight win, pulling away from St. John The Baptist 77-63. Liam Murphy led the way with 19 points and 7 assists.
Riverhead Nips Smithtown W.
The battle for first place in Suffolk League 3 went right down to the wire, with Riverhead holding off 14th ranked Smithtown West 72-71 to claim the title. Markim Austin led Riverhead with 20 points and 8 rebounds.
Ward Mellville over #15 Floyd
Suffolk League 1 is very competitive this year, with a group of four teams nipping at the heels of league leader Brentwood that take turns knocking each other off. Ward Melville is one of those teams, and they beat 15th ranked William Floyd, the only one of the group to stop Brentwood, by a score of 57-54. Jake Kepes led the Patriots with 18 points, the last two from the free throw line with 4 seconds left to ice it.
Rams Stop Mineola
It was was a first place showdown in Nassau A4, with West Hempstead rolling past visiting Mineola and into first place with a convincing 65-55 victory over the Mustangs. Mineola scored the first two baskets of the game, but the Rams responded with 15 straight points to take command, capped off by back to back baskets by Anthony Beaubrun, the second a three pointer from the right wing. Mike Waszychuk broke the run with two free throws, but Vinny DiLorenzo scored from underneath as the first quarter wound down to give West Hempstead a 17-6 lead with one quarter in the books. DiLorenzo’s fast break basket made it 20-6 early in the second quarter, but Brian Gaffney’s basket ignited a 10-2 Mineola run that brought the Mustangs back within 6 with 3:14 to play in the half. That was the margin at intermission. Beaubrun opened the second half with a putback, and then Tyree Glascoe found him on the break for a 10 point West Hempstead lead. The Mustangs looked like they would keep pace, making repeated trips to the foul line, but could not find the basket and the Rams took advantage. Glascoe scored on a drive and Beaubrun again on the break to make it 32-19, Glascoe’s two free throws with 3:13 left in the quarter made it a 15 point game, and it was 43-27 on a fast break basket by Tayvon Hall at the third quarter buzzer. Malcolm Brown opened the fourth quarter with a steal and basket for Mineola, converting the free throw for a three point play, then Waszychuk added two free throws and Brown drove down the left side of the lane and scored to bring the deficit down to single digits. Now in the double bonus with 6:51 to play, the Mustangs had chances to draw closer without taking time off the clock, but their struggles from the line continued, and Darren Davy’s short jumper from the baseline put West Hempstead up 45-34. Brown’s three pointer brought Mineola back within 8 with 5:05 left, but the Rams answered with three straight baskets - back to back putbacks by DiLorenzo and a steal and basket by Davy - to go up 53-39 with 3:40 remaining. Davy’s fast break basket opened up a 15 point gap with 1:42 on the clock, and Mineola would get no closer than the final margin of 10 after that. 2/5
LuHi Rolls Over Lincoln
A surprising number of people dug themselves out and came to see what they hoped would be the game of the year between New York State’s two highest ranked teams, but it was more of an eye opener than a classic, with Long Island Lutheran rolling to a convincing 58-49 victory. Both teams were tight at the start and baskets hard to come by, but Kentan Facey’s beautiful alley-oop dunk and Ryan Boyd’s athletic fast break dunk got LuHi going and the Crusaders moved out to a 12-6 lead at the first quarter buzzer. A putback by Michael Vigilance and two free throws by Isiah Whitehead cut it to 13-10 early in the second quarter, but a baseline jumper by Facey, a basket off an inbound play by Tawayne Anderson, and a fast break basket by Tim Quashie put LuHi on top 21-12. Lutheran was over the foul limit, however, and the Railsplitters took advantage, cutting into the deficit from the foul line, and then a steal and fastbreak basket by Whitehead and tip in by Desi Rodriguez brought Lincoln within 2 with 1:42 left in the half. Facey’s tough putback in traffic broke the momentum, and then two free throws by Quashie and an acrobatic fastbreak basket by Chris Atkinson made it a 6 point game at intermission. Anderson stole the ball and dunked to give the Crusaders a 31-23 lead as the second half got underway, and then he scored again from behind the basket to put LuHi up by 10. Boyd followed two missed Lincoln free throws with a strong drive from the left wing, and then Facey nailed a turnaround jumper from the lane and Atkinson hit a runner to give Lutheran a 39-25 lead with 4:03 to play in the quarter. AJ Williams kept the Railsplitters within striking distance with a jumper from the right wing, and a putback by Elijah Davis cut the deficit to 10, but Tiquan Garner’s three pointer from the right foul line extended made it 44-32 with three quarters in the books. Elijah Bailey opened up the fourth quarter with a runner from the right wing to make it 46-32 LuHi, and Anderson’s three pointer from the right baseline gave the Crusaders a 50-34 lead with 4:36 to play. A three point play by Davis and a free throw by Whitehead cut the deficit to 12 with 1:41 left, but Quashie went coast to coast and scored to make it 52-38 at the 1:31 mark and Lincoln was on the ropes. Shaq McFarland kept them alive with a drive from the right wing, but Atkinson answered with a runner in traffic with a minute left and the Railsplitters never got closer than 8 after that. 2/10
Suffolk B Final
Babylon 82 Southampton 57
The teams split two close regular season games, but it was a different story in the Suffolk County Class B Championship Game, with Babylon rolling to a very impressive 82-57 win over a very good Southampton team. Babylon led by 5 at the first quarter buzzer, and then took control of the game in the second quarter, going up 31-17 on a jumper by Ray Wardell from just behind the foul line, and 38-22 on a fall-away jumper by Fernando Vazquez right before intermission. Vazquez opened the second half with a three point play, then a putback by Jake Carlock at the 6:08 mark of the quarter made it 47-24 Panthers, a fast break basket by Vasquez 56-30 with 3:40 left, and another fast break basket, this time by Wardell, put Babylon up 65-36 with three quarters in the books. Southampton made a bit of a run early in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 23 on a three pointer by Scott Ricca from straight on, but Vasquez and Brendan Laing responded with back to back baskets and that would be as close as the Mariners would get. Babylon advances in two separate tournaments now, taking on Bridgehampton Saturday in the Suffolk County Championships, which will determine one overall County Champion, and they also advance in the New York State Class B Tournament, where they will face the Nassau champion on March 5th. The winner of that game advances to the New York State Regional Finals - one step away from the Final Four in Glens Falls! 2/20
Nassau A Quarters
South Side 62 #5 Lawrence 59
In a stunning upset, South Side led heavily favored Lawrence most of the way, holding off the Tornadoes down the stretch. Paul Pandolfi was high scorer in a balanced attack with 15 points, while Eddie Robinson finished with 19 for Lawrence. The Cyclones will meet Roslyn in the semifinals Wednesday, 2/27 at SUNY Old Westbury.
#16 Jericho 63 Great Neck North 49
Jericho out battled a good Great Neck North team for a spot in the semifinals against Valley Stream South on Wednesday the 27th at SUNY Old Westbury. Garret Johnson led the Jayhawks with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Evan Dorman had 11 for GNN.
Valley Stream South 60 Hewlett 49
Valley Stream South pulled away down the stretch behind a balanced attack led by Dana King’s 16 points and 7 assists. Avery Feldman had a game high 27 for Hewlett. VSS takes on Jericho in the semifinals 2/27 at SUNY Old Westbury.
Roslyn 72 Mineola 54
Roslyn took command in the third quarter and rolled to a spot in the semifinals against South Side Feb 27th at Suny Old Westbury. Mark Gjonlekaj and Terrence Pierce led the Bulldogs with 16 points apiece, and Gjonlekaj pulled down 15 rebounds. Mike Waszychuk led Mineola with 22. 2/19
More Players To Watch
Adrian Denner, Carey
Clifton Lyerly, Lawrence
Nick Petrucelli, Hicksville
Dylan Balducci, Massapequa
COLLEGE CHOICES
Basketball players, TIME TO SEND IN YOUR COLLEGE CHOICE!
Suffolk AA First Round
Huntington 56 #10 Central Islip 50
In the biggest upset of the playoffs so far, Huntington defeated 10th ranked Central Islip, coming from behind for the win after CI bounced back from a 3 point second quarter to take a third quarter lead. Patrick Reilly had 20 fourth quarter points for Huntington and finished with a game high 29. Long Island All-Star Tim McKenzie led the Musketeers with 22.
#14 Brentwood 46 Walt Whitman 41
Walt Whitman battled #2 seed Brentwood the whole way, trailing by 2 with under two minutes to play, but the Indians held them off for the win. Long Island All-Star Femi Olujobi had another big game, finishing with 15 points and 17 rebounds for Brentwood, while Kevin Forland led Whitman with 11. Brentwood hosts Hills West on Tuesday.
#15 Deer Park 75 Hauppauge 56
Hauppauge took a 3 point lead into the halftime locker room, but 15th ranked Deer Park scored 29 third quarter points and rolled to the win. Long Island All-Star Rome Jenkins led a balanced attack with 16 points, while Jack Weinstein led Hauppauge with 18. Deer Park hosts Smithtown West on Tuesday. 2/15
Nassau AA Outbracket
Carey 59 Herricks 56
The visiting team won both regular season games between Carey and Herricks, but Carey prevailed at home in their Class AA outbracket game, overcoming an 18 point third quarter outburst by Herricks star Andrew Fellus, who finished with 31 points. Adrian Denner and Nick Spillane both had 13 points for Carey, with Spillane scoring all of his in the second half. They face Port Washington on Saturday at 4:30 PM.
Oceanside 76 Massapequa 65
They split their regular season games, but Hunter Sabety scored a career high 48 points and pulled down 20 rebounds to lead Oceanside over Massapequa in a Nassau Class AA outbracket game. They take on Hicksville Saturday at 1 PM. Dylan Balducci had 24 for Massapequa. 2/14
Higher Seeds Sweep!
The Suffolk County seeding committee got off to a rough start, with all four of the opening round Class AA outbracket games going to the higher seeds as the 2013 Section 11 playoffs got underway. #17 Commack hammered #16 East Islip 61-30, with Long Island All-Star Nick Arnold leading the Cougars with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Commack will now take on archival Northport, the #1 seed, Friday at 6 PM........ #20 Huntington held off #13 Copiague 64-63, and they will face 4th ranked Central Islip Friday at 4:30 PM. Kiernan McGovern finished with 21 points for Huntington........Coach Tom Fitzpatrick picked up his 200th career victory when 18th seed Walt Whitman defeated #15 North Babylon 47-44. Bedel Saget led the Wildcats, who will face #2 Brentwood in the next round, with 13....... #19 Hauppauge surprised #14 Kings Park 48-43, led by Anthony Sbarro's 19 points and 14 rebounds. They will face No. 3 Deer Park Friday at 6 PM
2/11 Highlights
Tidell Pierre 49 points!
Hempstead's Tidell Pierre scored 49 points in the Tiger's 85-59 hammering of Syosset. It was his final regular season game.
Hewlett and Jericho Champs
Both Hewlett and Jericho prevailed in close games to claim their league championships outright. Jericho nipped Roslyn 50-47 for the Conference A1 title, led by Garrett Johnson's game high 25 points, while Hewlett rallied from an 18 point halftime deficit to catch Great Neck North 54-53 and lock up first place in Conference A3. Weldon Irvine led the charge, scoring 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Hicksville Over Oceanside
Hicksville had too much firepower for Oceanside, and their defense kept the ball out of the hands of the Sailor’s dominant big man, Hunter Sabety, and the result was an impressive 64-53 win for the Comets and a date with Great Neck South in the County Class AA Quarterfinals. Oceanside scored the game’s first point, but Hicksville reeled off the next 5 and although it was a tight game most of the way, never trailed again. Up by one with 3:25 to play in the opening quarter, Ryan Mannix scored 5 straight points on a putback and a three pointer from the left baseline, and then TJ Danns pump faked in the lane and scored over Sabety to make it 16-8 Hicksville with 1:06 remaining. Tim Nolan’s three pointer from the left baseline brought Oceanside within 5, and that was the margin at the first quarter buzzer. Sabety rebounded and scored and Casey Kelly pulled up and knocked down a jumper to bring Oceanside back within 1 as the second quarter got underway, but a three point play and then two free throws by Nick Petrucelli and a runner by Michael Osmundsen and it was 23-15 Comets with 3:41 to left in the half. Kelly’s three pointer cut it to 27-24 with less than a minute to play, and that was the score as the teams headed for the locker room. Brian Lau started the second half with a jumper from just behind the foul line to cut the margin to 27-26, but Petrocelli held off the Sailors with a baseline drive, and a runner by Mannix with 3:08 left in the third quarter made it 33-28 Hicksville. Oceanside tied it with a basket by Sabety from underneath and a three pointer by Kelly from behind the right elbow, but once again Petrocelli answered, this time with a drive and reverse layup, and then Michal Julka’s pull-up jumper from the right wing and his fast break basket gave the Comets a 41-35 lead after three quarters. Julka’s three pointer from the left wing made it 44-35 as the fourth quarter got underway, but a turnaround jumper from the baseline by Sabety and a rare four point play by Jonah Kaplan brought Oceanside within 1 with 6:29 to play. Incredibly, it was Petrocelli who held the line once again, spinning to his left and then back to his right to score, and then two Danns free throws gave Hicksville a 48-45 lead with 4:36 showing. Petrocelli’s baseline jumper bumped the lead to 5 with 3:50 on the game clock, but Kelly kept it close, curling into the lane and pulling up for a jumper at the foul line with 3:05 to play. Mannix nailed a big three pointer from the deep left wing to make it 53-47 Hicksville as the 2 minute mark approached, but Sabety’s two free throws kept Oceanside in the hunt. Another big three, this time by Petrocelli, gave the Comets a 56-49 lead with 1:55 showing, and then his two free throws made it a 9 point game with 1:15 left and Hicksville was in the drivers seat. The Comets proceeded to go 7 for 10 from the foul line down the stretch to ice it. 2/16
LuHi Nips Loughlin
LuHi went on the road against Bishop Loughlin, New York State’s 17th ranked team, and came through with a heart stopping 73-72 victory thanks to a buzzer beating basket by Tawayne Anderson. The Crusaders led throughout the first half, but Loughlin drew even in the third quarter, and then with Kentan Facey on the bench in foul trouble, built a 7 point lead in the fourth. When Facey returned, LuHi rallied to go up by 2 on Ryan Boyd’s three pointer, but struggled down the stretch and found themselves trailing by 4 with just 28 seconds left to play. Tiqaun Garner, who has made a habit of hitting big three pointers this season, started the comeback with another big three with 12 seconds left to make it a 1 point game, and after Loughlin came up empty at the foul line, Chris Atkinson found Anderson, who had struggled offensively the whole game, for the game winner. 2/15
Catholic League
#5 St. Mary's 78 #3 Chaminade 65
After their surprising lopsided loss to SJB, St. Mary’s has won 4 straight games and clinched the NSCHSAA regular season title, earning a first round bye in the playoffs. Jessie Govan led the Gaels with 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Jon Patterson finished with 25 for Chaminade. 2/15
SUFFOLK B SEMIFINALS
Southampton 71 Wyandnch 65
Southampton stumbled down the stretch, going 2-3 including a 68-56 loss to Wyandanch, but the Mariners are back on track, advancing to Wednesday’s Suffolk County Class B Championship game against Babylon. Long Island All-Star Shaundell Fishburne had a game high 23 points and added 7 assists. Marcus Gay led Wyandanch with 18 points.
Babylon 70 Center Moriches 54
Babylon continued their impressive season, pulling away in the second half to improve to 17-2. Fernando Vazquez had a game high 21 points for the Panthers, while Akyse Brown led CM with 12. They play Southampton, responsible for one of their two losses, in the championship game on Wednesday. 2/14
NSCHSAA Semifinals
#7 Chaminade 72 #4 St. Mary's 58
Young and full of talent, St. Mary’s has been the favorite in the Catholic league for much of the season, while Chaminade wasn’t even in the discussion until recently, but the senior laden Flyers out battled the young Gaels and pulled away down the stretch to advance to the NSCHSAA Final against Holy Trinity. Chaminade made it clear they came to play right from the start, jumping out to a 7-2 lead on a three pointer by Thomas Ahern and two baskets from the low post by Jon Patterson, but St. Mary’s answered, drawing even on Jessie Govan’s putback, and then taking a 16-10 lead on a hook shot by Stephen Milhaven and a tip-in by Patrick Jackson. Chaminade closed the gap with a basket from underneath by Patterson and a sweeping hook shot by Mike Walsh, but Jackson drove down the left side of the lane and scored to make it 20-16 St. Mary’s at the first quarter buzzer. Devonte Green went coast to coast to open the second quarter, giving the Gael’s a 6 point lead, but Liam Murphy’s three pointer off an inbound play cut it to 24-21, and then Patterson scored back to back and added a free throw to put the Flyers up 26-24 with 5:58 to play in the half. Green retook the lead with a three pointer from the deep left wing, Jackson knocked down two free throws to make it 31-28 St. Mary’s with 4:02 remaining, and then Govan’s three point play stretched the lead to 34-30, but a putback by Paterson made it a 2 point game at halftime. Jackson opened the second half with a steal and three point play to put the Gael’s up by 5, but three straight baskets by Walsh - two drives and a baseline jumper - put Chaminade on top, and then Patterson scored from the lane to make it 42-39 Flyers with 4:12 to go in the quarter. Green’s three pointer from behind the right elbow tied it at 42 all, but Walsh stole the ball and scored just before time expired to give Chaminade a 48-45 lead as the fourth quarter got underway. Brian Ehrhardt cut to the basket from the wing and scored to put the Flyers up by 5 in the early going, and after a Javin Barton basket for St. Mary’s, Thomas O’Connell knocked down a three pointer to make it 53-47 Chaminade, but back to back baskets by Green narrowed the margin to 2 with just over 5 minutes to play. Ehrhardt’s three pointer from the baseline stretched the Flyer lead to 60-55 with 4:10 left, and Murphy’s fast break basket to 64-57 with 3:22 remaining, but neither team scored again until the 1:42 mark, when St. Mary’s added a free throw to pull within 6. St. Mary’s continued to struggle down the stretch however, and had to foul, but Chaminade slammed the door shut, with Murphy and Ehrhardt knocking down 8 straight free throws to send the Flyers on their way to the championship game.
NSCHSAA Playoffs
In an NSCHSAA quarterfinal matchup, fourth-seeded Chaminade’s shooters had the touch from the opening tip, and fifth-seeded St. John the Baptist couldn’t quite match as the Flyers topped the Cougars 73-65. Playing in front of their home crowd, Chaminade fell behind early when St. John’s Vincent Abbondola hit back to back threes to start the game. Chaminade’s Thomas Ahearn wasted no time answering, responding with back to back threes of his own--one of which was a four-point play--and the Flyers took their first lead, 7-6. Then some other Flyers found their strokes, as William Murphy, Jon Patterson, and Brian Ehrhardt contributed to a big run that put Chaminade up 24-8 at the end of the first quarter. In the early going, Chaminade was unfazed by St. John’s aggressive full court-trap, and was able to move the ball and find open shots against the Cougars’ 2-3 zone with ease. St. John’s, on the other hand, had trouble getting quality looks and taking care of the ball, which led to fast-break opportunities for the Flyers. This trend continued in the second quarter, as no one other than Abbondola could get much going offensively for the Cougars, and Chaminade continued to find Patterson (who finished with 16 first-half points) for easy buckets. At half-time, the Flyers led 37-20. St. John’s picked up their defensive intensity to start the second half, with Kyle Williams making some big blocks, and the Cougars started to chip away at Chaminade’s lead. But the Flyers responded with more ball movement and balanced scoring, and maintained a 51-34 lead heading into the final quarter. Chaminade started the fourth with a 12-4 run, going up by 25 and building their biggest lead of the game, but the Cougars fought back. Led by their guards, Tavon Ginyard and Charles Joyner, Jr., who all of a sudden were draining threes and driving to the basket with ease, St. John’s made the final score respectable. If the Cougars’ backcourt had been playing that way all game, they may have walked away with a win. Instead, Chaminade advanced, and will face top-seeded St. Mary’s next week. 2/22
Harris/Jenkins Traded
Both Hills West's Tobias Harris and Hofstra's Charles Jenkins have been traded by their NBA teams. Harris will join the Orlando Magic, while Jenkins is now a Philadelphia 76er.
Suffolk Championships
Bridgehampton 54 Stony Brook 41
The Class D Champion Killer Bees opened some eyes with an upset of Suffolk County Class C Champion Stony Brook in the first round of the Suffolk County Overall Championships, a Hoosiers style tournament that determines one overall Suffolk County Champion and is separate from the State Tournament. Trailing 10-5, Bridgehampton took the lead in the second quarter and then pulled away in the second half. Jason Hopson had a big game for the Bees, scoring 26 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, while Chase Audige led Stony Brook with 10 points. The Bears will continue on in the State Tournament, representing Suffolk as its Class C Champion against Nassau Class C Champion Friends Academy March 5th at SUNY Old Westbury. Bridgehampton advances in both tournaments, facing Suffolk Class B Champion Babylon Saturday in round 2 of the County Championships, and also representing Long Island in the State Class D Tournament, where they will take on the Section 9 champion March 5th.
Suffolk A Semifinals
#2 Amityville 70 Bayport-BP 43
Amityville was dominant against a good Bayport-Blue Point team, racing out to a 20-4 lead and rolling into the Suffolk Class A Finals. Mike Smith led the Warriors with 18 points and Dylan Adams had 16 for BBP.
#12 Harborfields 78 Islip 42
Harborfields was also dominant, leading 45-11 at the half, and set up a rematch of last season’s exciting final against Amityville, this time at 2:30 pm on Saturday at Longwood High School. John Patron had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Harborfields, while Caleb Staneck finished with 12 for Islip. 2/19
NSCHSAA Regular Season
#10 Holy Trinity 73 #4 St. Mary's 72
The NSCHSAA playoffs, which begin Friday, are going to be fun to watch, with the contending teams taking turns knocking each other off leading up to it. Holy Trinity picked up the big win this time, coming from behind to nip first place St. Mary’ on Jimmy Golaszewski basket with 8 seconds remaining. He finished with 22 points for the Titans, and Patrick Jackson had 22 for St. Mary’s, who remain the top seed in the playoffs.
St. Anthony's 65 #7 Chaminade 62
St. Anthony’s reaffirmed that they can beat anyone in the NSCHSAA, holding off Chaminade and gaining a split in the season series with Flyers. Nigel Carter had a big night with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Thomas Ahern knocked down 8 threes on his way to a game high 31 points for Chaminade.
ASK THE REF
First Playoff Edition!
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Suffolk AA Semifinals
#11 Deer Park 76 #9 Brentwood 63
The two and the three seeds faced off in front of a packed house at Longwood High School, and it was a terrific back and forth game until Deer Park pulled away down the stretch to earn their spot in the Suffolk County Class AA Championship Game. The Falcons were on their game right from the start, taking a 10-2 lead on a baseline jumper by Rome Jenkins, a steal and reverse layup by Keith Williams, and a putback by Carrel Joseph, but Femi Olujobi‘s emphatic dunk brought Brentwood to life, and the Indians quickly drew within one on a three point play by Michael Certain. Ali Mableton’s fast break basket gave Brentwood the lead, and they were up 17-16 at the first quarter buzzer. Aaren Edmead pulled up at the top of the key and knocked down a jumper to reclaim the lead for Deer Park as the second quarter began, and his fast break basket made it 20-17. A Williams three from the right baseline made it 26-22 Falcons with 6 minutes to play in the half, but Brentwood was back within one on a three pointer from the top by Mike Almonacy and moved ahead 34-33 on a jump hook by Jamel Allen with 1 minute to play in the half. Almonacy’s three pointer from the left wing made it 37-33 Brentwood at intermission. Baskets by Jenkins and Karon Blackwell quickly tied it as the third quarter got underway, and a putback by Joseph gave Deer Park a 39-37 lead, but Olujobi scored in traffic and then Allen scored twice from underneath and Brentwood was up by 4 with 2:43 left in the quarter. Marcus Cureton’s three pointer from the left wing made it 55-48 Brentwood as the clock wound down, but Blackwell scored on a drive just before the buzzer to make it a 5 point game. Cureton knocked down another three to open the fourth quarter, bumping the Brentwood lead to 8, but a drive by Blackwell and a tip in by Jenkins kept the margin in single digits and sparked a Deer Park run. A three pointer by Williams tied it at 60 with 5:49 to go, and then Edmead followed him with a three from left wing and then a three point play off a beautiful drive through traffic to put the Falcons up by 6. Almonacy tried to retake the momentum, nailing a three from the right wing with 3:54 to play, but Williams found Jenkins underneath and then scored a fast break basket himself to make it 70-63 Deer Park. Jenkins scored off back to back inbound plays to make it an 11 point game with 1:06 left, and Brentwood could not find the basket the rest of the way. 2/22
Milestones
Every season, players and coaches reach milestones in their basketball careers that certify them to be considered one of Long Island's all-time best. Here are this season's:
1000+ Career Points
Ryan Boyd, LuHi
Andrew Fellus, Herricks
Tyree Glascoe, W. Hempstead
Mike Guzzardi, Mt. Sinai
Ryan Hickey, Smithtown West
Garrett Johnson, Jericho
Dalique Mingo, Farmingdale
Eddie Robinson, Lawrence
Keith Williams, Deer Park
300+ Coaching Wins
Bob DeBonis, Freeport
Ralph Rossettie, Seaford
200+ Coaching Wins
Darius Burton, Baldwin
Tom Fitzpatrick, Walt Whitman
If there are others that belong on this list, LET US KNOW!
Suffolk Class AA Final
#3 Northport 65 #8 Deer Park 57
It was standing room only at Longwood High School, where well over 2000 fans came to see top seeded Northport take on #3 Deer Park. The 20-1 Tigers had surprisingly struggled in their semifinal matchup against a scrappy Longwood team, while Deer Park, coming off an up and down season, looked like the team we ranked 2nd in our preseason Sweet 16 poll, beating a very talented Brentwood squad to advance to the final. Both teams were sky high at the start in front of the large and very loud crowd, but both struggled to find the basket in the early going and it was just 2-1 Northport with 4:30 left in the opening quarter. The scoring pace quickened, with Luke Petrasek stepping back and knocking down a three from behind the left elbow for Northport, Carrel Joseph scoring from the lane for the Falcons, Mike Milligan banking one in off the glass from the left elbow for the Tigers, and Karon Blackwell scoring on a drive from the left wing to cut the Northport lead to 6-5 with 2:48 remaining. Petrasek, who had been held to just 4 points in the semifinal, scored the last 7 points of the quarter for Northport, the last two on a short jumper at the buzzer to give the Tigers a 13-9 lead. Rome Jenkins opened the second quarter with a jump hook for the Falcons, but Petrasek answered with a turnaround jumper from the low post, and then he drove from the foul line, spun off a defender and hit a short runner to make it 17-11 Northport. Deer Park narrowed the gap, drawing even on a putback by Joseph and a three pointer by Aaren Edmead with 2:45 to play in the quarter, but Petrasek answered with a three pointer from the deep right wing, and then his back to back baskets made it 28-23 Tigers with 1:06 left. Edmead went to the foul line seconds later, made his first free throw, missed the second and hustled after the long rebound, stepping back to nail a three pointer that made it a 1 point game, and after a Northport free throw, Joseph’s putback tied it at 29, but Mike O’Hara’s basket from underneath just before the buzzer sent Northport into the locker room up by 2. Blackwell opened the second half with a drive down the right side of the lane to tie it at 31 all, and a Keith Williams runner from the right wing gave Deer Park its first lead. Edmead’s jumper from the right wing made it 38-34 Falcons with 4:07 left in the quarter, and two Blackwell free throws pushed the lead to 6, but Matt Smith’s drive at the 3:16 mark kept it close, a fast break basket by Andrew Seaman cut it to 42-40 with 1:16 remaining, and then Petrasek drained a three from the top to put Northport back on top 43-42 with three quarters in the books. The Northport crowd exploded when Petrasek opened the fourth quarter with an emphatic dunk, and roared again when Milligan's baseline drive turned into a three point play and a 48-42 Tiger lead. Williams answered with a baseline drive, but Thomas Kennedy pulled down an offensive rebound in traffic and kicked it out to Smith, who nailed a three pointer to put Northport up by 7 with 5:15 to play. It was still a 7 point game with 2:55 remaining after Smith looped down the lane and scored from the left wing, and the teams traded baskets and free throws the rest of the way, with the Falcons never getting closer than 5 down the stretch. 2/26
NSCHSAA Semifinals
#10 Holy Trinity 59 St. Anthony's 40
St. Anthony’s rallied to pull within 4 early in the fourth quarter, but the Titans threw it into overdrive and pulled away decisively to advance to the NSCHSAA Championship Game Tuesday against Chaminade. Holy Trinity held a 10 point lead as the fourth quarter got underway, but the Gaels cut into it right away, with Nigel Carter’s spinning drive from the foul line and back to back baskets by Anfernee Casimir cutting the deficit to 4, but a three point play by Isaiah Rowe ended the rally, and Damon Coleman’s two free throws made it 45-36 Titans. It was a 13 point game after a putback by Rowe and a fast break basket by Coleman, Michael Farella’s fast break basket made it 51-36 with 4:03 left, Coleman went coast to coast for a 57-39 lead, and then Rowe scored off an inbound play with 2:30 left for an 18 point advantage. Game over. 2/24
Nassau A Semifinals
Roslyn 59 #15 South Side 42
They put together a good record and finished second in Nassau Conference A1 this season, but Roslyn did not play a strong non-league schedule and had no signature wins to speak of, so they were a bit of a mystery coming into the Nassau County Class A Semifinals as a 12 seed. The mystery is over, and it’s clear now that the Bulldogs can play, rolling over South Side for a spot in the Class A Championship Game against Jericho. It was back and forth in the early going of this match up, and tied at 9 with 1:58 to go in the opening quarter, but Roslyn closed out the quarter with 7 straight points, the last three on a jumper from the deep right wing by Mark Gjonlekaj that gave the Bulldogs a 16-9 lead at the buzzer . Alex Sorenson was fouled on a three point attempt and knocked down all three free throws to bring South Side within 4 as the second quarter got underway, but Ben Rashbaum’s jumper and then a three pointer and a fast break basket by Andrew Slutsky made it 25-14 Roslyn with 4:58 to go in the half. A three pointer from the left wing by Harris Silverstein gave the Bulldogs a 30-18 lead with 1:18 to go, and Gjonlekaj’s putback put them up 14 at halftime. Rashbaum knocked down a foul line jumper to open up the second half, and after a putback by South Side’s Paul Pandolfi, Slutsky came down and drilled a three pointer from the top to make it 37-20 Bulldogs with just over 6 minutes left in the quarter. South Side made a bit of a run as the quarter wound down, cutting the margin to 12 on back to back baskets by Pandolfi, and then drawing within 10 on a three pointer by Gerald Mitchell as the quarter came to a close. Terrance Pierce looped one in from the lane to open up the fourth quarter scoring and push the Roslyn lead to 12, but South Side was back within 10 after Mitchell’s three pointer from the left baseline, and they pulled within 8 on a fast break basket by Pandolfi with 2:35 to play. Gjonlekaj answered the bell for the Bulldogs, knocking down two free throws, hitting a spinning hook shot that turned into a three point play, and then knocking down two more free throws for a 56-41 lead with 1:13 left and South Side was done. 2/27
Nassau Class AA Semifinals
Uniondale 67 #4 Farmingdale 65
Uniondale was Uniondale when it mattered most, rallying from 10 down to take their first lead of the game late in the fourth quarter, and going on to upset rival Farmingdale and advance to the Nassau Class AA Championship Game on Saturday against Baldwin. Jaaz Styles got the Knights going in the game’s pivotal sequence, pulling up for a left wing jumper that cut the Farmingdale lead to 3. A dramatic steal and fastbreak dunk by Alan McDonald made it a 1 point game with 41 seconds left, and then Cust drove the right side of the lane and scored to give Uniondale the lead with 24 seconds to play. The Dalers had two chances to retake the lead in the final seconds, but turned it over on their first attempt, and then a rushed shot with time running out was off target.
#6 Baldwin 46 #11 Hicksville 41
Hicksville proved to be a formidable foe, but top seeded Baldwin used the formula that has worked for them all season - great defense and a balanced attack - to advance to their 7th straight Nassau Class AA title game. Trailing 26-18 mid way through the third quarter, Hicksville tied the game at 33 all on 6 consecutive points by TJ Danns, who converted a three point play and then knocked down a three pointer for the Comets. The Bruins regained the lead on a three by Travais Hylton, and went up by 4 on Elijah McMillian's three and then hit their free throws down the stretch to hold off Hicksville and set up a championship game matchup with archrival Uniondale on Saturday. 2/26
Suffolk County Semifinals
#2 Amityville 52 Babylon 42
Amityville did their part, advancing to the big showdown against #3 Northport in the Suffolk County Championship Game on Friday. DETAILS LATER
Amityville Suffolk Champ
#2 Amityville 53 #3 Northport 41
Fears of a potential blowout swept through the large crowd gathered for the Suffolk County Championship Game at Ward Melville High School when it was learned that Matt Smith, Class AA Champion Northport's star point guard, would be on the bench in street clothes. Battling Class A Champion Amityville’s suffocating pressure defense is a tall enough task at full strength, let alone without your best ball handler and floor leader, and it looked like the crowd’s fears would be realized in the early going, with the Warriors forcing turnovers to build a 12-3 first quarter lead behind Andy Laurent, Travis Dickerson, and Mike Smith. The Tiger’s defense kept them in the game however, and they got an offensive spark from an unexpected source when Mike O’Hara opened the second quarter with a three point play, and then back to back baskets by Andrew Seaman and a free throw by Austin Marchese tied it at 15 all. Two free throws by Dickerson put Amityville up 18-15, but Luke Petrasek answered, going coast to coast with a nice hesitation move at the top of the key to bring the Tigers within 1 at the half. Laurent opened the second half with a drive from the right wing, and a putback by Zach Tannis made it 23-17 Warriors with 5:47 remaining in the third quarter, but two free throws by Mike Milligan and a putback by Thomas Kennedy cut it to 23-21 at the 4:48 mark. Smith recaptured the momentum, draining a long range three pointer from the right wing to put to Amityville up by 5, and a free throw made it a 6 point game, but Northport responded with free throws by Marchese and a basket by Seaman from underneath, and much to everybody’s surprise, the Tigers were still within 2 with 3:13 to play in the third quarter. Laurent sliced through defense and scored to put Amityville up by 4, but a baseline jumper by Tyler Wojcik and a putback dunk by Petrasek tied it at 29 all, awakening the long dormant Northport crowd. Smith quickly silenced them with a fall away three pointer from the right baseline to give the Warriors a 32-29 lead at the third quarter buzzer, and then he opened the fourth quarter with a runner and Dickerson added two free throws to put Amityville up by 7. The Warriors then built a commanding lead on Dickerson’s three pointer, a fast break basket and free throw by Smith, and two free throws by Dickerson to go up 46-31 with 4:27 to play. The Tigers didn’t roll over, cutting the margin to 10 on a three point play by Milligan with 3:37 remaining, but they could get no closer down the stretch. Both teams now advance to the New York State Tournament in their respective classes, and will meet the corresponding Nassau Class AA and Class A champions, who have yet to be determined, for the Long Island Championship on March 9th. The winners of those games advance to the New York State Class AA and Class A Final Fours in Glens Falls. 3/1
Baldwin Rocks Uniondale
#6 Baldwin 64 Uniondale 44
For the fifth time in the last six years, Uniondale and Baldwin met in the Nassau County Class AA Championship Game, and the Bruins took a 3-2 lead in the series, defending their title with a convincing 20 point victory over their archrivals. Baldwin put the first points on the board when Travais Hylton exploded to the basket and scored, and then his leaner, a reverse layup by Eric Mack, and a Hylton three pointer gave the Bruins a 14-5 lead at the first quarter buzzer. Aaron Cust cut into the lead with a jumper from the right elbow and a coast to coast basket after a turnover, and then he brought the Knights within 3 with two free throws at the 3:33 mark of the second quarter, but Baldwin answered with a spinning drive by Oluwa Bembury, back to back fast break baskets by Dan Nwalor and Hylton, and a drive by Hylton to lead 24-13. Uniondale responded with 5 straight to close out the half, with Jaaz Styles knocking down a three and Jerel McGary hitting a runner to make it a 6 point game at intermission. Cust’s three point play cut it to 24-21 as the third quarter got underway, but Nawlor’s three pointer from behind the left elbow made it 29-23, and a dunk by Mack and two free throws by Mike Abrahams gave the Bruins a 13 point lead with 2:37 left in the quarter. Styles kept the Bruins from breaking away with a drive from the right wing, and then Nicky Danns cut the lead to 7 with two free throws and that was the margin as the fourth quarter began. Nicky Danns opened the final quarter with a basket from underneath to cut the Uniondale deficit to 5, but Elijah McMillan’s three pointer from the right baseline and his basket from underneath gave the Bruins a 10 point lead, and then he drove the baseline, scored and drew the foul, hitting the free throw to put them up 52-39 with 4:46 to play. A fast break basket by Jordan Williams made it a 15 point game, but the Knights had the opportunity to get back into it, going to the line on three straight trips down the floor, but they came away with just 1 point, and a baseline jumper by Mack made it 56-40 Baldwin with 3:11 left. Alan McDonald tried to keep Uniondale alive, scoring from the lane, but two more missed free throws and a three point play by Mack on the other end and the Knight’s fate was sealed, trailing 59-42 with 2:18 to play. Baldwin advances to the Long Island Class AA Championship Game on Saturday, where they will take on Suffolk Champion Northport. Check our schedule page right up to the last minute, because there have been frequent time changes this season. It is currently scheduled for 9:30 PM at Hofstra. 3/2
Jericho Nassau A Champs
#13 Jericho 62 Roslyn 45
Jericho won their fourth Nassau County Class A Championship in the last 8 years with a convincing 17 point win over league rival Roslyn.
The Jayhawks moved out on top right from the start, going up 6-4 on a basket by Derek Mendolla off a nice dish by Garrett Johnson, and 12-6 on a low post basket by Johnson and an elbow jumper by Erik Kanzer. Johnson closed out the quarter with two free throws to bump the Jericho lead to 9 with one quarter in the books, and then Dave Orr opened the second quarter with a putback to for a 17-6 Jayhawks advantage. Another basket by Orr put Jericho up by 14 still early in the quarter, but a right wing drive by Terrence Pierce and back to back baskets by Mark Gjonlekaj cut the lead to 8 with 4:25 to go in the half. Kanzer broke the run with two free throws, but the Bulldogs kept coming, drawing within 6 on a basket by Gjonlekaj and a baseline drive and reverse layup by Harris Silverstein with 2:19 remaining. Silverstein’s three pointer from the left wing cut it to 24-19 with 34 seconds to play, but two free throws by Kanzer and a three point play by Jared Bloch gave the Jayhawks a 10 point lead at intermission. Orr opened the second half with a fast break basket and Johnson hit a runner to make it 33-19 Jericho, and Orr’s basket from the low post made it 39-24, but the Bulldogs whittled away at the lead the rest of the quarter, and a drive by Slutsky and a three pointer by Pierce cut it to 42-34 at the third quarter buzzer. Kanzer opened the fourth quarter with a fast break basket for the Jayhawks, but Gjonlekaj answered from the low post and it was still an 8 point game. A touchdown pass fast break basket by Mendolla put Jericho up 47-36, but the defenses dug in, and when Silverstein corralled a loose ball and scored for the Bulldogs, it brought them within 10, but with only 3:33 to play. Mendolla hit two big free throws to make it 51-40 with 3:13 left, but the crushing blow was a three pointer from the baseline by Mike Goren that gave the Jayhawks a 54-40 lead with 1:26 remaining. Mendola hit two more free throws for a 16 point lead and Jericho was on its way to a Long Island Championship Game matchup with Amityville next Saturday. 3/2
Class B Regional Final
Babylon 56 Marlboro 49 OT
Babylon had given up the lead, and three of their key players, including their leading scorer, had fouled out of the game, so it looked like the end was near. Ray Wardell had other ideas, aggressively taking the ball to the basket and scoring to send the game into overtime, and then the Panthers quickly took control in OT, going on to win their Southeast Regional Final and earn a spot in the New York State Class B Final Four in Glens Falls. In the game’s early stages, Babylon looked like the better team, dominating the boards with their size. Sophomore Brendan Laing opened the scoring with a reverse layup and Jake Carlock rebounded and scored to put Babylon up 4-0 in the early going, and as the first quarter wound down, Fernando Vazquez scored on an inbound play and Alec Zamet scored on the break to make it 11-4 Panthers and it was 11-6 Panthers at the first quarter buzzer. A three pointer by Zack Sakadelis from the left wing cut it to 12-11 with 5:50 remaining in the half, and Marlboro took a 15-12 lead on back to back putbacks by Austin Beck, but Babylon went on a 13-1 run, retaking the lead on a basket by Vazquez and two free throws by Laing, and then going up by 9 at the half when Vazquez stepped through a double team and hit a leaner just before the buzzer. Vazquez drove the baseline and scored again to open the second half, but Sakadelis’s three pointer and drive from the left wing cut it to 29-23, and a drive down the left side of the lane by Tyler Banks made it a 4 point game with 3:17 to go in the third quarter. Zamet broke the run, looping down the lane and scoring, but Banks scored again on a drive from the left elbow and Matt Tamburri nailed a three pointer from the right wing and Marlboro was within 1. Babylon responded, scoring the last 4 points of the quarter on a basket by Wardell off an inbound play and a fast break basket by Carlock to lead 35-30 with three quarters in the books. Carlock opened the fourth quarter with a drive from the left wing for a 7 point Panther lead, but Marlboro closed the gap at the free throw line, and then Sakadelis nailed a three from the right wing to bring the Dukes within 2 with 4:34 to play. Wardell preserved the lead with a short jumper from the baseline, but Marlboro was back within 2 on Beck's putback, and drew even on his two free throws, with Laing heading to the bench with 5 fouls and 3:25 left on the game clock. Ryan Carey added two more free throws to put the Dukes up by 2 with 2:54 remaining, and then Zamet fouled out at the 1:13 mark, but Marlboro came up short a the free throw line this time and it remained a 2 point game. Vazquez fouled out next with a minute to play, called for an offensive foul as he tried to bring his team back, and it looked like Babylon’s dream season might come to an end, but as the clock ticked down, the Panthers had one last chance, and Wardell drove down the right side of the lane, spun off of a defender and scored to tie it and send the game into overtime. Things still looked bleak for Babylon as OT got underway, playing without three starters that had combined for 29 of their 43 points in regulation while their opponent remained at full strength, but the Panthers quickly took control in the extra session, with Wardell opening the scoring with two free throws, Carlock rebounding and scoring and then knocking down two free throws, and Dillon Kelly rebounding and scoring to make it 51-46 with 1:22 to play. The Dukes got within 4 on a three pointer by 30 with 26 seconds left, but never got closer and Carlock, who carried the scoring load in OT with 8 points, put the final nail in the coffin with two free throws. 3/9
NYC vs LI
Long Island had a comfortable lead through January, and continued to build on it in February, going up by 26 games in the season series between the two regions. LuHi's wins over Lincoln and Bishop Loughlin highlighted another dominant month that saw only Trinity School's win over Portledge in the Private School State Playoffs on the plus side for the city.
Killer Bees Advance
Bridgehampton 71 Coleman Cath. 55
Two traditional New York State Class D powerhouses met in a Regional Semifinal held at Center Moriches High School, and Long Island’s Bridgehampton Killer Bees pulled away from defending regional champion and state finalist Coleman Catholic to advance to Friday’s Southeast Regional Final. The Bees built a 15 point first half lead, exploiting their rebounding abilities to limit scoring opportunities for Coleman and pick up second chance points, but the Statesmen trimmed 4 points off the lead to trail by 11 at halftime, and then closed to within 6 midway through the third quarter before Bridgehampton blew it open with a 13-1 run. They now take on Section I champion Martin Luther King Jr. HS from Hastings on Hudson Friday at 4:30 PM at New Rochelle High School, with the winner advancing to the New York State Final Four. Jason Hopson finished with 24 points for Bridgehampton, Josh Lamison added 18, and Anaje Lamb 16. 3/6
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK!
Four Long Island Championship Games will be played this week, with Baldwin taking on Northport for the Long Island Class AA Championship this Saturday at Hofstra, Jericho facing Amityville for the Class A title, also on Saturday, Wheatley taking on Babylon this Tuesday for the Class B crown at SUNY Old Westbury, and Friends Academy facing Stony Brook for Class C honors, also at SUNY OWB. Bridgehampton is already the Long Island Class D Champion, and they will play Coleman Catholic Wednesday at Center Moriches HS in the New York State Regional Semifinals. CHECK OUR SCHEDULE PAGE OFTEN FOR GAME TIMES AND LAST MINUTE CHANGES. There have been quite a few this season.
MOST LI CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LAST 10 YEARS
Malverne - 5
St. Mary's - 5
Amityville - 3
Friends Academy - 3
St. Dominic - 3
Baldwin - 2
Center Moriches - 2
Chaminade - 2
East Hampton - 2
East Rockaway - 2
Harborfields - 2
Hills West - 2
Mattituck - 2
St. John The Baptist - 2
Uniondale - 2
Chaminade Falls In Semis
Canisius 84 #5 Chaminade 66
After advancing the previous two years and losing, Canisius made their third straight trip to the semifinals count, advancing to the CHSAA Class A State Championship Game with an impressive win over Chaminade. It was a back and forth battle up to the 4:02 mark of the second quarter, when a three point play put Canisius on top, and then the Crusaders closed out the half on a 13-6 run, outscored the Flyers 17-9 in the third quarter, and then opened the fourth with a 9-1 run to remove all doubt. Chaminade was making its first appearance in the semifinals since 2008, and was led by Thomas Ahearn's 16 points. 3/2
OSNA Falls In Title Game
Prime Prep, TX 61 OSNA 56
Our Savior New American came storming back from a 15 point deficit but fell short in the championship game of the National Association of Christian Athletes National Tournament, falling to Prime Prep of Dallas, the 6th ranked team in the country. 3/1 GAME VIDEO
Babylon At The Buzzer
Babylon 56 Wheatley 55
Both Babylon and Wheatley had set themselves apart in their respective counties. Babylon beat Southampton by 25 in the Suffolk County Final, while Wheatley defeated Oyster Bay by 21 in Nassau, setting up what looked like a classic matchup between two strong teams in the Long Island Class B Championship Game, and it was. In the games dramatic final seconds, Wheatley rallied to take a one point lead on a clutch three pointer by sophomore Joshua Hyon, and then Babylon star Fernando Vazquez made a determined drive to the basket and scored as the seconds ticked down to give the Panthers a thrilling one point victory. Andrew Tripi opened the game with a steal and basket to give Wheatley the early lead, but Alex Zamet responded with a three pointer for Babylon and the battle was on. Jake Carlock’s three pointer and two free throws by Vazquez made it 8-4 Babylon, but Cristian Hyon answered with a jumper from behind the left elbow and Tripi with a three pointer from the left baseline and Wheatley was up 9-8 with 4:05 left in the first quarter. Brendan Laing’s basket from underneath put the Panthers back on top, and the teams exchanged baskets and the lead right to the buzzer, with Vazquez spinning off a defender and pulling up for a jumper to put Babylon up 17-15. Christian Hyon’s runner tied it and Alex Israel’s baseline jumper gave the Wildcats the lead as the second quarter got underway, but Laing spun out of the low post and scored to tie it once again, and Babylon began to build a lead on Ray Wardell’s drive from the right elbow. Drives by Laing and Vazquez made it 25-19 Panthers, and they led by 7 at halftime. A baseline drive by Kevin Martins cut it to 31-26 as the third quarter got underway, but Baylon reeled off three straight baskets, with Carlock’s basket from underneath putting the Panthers up 37-26 with 5:07 left in the quarter. Christian Hyon kept the Wildcats within striking distance, knocking down a three from the deep right wing, and brother Joshua’s runner and a baseline jumper by Sam Fieldman brought Wheatley back within 4, but Vazquez stopped them in their tracks, answering with a three pointer from straight on and a drive from the right wing to make it 42-33 with 2:41 remaining. His three point play at the 1:31 mark made it a 10 point game, and that was the margin as the fourth quarter began. Wheatley started to close the gap right from the start, with Joshua Hyon knocking down a three pointer from the top, and brother Christian’s three cut it to 51-46 with 4:27 to play. A fast break basket by Tripi and two Wheatley free throws made it a 1 point game with 2:32 left, and then a putback by Israel and the Wildcats had taken a 52-51 lead with 1:34 to play. Vazquez tied it with a free throw, and then Laing rebounded his missed second shot and scored to put the Panthers up 54-52 with 1:29 remaining, but a turnover gave Wheatley the ball with 32 seconds left trailing by 2, and Joshua Hyon drilled a three from just behind the left elbow for a 55-54 Wildcat lead with 11 seconds on the game clock. After a timeout, Babylon put the ball in the hands of their star, and Vazquez went coast to coast, slicing through defenders to score the winning basket. A desperation shot by Wheatley in the final moments was off target. Next up for Babylon, a matchup with Section 9 Champion Marlboro on Saturday at SUNY Old Westbury in the Regional Final, with the winner advancing to the New York State Class B Final Four in Glens Falls! 3/5
Farmingdale Outlasts CI
In the marquee matchup of the Nassau - Suffolk Challenge and a possible Long Island Class AA Championship Game preview, Long Island All-Star Dalique Mingo and Kevin Petit-Frere led 3rd ranked Farmingdale to a thrilling 64-60 victory over 7th ranked Central Islip in overtime. It was a bit of a lackluster first half, with the teams feeling each other out and the defenses limiting open looks, but CI jumped out first, going up 8-2 on putback by Long Island All-Star Tim McKenzie, a runner by David McKenzie, a steal and basket by Isaiah Booker, and a fast break basket by Malcolm Pridgeon. Farmingdale quickly responded, and a three point play by Curtis Jenkins at the 3:59 mark of the quarter tied it at 8 all. The Dalers took a 10-9 lead on a putback by Mingo, and led 12-9 on another putback, this time by Petit-Frere at the first quarter buzzer. Petit-Frere opened the second quarter with two free throws, and with CI struggling from the free throw line, Farmingdale continued to build its lead, going up 18-10 on a baseline drive and reverse layup by Petit-Frere and two free throws by Jenkins. The Dalers led 20-14 at the half. Mingo opened up the second half with a three pointer from left wing, and you could feel the pace and intensity level jump, with Booker answering on a beautiful drive, Jenkins countering with a drive, and Pridgeon rebounding and scoring, all within the first few minutes of the third quarter. Booker brought CI within 4 on a three pointer from the right wing, but Matt DiCarlo scored from underneath and Mingo knocked down another three and it was 33-23 Farmingdale with 1:25 to go in the quarter and 33-24 at the buzzer. Mingo opened the fourth quarter with a three pointer to give the Dalers a 12 point lead, but Booker converted a three point play on the other end to keep pace. Tim McKenzie’s drive and two free throws by David Moore continued the Musketeer run, and they pulled even on a basket by Devon Solomon from down low with 5:17 to play. The teams exchanged baskets and free throws to the 2:40 mark, when Booker's three from the left wing gave CI a 1 point lead, and then his runner from the same spot made it 46-43 with 2:19 to go. Two free throws by Jenkins brought the Dalers back within 1 and sent Tim McKenzie to the bench with 5 fouls, but Booker continued to step up, scoring his 7th straight point on a nice pull-up jumper with 1:15 left in regulation. The Musketeers had two chances to ice it down the stretch, but went 1 for 4 from the line to take a 50-47 lead and Mingo made them pay, tying it dramatically with a three pointer that sent the game into overtime. The lead went back and forth in OT, with Pridgeon putting CI on top early, and Mingo giving the Dalers the lead with a putback. Corey Pope's basket put Central Islip on top again, and after a Farmingdale free throw tied it, David McKenzie’s big three made it 57-54 CI with 2:14 left, but Mingo pulled up in the lane to make it a 1 point game. Another 1 for 2 trip at the foul line left the Musketeers up 2 with 1:36 to play, and this time Jenkins took advantage, tying it with a putback moments later. Petit-Frere’s drive put the Dalers on top 60-58 with 42 seconds to play, and CI could not respond. After a mad scramble for a loose ball, Farmingdale went to the line shooting two with 13 seconds left, but it was their turn to leave the door open when the second free throw was off target, leaving CI time for one last shot. Their hopes were quickly dashed when Petit-Frere picked off the outlet pass, and two more Farmingdale free throws accounted for the final margin. 1/20
Stony Brook C Champs
Stony Brook 43 Friends Academy 34
Neither the Stony Brook School nor Friends Academy are strangers to the Long Island Class C Championship Game. Friends has been Nassau Champion seven out of the last 10 years, while Stony Brook has represented Suffolk three out of the last 7, but only one can advance to the 2013 New York State Class C Regional Final, and this year it will be the Stony Brook Bears, who took control with a 13-2 second quarter and then held off the Quakers for a 43-34 victory. Jack Forlines struck first for Friends, opening the scoring with a three pointer from the top of the key, and his second three made it 8-5 Quakers with 4:20 to play in the opening quarter, but Andy Daniel sparked Stony Brook with a basket off an inbound play, and then Tyler Abrahamsen gave the Bears the lead with a three from the right wing. Brandon Odom followed him with another three, this one from the left wing, and Daniel added a basket from underneath to put the Bears up 15-8 with 1:05 remaining in the quarter, but Cyrus Holder’s three point play cut it to 15-11 at the first quarter buzzer. In the decisive second quarter, Marco Masakayan opened the scoring, cutting from the wing to the elbow and pulling up for a jumper, scoring again on a fast break basket, and then he drove down the right side of the lane and scored to make it 21-11 still early in the quarter. Abrahamsen followed up with a three pointer for a 13 point Stony Brook lead, and then Daniel caught the ball in the post, turned to the basket and scored to put the Bears up 28-13 at the half. Friends ramped up their defense to get back into it in the third quarter, scoring just 8 points on two putbacks and two free throws by Kellan Sehrin and a putback by Holder, but completely shutting out the Bears to draw within 7 as the quarter came to a close. The Quakers pulled within 5 on a steal and fastbreak basket by Jon Nierenberg to open up the fourth quarter, but Abrahamsen answered with a fast break basket of his own, and his three pointer from the top gave Stony Brook a 33-24 lead with 5:15 to go. A three point play by Daniel made it 36-24 Bears with 4:38 remaining, but Friends made one last push, with Sehring muscling up a basket from underneath, Holder scoring on an athletic putback, and Tyrone Perkins draining a three pointer from the left baseline to make it a 5 point game with 3:03 to play. They would get no closer. Daniel scored a big basket on the press break to put Stony Brook up 38-31 with 2:42 left, and the teams exchanged baskets and free throws down the stretch, with Abrahamsen knocking down two free throws for the final margin. 3/5
Class AA Championship
#4 Northport 43 #3 Baldwin 40
In a close, hard fought defensive game played in front of 3,000 rabid fans, Mike Milligan's three point play and Austin Marchese's steal and free throws led Northport past Baldwin in the Long Island Class AA Championship Game. The game started out badly, with Baldwin’s Jordan Williams going down with what looked like a serious knee injury shortly after Thomas Kennedy had given Northport a 2-0 lead, but when play resumed, Dan Nwalor’s basket from underneath put Baldwin on top, and Michael Abrahams knocked down a three from the left wing to make it 9-4 Bruins with 4:38 to play in the opening quarter. Northport cut the margin to 1 on a drive by Luke Petrasek and two free throws by Milligen, and then the Tigers took a 14-11 lead on a basket by Petrasek and a drive by Matt Smith, and that’s the way the first quarter ended. Miking Richardson’s three pointer from the top tied it at 14 as the second quarter got underway, but Northport answered with two free throws by Petrasek and a steal and basket by Smith to lead by 4 still early in the quarter. Richardson’s three point play and a fast break basket by Oluwa Bembury put the Bruins up 19-18, and then Bembury looped one in at the 1:20 mark to make it 24-20, but Andrew Seaman‘s two free throws cut the margin to 2 at the half. Seaman scored again to open the third quarter, knocking down a jumper from the left elbow to tie it, but a three pointer by Abrahams from the right wing gave Baldwin a 27-24 lead. The Tigers retaliated, going up 28-27 on another basket by Seaman and a cut and basket by Milligan, but Travais Hylton drilled a deep three pointer from behind the left elbow to give the Bruins the lead. Petrasek retook it, hitting four straight free throws to put Northport up 36-33 as the third quarter came to a close, and the lead was 4 after two Smith free throws early in the fourth quarter, but with Petrasek on the bench in foul trouble, Bembry drove down the left side of the lane and scored and Hylton hit a jumper from behind the left elbow to tie it. Elijah McMillan kept it going with a baseline jumper to give Baldwin a 40-38 lead with 2:46 remaining, but the clock ticked all the way down to the 49 second mark, when Smith found Milligan underneath to tie the game, and he drew a foul and knocked down his free throw for a 1 point Tiger lead. Baldwin called time in the front court with 32 seconds left, but Marchese soared and tipped away the inbound pass, scrambling for the ball, gaining possession and drawing a foul. Shooting 1 and 1, he knocked down both free throws with 23 seconds on the clock to make it 43-40 Tigers as the Northport crowd roared its approval. (Northport was an incredible 15 for 15 from the line for the game). Once again, Baldwin called time, now with 19 seconds to play, but the Bruins could not find an open look in the final seconds, with a long three pointer missing its mark, and the Tigers were on their way to Glens Falls for the New York State Class AA Final Four next Saturday. 3/9
Bees In D Heatbreaker
MLK 44 Bridgehampton 42
Bridgehampton had trailed the entire game and by 7 going into the fourth quarter, but rallied dramaticly to take a 42-41 lead on Josh Lamison's putback with just under a minute to play. It looked like they were Final Four bound when MLK’s game winning shot was off target as the clock ticked down toward zero, but the rebound was tipped back to the shooter, and he found the net on his second attempt to end the Killer Bee’s season 44-42 in the New York State Class D Regional Final. 3/8
NY STATE CLASS AA SEMI
New Rochelle 60 Northport 46
After a tight first quarter, New Rochelle had a strong second quarter and led by 9 at the half and by as many as 12, but Northport got back within 4 in the fourth quarter before the Huguenots pulled away down the stretch to advance to the New York State Class AA Championship Game. The Tigers started out well, with Austin Marchese scoring on a drive and a three pointer from the right wing, and then scoring again on a drive for a 7-4 Northport lead, but a long range three by Derek Dorn put New Rochelle up 8-7, and the Huguenots took a 3 point lead on a putback by Joe Clarke before Aaron Pulver’s elbow jumper cut it to 14-13 at the first quarter buzzer. Luke Petrasek’s baseline drive gave Northport a 15-14 lead as the second quarter got underway, but New Rochelle answered with a 9-1 run, punctuated by a fast break dunk by Clarke, and led 23-16 with 3:06 to play in the half and 29-20 at the half on Sean Fenner’s putback at the buzzer. Donny Powell opened the second half with a runner for an 11 point New Rochelle lead, but Petrasek would not let the the Tigers fall any further behind, scoring twice to keep the margin in single digits, and his two free throws just before the third quarter buzzer made it a 10 point game. Petrasek opened the fourth quarter with a drive from the top of the key, scoring and drawing a foul for a three point play, and followed it with a three pointer from the baseline to cut the margin to 41-37, but Terrence Holden broke the Tiger momentum with a three point play of his own, and Clarke powered in from the baseline and scored to make it 46-37 New Rochelle with 5:36 to play. Thomas Kennedy drained a three pointer from the right wing to make it a 6 point game with 5:10 left, but Clarke scored from the lane with 3:47 remaining for an 8 point New Rochelle lead, and then he scored again on a fast break dunk and the Tigers were in trouble, trailing 50-40 at the 3:10 mark. Petrasek’s dunk brought Northport within 8 with 2:42 to go, and after a Huguenot turnover, they had a chance to narrow the gap, but came up empty and Holden knocked down two free throws to put New Rochelle back up by 10. Marchese’s basket made it 52-44, but Holden came through at the line again with 1:26 left, and then a steal and fastbreak dunk by Edney made it 56-44 and New Rochelle was on their way to the Championship Game. 3/16
The 2013 Honor Roll!
STATE PLAYOFF BRACKETS
To see playoff brackets from any public school section in New York State, plus CHSAA, PSAL, and Private School Tournament brackets,
Class A Championship
Amityville 64 Jericho 52
Amityville was just about everybody's pick to win the Long Island Class A Championship this season, and they fulfilled their destiny, building a second quarter lead and holding on to defeat Nassau Champion Jericho and advance to the New York State Class A Final Four next Saturday in Glens Falls. The game was tight at the start, with Jericho taking a 6-4 lead on a baseline drive by Derek Medolla, Amityville going up 14-8 on back to back three pointers by Sean Walters, and the Jayhawks closing the gap on baskets by David Orr and Mike Goren to pull within 2 at the first quarter buzzer. The tide changed in the second quarter, with Amityville going up 18-12 on a fastbreak basket by Kavion Green and a putback by Phil McCloud, padding the lead with Travis Dickerson's fast break layup, and then closing out the half on back to back baskets by Andy Laurent to take a 35-22 lead into the locker room. The Warriors continued to build their lead in the second half with a dunk by Zach Tannis, went up by 16 on Mike Alston's three pointer from the right wing with 4:10 to go in the quarter, and up 17 on a baseline cut and basket by Green with 2:42 left, but Jericho got back within string distance on 6 straight points by Garrett Johnson, who knocked down a three pointer and was fouled attempting another three, hitting all 3 free throws to bring the Jayhawks within 11. Green scored the quarters final basket to make it 49-36 Amityville with three quarters complete. The teams exchanged baskets and free throws to start the fourth quarter, but a putback and free throw by Medolla with 5:19 to play reduced the margin to single digits. The Warriors rebuilt their lead with an acrobatic drive by Laurent and a basket by Smith from underneath to make it 59-46 with 2:55 to go, and after the Jayhawks came up empty at the foul line, Green scored a fastbreak basket for a 15 point Amityville lead with 2:21 to play. Jericho would get no closer than the final margin after that. 3/9
Class C Regional Final
Pine Brook 44 Stony Brook 39
Stony Brook looked overmatched, with Section IX Champion Pine Brook towering over them as the teams took the court for the tip-off, but after falling into a 14 point fourth quarter hole, Marco Masakayan led a spirited Bears comeback that fell short in their New York State Regional Final. Pine Brook effectively used their height advantage right from the start, with 6’7 Tyler Lydon rebounding and scoring to open the game and then driving diagonally across the lane and scoring, and to make matters worse, 6’8 Zach Lydon knocked down a three pointer from behind the right elbow to make it 10-3 Bombers. The Pine Brook zone defense was just as effective, keeping Stony Brook completely out of the paint and forcing the Bears to put up difficult long range shots just to avoid shot clock violations. The result was a 12-3 deficit at the first quarter buzzer after a coast to coast basket by Adam Miller, but surprisingly, the impending blow-out never materialized. Stony Brook dominated the second quarter, outscoring the team from the West Point area 7-1 in a low scoring quarter behind staunch defense of their own and 5 points from Tyler Abrahamsen. Pine Plains reasserted itself in the third quarter after Masakayan cut the margin to 1 with two free throws. Cooper drained a three pointer from the left wing and so did Zach Lydon, and after Masakayan responded, Drew Evans scored on the break and Zach Lydon hooked one off the glass to put the Bombers up 29-17. A free throw made it a 13 point game with three quarters in the books. Brandon Odom opened the fourth quarter with a three pointer from behind the left elbow to bring Stony Brook within 10, but it was 36-22 Pine Plains after a fast break basket by Evans with 5:04 to play. Max Pitsch got Stony Brook’s final push going with a three pointer from the top at the 3:15 mark to bring the Bears back within 10, and Abrahamson's three made it a 7 point game, but the rally stalled after a missed free throw and a turnover, and the Bombers led by 9 after two free throws by Justin Cooper with 1:39 left. A three point play by Odom cut the lead to 39-33 with 1:11 showing, but Zach Lydon scored a big basket off a basket cut to give Pine Plains a 41-33 lead with less than a minute to play. Masakayan kept Stony Brook hopes alive with a three pointer from the right wing with 40 seconds remaining, and then his three with 8 seconds left brought the Bears within 3, but Cooper knocked down two more free throws to ice it.
300 For Rossetti!
Seaford defeated Clarke 53-37 to improve to 7-3 on the season and register Head Coach Ralph Rossetti's 300th career victory! Rossetti is in his 31st year at the helm, and has won three conference titles and one County Championship.
1/12 Highlights
#1 LuHi Overwhelms Baldwin
LuHi's full court pressing/trapping defense gets better every time out, and they completely took Baldwin out of their game, going wire to wire for an impressive 62-33 win over the 7th ranked Bruins. The Crusaders featured a balanced attack led by Ryan Boyd with 13 points, Kentan Facey with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Tawayne Anderson with 10 points. Eric Mack had 10 for Baldwin.
Whitman Trips #12 Bay Shore
Top to bottom, Suffolk League 2 is shaping to be one of the strongest leagues in the metro area. This time, Walt Whitman stepped up and knocked off 12th ranked Bay Shore 53-49 behind 13 points from Travaun Patronand 12 from Kieran Elmore. Bryson Lassiter led Bay Shore with 22.
Hills West Beats East In OT
It's been a while since Hills East could stay with Hills West, but the crosstown rivals had a barn burner this year, with West rallying from an 11 point fourth quarter deficit for a 79-76 win in overtime. Marcus Solomon was the hero for West, knocking down back to back threes to send the game into OT and Jamir Blackman took it from there with 6 points in the extra session. Terry Harris led West with 24 points and 12 rebounds and Mike Simon had 22 for East.
GNS Holds Off Bellmore
It was our first chance to see Great Neck South this season, and they are a legitimate contender in Nassau Class AA, improving to 7-1 with a 73-65 road win over a tough Bellmore JFK team. The Rebels capitalized on their significant size advantage in the early going, pounding the ball into big man Mitchell Finkel to build a 19-10 lead, but Bellmore can shoot the three pointer, and Tyler Merron knocked one down in the final seconds of the quarter to bring the Cougars within 4 at the buzzer. The Great Neck lead was 11 after James Smith scored from underneath with 4:16 remaining in the half, and Finkel’s basket made it 33-21 at the 2:11 mark, but Merron’s right wing three pointer and Ralph Faiella’s left wing three cut it to 33-27 at the break. Brett Kleinberg opened the second half with a three, the first of 8 straight points for the Rebels, and then the teams traded baskets until 5:21 remained in the third quarter, when back to back threes by Ethan Jones and Chris Racalbutoa nd a fast break basket by Merron cut the GNS lead to 45-38. The Cougars continued to inch closer on a three pointer by Racalbuto with 1:19 left, pulling within 5, but South went back to the big man for a basket, and then Ben Lee’s drive from the right wing made it 53-44 Great Neck as the quarter came to a close. Merron opened the fourth quarter with two free throws for Bellmore, and Jake Berger's back to back threes brought the Cougars within striking distance, but Gil Weiss held them off with a fast break basket with 4:12 to go. Bellmore drew within 4 on Faiella’s two free throws with 1:24 left, but they would get no closer, with Lee going 6 for 7 from the line down the stretch to ice it for GNS. Finkle finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds for GNS, Lee with 18 points, and Brandon Brown had a strong game with 10 points and 10 assists. Faiella led the Cougars with 23 and Merron had 19, and they knocked down 13 three pointers as a team. When you shoot like that you can play with anybody! 1/8
Schechter Stuns Portledge
Portledge dominated the IPPSAL last season, and looked like they were on their way to doing it again this season, but a shorthanded Solomon Schechter team stopped them in their tracks, jumping out in front early and holding on for a convincing 60-48 victory. Max Solasz stepped up, scoring 17 points and dishing out 11 assists, and Cole and Sam Eiber both finished with 11 points. Terence Simpson had 23 for Portledge.
New York State Rankings
The latest New York State rankings are out, and here are where our best teams are rated:
CLASS AA
2. LUHI
18. CENTRAL ISLIP
25. NORTHPORT
CLASS A
8. ST. MARY'S
19. HOLY TRINITY
21. KELLENBERG
23. AMITYVILLE
CLASS B
17. SOUTHAMPTON
CLASS C
18. FRIENDS ACADEMY
CLASS D
NONE
1/3 Highlights
Riverhead Improves to 7-1
What team is alone in first place in Suffolk League AA3? Smithtown West? North Babylon? No, its Riverhead! The Blue Waves improved to 4-0 in league play with a 74-53 win over Centereach. Kwaun Arrington and Ryan Bitzer led a balanced attack with 15 points each.
South Side Takes Jericho
In the latest installment of this great rivalry, South Side rallied past Jericho 54-43 behind 17 points from Gerald Mitchell and 13 from Brendan McDerby. Garrett Johnson led Jericho with 17.
Northport Grant Champs
There is nothing better this time of year than two strong teams battling it out for the championship of a holiday tournament, and that's exactly what happened at this year’s Bob Grant Classic. In a game played in front of a packed house, #11 Northport rallied from a 7 point deficit to defeat an excellent Smithtown West team 63-60. Northport struck first, with Matt Smith scoring off the tip, Luke Petrasek looping one in from the lane, andThomas Kennedy scoring on the press break to make it 6-2 Tigers in the early going, but Eric Joseph’st hree pointer from the left foul line extended cut it to 8-7, and a fast break basket by Dylan Gruder gave the Bulls an 11-10 lead with 3:54 to go in the opening quarter. Matt Marrero extended the lead to 13-10 with a basket from underneath, and then Ryan Hickey’s three pointer from the right side made it 20-16 Smithtown at the first quarter buzzer. A baseline jumper by Bill Behrens put the Bulls up 25-20 at the 3:25 mark of the second quarter, but Northport rallied and a basket by Tyler Wojcik tied it at 27, and then Mike Milligan found Kennedy cutting to the basket to put Northport on top 29-28 with 1:22 left in the half. A Smithtown free throw sent the teams into the locker room tied at 29 all. Petrasek pulled up for a jumper from just outside the lane to put Northport up by 2 as the second half got underway, and Milligan’s fast break dunk made it 33-29 Tigers, but Hickey nailed a pull up jumper from the baseline and followed it with a long range three pointer from the left side to put Smithtown back in front, and a fast break basket by Behrens and a putback by Mike Cohen put the Bulls up 46-39 as the third quarter came to a close. Wojcik’s turnaround jumper from the low post brought Northport within 5 as the fourth quarter got underway, but Behrens answered with a reverse layup. Smith countered with a three pointer from the left foul line extended, but Behrens answered again with a three from straight on, and it was still a 7 point game with 5:41 to play. Smith nailed another three, this time from the left baseline, and Austin Marchese made it a two point game with two free throws, but Behrens struck again, knocking down a three from the left of center to give Smithtown a 54-49 lead with 3:30 showing. Then in the game's pivotal sequence, Kennedy’s three pointer from the right baseline brought Northport back within 2 with 2:53 to play, Smith’s fall away jumper from the right elbow tied it with 2:16 on the clock, and then Smith drove to the basket and scored to put the Tigers on top 58-56 as the clock dipped under the 2 minute mark. Northport would never trail again. Smithtown had a chance to tie, but went 1 for 2 from the line with 1:25 to go, and then Smith came down and hit a huge 3 from the right wing to give Northport a 61-57 lead with 49 seconds left. Hickey answered with a three to keep Smithtown alive, and after the Tigers took some time off the clock, it looked like the Bulls would get a chance to take the lead when they knocked the ball loose from Marchese as he penetrated to the basket, but he scrambled after it, recovered it in the lane and looped it into the basket over outstretched hands for a 3 point Northport lead with 2.9 seconds remaining. Behrens and Hickey were both seemingly scoring at will, so the game was by no means over, but Milligan ended the threat, soaring through the air and picking off the long inbound pass to preserve the victory. 12/28
SJB Showcase
Ninth ranked Kellenberg out battled Thomas Edison 68-65 in the premier matchup of the inaugural SJB Holiday Showcase (more below), while host and 10th ranked SJB dismantled Far Rockaway 79-48, 12th ranked Holy Trinity rolled over Queens HS of Construction 81-47, and John Bowne thumped Roosevelt 67-48. Vincent Abbondola had 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 steals for the Cougars and Tavon Ginyard finished with 14 points and 11 assists, while Damon Coleman picked up 18 points and 6 assists and Isaiah Rowe 16 points and 9 rebounds for the Titans.
KELLENBERG vs THOMAS EDISON
Edison is a solid Class AA team from the PSAL and was the best New York City team at the Showcase. They are one of the few teams in the metro area that have the size to match up well with unbeaten Kellenberg, and hammered St. Dominic earlier in the season, so a battle was expected and that's exactly how it played out. The first half was tight and back and forth the whole way, with Kellenberg holding a 1 point lead at intermission. The Firebirds looked like they might take control as the second half got underway, with Long Island All-Star Jeremy Arthur knocking down a three pointer, following it with a reverse layup, and then Bryan Gellineau scoring on a putback for a 42-33 lead, but Edison responded with an 8-1 run to get back into it. Kellenberg reasserted itself as the quarter wound down, with a Connor Powers long range three pointer from the right wing giving them a 51-44 lead as the quarter came to a close. Arthur opened the fourth quarter with a 3 pointer from the right baseline to put the Firebirds up by 10, but Edison kept pace, and a steal and fast break basket made it a 3 point game with 4:38 remaining. A big three pointer by Powers at the 3:08 mark put Kellenberg up 62-55, but Edison ran off three straight baskets to pull within 1 at the 1:17 mark. It was crunch time for the Firebirds, and Powers broke free for a fast break layup and a 3 point lead with 1:09 showing, but Edison kept pace with a runner from the right wing with less than a minute to play. Powers stepped up again, scoring on an inbound play with 44 seconds left, and then Arthur's two free throws made it 68-63 Kellenberg with 23 seconds on the clock and Edison could not respond until seconds remained. Arthur finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists and Powers with 18 points. 12/22
BBP Over Glenn In OT
Bayport-Blue Point took control of this big League 6 matchup in overtime on baskets by Connor Panzner and Jared Gray, and went on to a 54-50 victory, improving their overall record to 7-1. Bayport got off to a good start in front of their home crowd, going up 8-0 on a pull-up jumper by Dylan Adams from just behind the foul line, but Glenn rallied and a putback by Kenny Rosenbach at the first quarter buzzer cut it to 14-12. A baseline jumper by Robert Whitehorn tied it at 14 as the second quarter got underway, and Jeff Park plunged down the lane and scored to give the Knights their first lead. A three pointer by Darryl Daniels put the visitors up 20-14 with 4:55 left in the half, and the lead was 8 after Wayne White’s elbow jumper, and as high as 9, but a timely three point play by Panzner and a putback by Lucas Jenks and the Phantoms were back within 4 at the half. Brandon Taylor opened the second half with a drive, and Whitehorn knocked down a right elbow jumper to give Glenn an early 31-23 lead, but another three point play by Panzner and a strong post move byDalton Prendergastand Bayport was back within 4. The Phantoms retook the lead on two free throws by Jenks and a three pointer by Adams from the left wing and led 36-35 lead as the third quarter ended. Rosenbach put Glenn back on top with a baseline jumper, and his baseline drive and a reverse layup by Whitehorn made it 44-38 Knights with 3:32 to go in regulation, but Prendergast bulled his way to the basket and scored, and his blocked shot led to another three pointer by Adams that tied it with 1:01 left. Park and Panzner exchanged drives as the 4th quarter wound down, but the teams exchanged turnovers in the final seconds, and the game went into overtime tied at 46. Panzer scored off the tip to get the Phantoms off and running in OT, and Gray followed with a fast break basket for a quick 4 point Bayport lead. As the clock wound down, Glenn could not find the basket, and Panzner went 4 for 4 from the foul line to ice it. 12/20
Bay Shore Rips Hempstead
In an old school match-up between two programs with great basketball traditions, eighth ranked Bay Shore got into a first half hole against Hempstead, but rallied to take a two point lead at intermission, and then dominated the second half, pulling away for an impressive 55-39 victory. Hempstead got off to a strong start, with Tidell Pierre and John Blocker knocking down threes as they built a lead, going up 15-6 on a steal and fast break basket by Tywan Watson. Bryson Lassiter wouldn't let them take control however, hitting a big three pointer to make it 17-11 when it looked like Hempstead might break it open, and it was a 6 point game at the first quarter buzzer. Arnold Coward's three pointer made it 20-11 Tigers, but Jason Wright started a Bay Shore run with 6 straight points, and Lassiter's three pointer and two free throws brought the Marauders within 2. Hempstead's second shot clock violation in the closing minutes of the half gave Bay Shore the ball back with 37 seconds left, and Devin Farmer drew a foul and tied it with two free throws on the next possession. Jason Wright then stole the inbound pass and scored just before the buzzer to give Bay Shore a 28-26 lead at the break. The Marauders went right to work as the second half got underway, with Jason Wright's and Farmer's free throws giving them a 7 point lead, and a fast break basket by Gerrell Irvin put them up 40-31. Jason Wright's fast break dunk and runner from the lane and Furious Jackson's putback gave Bay Shore a 14 point lead as the fourth quarter got underway, and Lassiter's steal, basket, and free throw made it 50-33 with 4:28 remaining. Hempstead never challenged after that. Lassiter finished with a game high 19 points, and Jason Wright had 18 for Bay Shore. Pierre led Hempstead with 13. 12/4
Jericho Rips North Shore
Jericho's Garret Johnson picked up where he left off last season, leading the Jayhawks to a 26-7 first quarter lead and an 83-56 victory over North Shore. Johnson finished with 8 three pointers and 36 points. 11/30
Shaq Goes For 63!
Uniondale's Shaq Mosley made his prep school debut, scoring 63 points in Mt. Zion Christian Academy's 2OT win over Central Carolina Community College. He was 4 points shy of the school record held by the NBA's Jarret Jack. Mosley added 10 assists and 5 steals!
HELP LONG BEACH!
Long Beach was particularly devastated by the storm. Not only have players lost their homes, but the school was hit badly too, losing equipment, uniforms, and use of their gym. Ways To Help: Island Harvest, Long Island Cares, Red Cross, Save the Children, Team Rubicon, ASPCA
Hurricane Sandy Hotlines:
New York State: 1-888-769-724
Aging/Elderly: 1-800-342-9871
Chemical/Oil Spills:
1-800-457-7362
Disability Assistance:
1-800-342-3009
Insurance /Banking issues:
1-800-339-1759
Mental Health :1-800-985-5990
Businesses (power issues, flooding, etc..): 1-888-769-7243
Utilities:
1-800-342-3377 (7:30am - 7:30pm)
Transportation: (518) 485-8621
EH Holds Off Mt. Sinai
The East Hampton Bonackers jumped out to a big lead in their early season showdown with Mt. Sinai, but had to hold off the Mustangs for a 65-63 victory. It was 5-4 Mt. Sinai when Dan McKee ignited the Bonackers with a three pointer from the left foul line extended to put them on top, and then Thomas Nelson buried a three from the left wing and Thomas King back to back threes from the right wing and it was suddenly 16-5 East Hampton. King's baseline drive and reverse layup and a fast break basket by Juan Cuevas made it 22-8 Bonackers, and McKee's three pointer at the buzzer gave East Hampton a 27-12 lead with one quarter in the books. McKee opened the second quarter with a three pointer from the left wing for an 18 point East Hampton lead, and aCuevasjumper made it 34-15 with 5:05 to go in the half, but a three by Coles Williams and Jimmy Presser's fast break basket cut it it to 36-25 at the half. The Mustangs pounded the ball into Long Island All-Star Mike Guzzardi to start the second half, and he reeled off 6 straight points to bring Mt. Sinai within 5. The Bonnacker's shots were no longer falling, and when the defense dropped back to help with Guzzardi, Presser knocked down back to back threes from straight on to give Mt. Sinai a 39-38 lead at the 4:29 mark of the quarter. East Hampton responded, penetrating to the basket and drawing fouls on consecutive possessions, with Nelson and Rolando Garces converting to put them back up by 3, and then King's three pointer at the buzzer made it 53-47 Bonackers after three quarters. It was the close, hard fought game we anticipated in the fourth quarter, with the teams exchanging baskets most of the way. Mt. Sinai finally closed the gap on Alex Pintabona's three pointer from the right baseline, which cut it to 62-60 with 2:12 to go, but neither team could find the basket down the stretch, and King was fouled with 9 seconds left. His two free throws gave East Hampton a big 4 point lead, but Guzzardi raced down court and buried a three with 3 seconds left to make it a 1 point game. McKee's free throw left the Bonackers clinging to a 2 point lead, but Mt. Sinai's potential game winner, a desperation long range shot, was off target as the buzzer sounded. 12/14
December 13th Highlights
Second ranked Deer Park opened their season with a 88-33 demolition of Comsewogue..... Hills West and Bellport renewed their rivalry with a 56-50 overtime game won by Hills West.Terry Harris led the Colts with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists........ 12th ranked Lawrence continues to impress, taking down Class AA MacArthur 66-40 led by 20 points and 10 rebounds from Randy Wallace.....
Uniondale Bounces Back
Ninth ranked Uniondale pulled away from St. Dominic 60-49 to even their record at 1-1 on the season. Jerel McGary led the Knights with 17 points and Aaron Cust had 16 points and 6 assists. Francisco Williams led the Bayhawks with 24 points. 12/11
Nassau Top 40
Nassau County’s top 40 public school players converged on the beautiful new Town Of Oyster Bay/PAL Athletic Facility in Hicksville for the annual Top 40 All-Star Double Header. Game 1 was one-sided, with Uniondale star Aaron Cust exploding for 20 first half points to lead his team to the win. He finished with 34. Elmont’s Marc Anthony Campbell added 19 points, Roslyn’s Mark Gjonlekaj had 16, and Lynbrook’s Mike McVeigh was deadly from behind the arc, knocking down 4 from long range to finish with 12. MacArthur’s Andrew Seniuk impressed in a losing cause, finishing with 15 hard fought points, and Uniondale’s Imran Ritchie had 14. Game two was a battle from wire to wire, with Andrew Fellus from Herricks hitting a big three and four free throws down the stretch to secure the win. He, Kewan Bebee from Glen Cove, and Jerel McGary from Uniondale all finished with 10 points for the winning team. Jericho’s Garret Johnson hit a big shot for the losing team to keep it close, and he and Elmont’s Tim Lewis led another balanced attack with 12 points apiece, while Jonah Kaplan from Oceanside and Gerald Mitchell from South Side had 10 each. Next up, 10 players from this doubleheader will be selected to represent Nassau County against the Suffolk County All-Stars. The date of that game will be determined when the dates for the Suffolk Coaches Academy and Top 40 Doubleheader are announced.
GAME 1 ROSTERS
WHITE TEAM
Mukuka Lwimba
Imran Ritchie
Christian Hyon
Andrew Seniuk
TJ Danns
Tidell Pierre
Clifton Lyerly
Darren Davy
Oluwa Bernbuy
Raymond Young
BLUE TEAM
Jared Bursky
Marc Anthony Campbell
Mike McVeigh
Rich Dipuma
Evan Dorman
Adrian Denner
Aaron Cust
Mark Gjonlekaj
Nick Petrucelli
Keith Tomkins
GAME 2 ROSTERS
WHITE TEAM
Andrew Fellus
Tristan Brown
Kewan Beebe
Jerel McGary
Mike Waszczuk
Joe Campay
James Curley
Jaaz Styles
Dana King
Brandon Devine
BLUE TEAM
Cody Zafran
Timothy Lewis
Alec Ludwig
Miking Richardson
Jonah Kaplan
Garret Johnson
Franklyn Mickens
Dalique Mingo
Gerald Micthell
Daniel Alexander
Brady Verbals D1!
Harborfields center Chris Brady gave a verbal commitment to Longwood University, a member of the D1 Big South Conference. His former teammate, Lucas Woodhouse, is a freshman at Longwood this year!
Uniondale Heartbreaker
Of all the great matchups in this season’s Upstate/Downstate Challenge, the one between Mt. St. Michael and Uniondale was by far the best. Host Uniondale had the lead most of the way, but it was a close and well played game throughout, and ended when a closely contested three pointer at the buzzer gave Mt. St. Michael's a dramatic win and broke the hearts of the Uniondale faithful that had packed the house. The 2012-2013 edition of the Uniondale Knights is one of the most exciting in recent years, with a lightning quick lineup of talented and aggressive players, and any thought that they were overmatched by the CHSAA school was quickly dispelled. Mt. St. Michael did jump out to a 4-0 lead, but the Knights responded with 7 straight points, including a nice three point play by Imran Ritchie, and the Mountaineers knew they were in for a battle. Mt. St. Michael's went back on top 10-7, but back to back baskets by Jaaz Styles gave the Knights a one point lead at the first quarter buzzer, and Alan McDonald’s basket from the low post put them up 13-10 as the second quarter got underway. Styles, who earned himself a spot on our player to watch list, extended the lead with a three pointer from the baseline, and his fast break basket made it 21-14 with 3:32 to go in the half, but six straight points by Marcus Patterson and it was a one point game with 1:33 remaining. A jumper byKevin Demosthenesfrom the left elbow stopped the run and gave Uniondale a 3 point lead as they headed into the locker room. Mt. St. Michael quickly tied it as the third quarter got underway, but McDonald scored from underneath and Styles went coast to coast to put the Knights back up by 4 at the 5:07 mark of the quarter. It was tied again at 27, and a free throw gave Mt. St. Michael a brief lead with 3:43 remaining, butJerel Mcgaryknocked down two free throws, and his three pointer from the right wing made it 36-30 Uniondale with 1:35 to go. A baseline jumper by Kelvin Riley at the buzzer cut it to 37-34, and he rolled to the basket and scored to make it a one point game as the fourth quarter got underway. A free throw tied it at 37, but Aaron Cust, who not surprisingly was the focus of the defense and did a great job staying within the offense and not forcing shots, fought off defenders and hit a baseline runner to regain the lead. Stephan Chong’s putback and a basket by Judah Alexander from underneath and Mt. St. Michael’s was up 44-41 with 2:52 to go, but a beautiful running left hander by Styles from the wing and a strong basket from the low post by Doyin Adeyeye-Akintobi made it 45-44 Uniondale with 1:28 to go. After a great defensive sequence, it was Uniondale ball with 55 seconds left, but the Knights could not convert and Mt. St. Michael’s held for the last shot. Andrew Utate nailed it from the left foul line extended with defenders all over him and 2 seconds on the clock for the victory. 12/9
LONG ISLAND
COACH OF THE YEAR
He took over a (4-10, 6-12) team and instilled them with a team first defensive philosophy that carried them all the way to the New York State Class AA Semifinals and the number two spot in our Final Sweet 16 poll. The 2013 Long Island Basketball.com Coach Of The Year is
Andrew D'Eloia
of Northport
ALL-LONG ISLAND
SENIORS
Nick Arnold, Commack
Jeremy Arthur, Kellenberg
Ryan Boyd, LuHi
Damon Coleman, Holy Trinity
Kentan Facey, LuHi
Andrew Fellus, Herricks
Ryan Hickey, Smithtown West
Dalique Mingo, Farmingdale
Luke Petrasek, Northport
Jon Patron, Harborfields
Tidell Pierre, Hempstead
Hunter Sabety, Oceanside
JUNIORS
Tristan Brown, Elmont
Nigel Carter, St. Anthony’s
Anfernee Casimir, St. Anthony’s
Dwayne Daniel, Lawrence
Travis Dickerson, Amityville
Aaren Edmead, Deer Park
Terry Harris, Hills West
Curtis Jenkins, Farmingdale
Femi Olujobi, Brentwood
Tim Quashie, LuHi
Kyle Wiliams, SJB
Cody Zafron, East Meadow
LuHi Advances To Final
In their first year of playing in Class AA, Long Island Lutheran advanced to their third straight New York Federation State Championship Game with a convincing 73-55 over PSAL Champion Lincoln. FULL STORY
NY State Tournament Of Champions
The New York State Federation Tournament Of Champions begins this Friday at the Times Union Center in Albany. The Federation Tournament matches up the public, private, and catholic school state champions to determine one overall New York State Champion in the AA, A, and B classifications. LuHi will represent Long Island once again as Private School Champion, this year in Class AA for the first time. They take on PSAL Champion Lincoln, while CHSAA Champion Christ The King faces Public School Champion Bishop Kearney from Rochester in the other semifinal.
NY STATE CLASS B SEMIS
Babylon 67 Westhill 57
Fernando Vazquez was at his best in this State Semifinal, slicing through the defense and scoring, knocking down three pointers and free throws, and finishing with 40 points to lead Babylon back from a 15 point first half deficit and into the NYSPSAA Class B State Championship Game. Westhill dominated the first half, taking an early 9-3 lead on a fast break basket by Jordan Roland, and going up 14-7 on a three point play by Kevin Karleski, but Vazquez cut it to 19-14 with a pull-up jumper just before the first quarter buzzer. The Warriors continued to build their lead in the second quarter, with Tyler Reynolds opening the quarter with a three pointer from the left baseline, bumping the lead to 31-18 with another three from the same spot, and they were up 15 on another fast break basket by Reynolds with 1:04 to play in the half, but once again Vazquez kept it from getting out of hand, stealing the ball and scoring to cut it to 37-24 at intermission. Babylon began to narrow the lead as soon as the third quarter got underway, with Vazquez knocking down 2 out of 3 free throws to open the quarter, and then he came off a screen and drained a three pointer from the top to make it an 8 point game with 4:33 left. Sophomore Brendan Laing, who despite foul trouble had an excellent game, knocked down two free throws to cut the margin to 6, and after an athletic offensive rebound and putback by Jake Carlock, the Panthers drew within 3 on Ray Wardell’s two free throws. A short baseline jumper by Reynold’s kept Babylon from drawing even, and Roland’s left wing three pointer made it 46-40 Westhill, but two more free throw by Vazquez made it a 4 point game with three quarters complete. The Warriors struck first in the fourth quarter, with Dan O’Connel scoring from underneath, but Babylon continued to close in, with Vazquez banking one off the glass from the lane and then draining a three from behind the left elbow, and the Panthers took the lead on a steal and basket by Carlock with 6 minutes to play. Vazquez buried a deep three from straight on to put Babylon up by 4, Laing backed in and scored from the low post to make it 54-48, but Karleski responded with a three point play to bring the Warriors back within 3 with 4:22 remaining. Westhill had a chance to draw within 1, but came up empty at the foul line, and Wardell scored from underneath and Vazquez put back his own miss in traffic to make it 60-53 Panthers with 1:45 left. Wardell’s two free throws made it 64-55 with 1:03 to play, but Jeff Lobello’s drive made it a 7 point game at the 56 second mark to keep Westhill hopes alive, and after a turnover, they got the ball back with 53 seconds left, but Carlock rebounded a missed shot, was fouled and iced it with two free throws. 3/15
We Have A Big Man Camp!
There is a long list of things the Long Island basketball community needs in order to keep pace with the rest of the country, and a good big man camp is one of them. We have one now, March 23rd and 24th at NorthSport. An elite group of big men, led by New York State Mr. Basketball and McDonalds All-American Jason Fraser, will take players through intense workouts designed to show them how to be dominant around the basket and from the high post, and also how to build their bodies in order to dominate other skilled post players. Go to the NorthSport website for more information or to register!
STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS!
The New York Public School State Championships are this weekend in Glens Falls, NY, and if you've never been there, this is the year to go! Three Long Island schools have advanced to the Final Four in their respective classes! If you can't make it, LongIslandBasketball.com will be providing full coverage of all of their games from courtside, including quarterly score updates. GO TO THE SCHEDULE PAGE FOR LINKS TO LIVE COVERAGE. The first team playing this weekend is Long Island Class B Champion Babylon, who will take on Section 3 Champion Westhill (20-3 and ranked fourth in New York State Class B). The game will be Friday night at 6:45 PM. If Babylon advances, they will play again Saturday at 9 PM in the New York state Class B State Championship Game. Next up is Long Island Class A Champion Amityville, who will face 18-4 Burke Catholic, ranked 3rd in the state and one of the dominant teams in Class B for many years, in one semifinal. Burke has stepped up to Class A this season, and done very well, but two of their losses have been to Long Island teams (St. Mary's and LuHi). Game time is 9 AM Saturday and the championship game is 1:30 PM Sunday. Then at 12:30 PM Saturday, Northport takes on 15-9 Cinderella New Rochelle in a Class AA Semifinal. New Rochelle upset Mount Vernon and Kingston to advance to Glens Falls The Class AA State Championship Game is at 3:30 PM. SEE YOU THERE!
NY STATE CLASS A SEMI
Burke Catholic 68 Amityville 50
Burke Catholic hadn’t had much luck against Long Island teams this season, falling to both St. Mary’s and LuHi, but the Eagles were at their best in their New York State Class A Semifinal, racing out to a 9-0 lead and rolling past Amityville to advance to the State Championship Game. Amityville came into the game with a reputation as a strong defensive team, but it was Burke’s defense that completely took the Warriors out of their rhythm, generating fast break baskets off turnovers while their good ball handling and excellent ball movement kept Amityville from getting easy baskets on their end. It was 16-4 Burke after Michael Coffey’s three pointer from right wing, but the lead was down to 9 at the end of the first quarter on a steal and basket by Andy Laurent, and Kavion Green rebounded and scored to cut it to 16-9 as the second quarter got underway. Jack Dwyer, Burk’s outstanding junior point guard, answered with a drive, Coffey scored off an inbound play, and Dwyer put back his own miss to put the Eagles up by 13, and then Pat Joyner’s three pointer from behind the right elbow and a tip-in by Stan Buczek gave them a 34-18 lead at intermission. Laurent’s drive and then two free throws cut the margin to 35-22 early in the third quarter, Sean Walters cut it to 37-29 with a steal and basket, and Mike Smith’s three pointer brought the Warriors within 7 at the 3:14 mark of the quarter, but Burke responded with 6 straight points, with Coffey knocking down two free throws, Buzek scoring from underneath, and Joyner driving down the baseline and scoring to put the Eagles up by 13 and that was the margin as the third quarter came to a close. Green opened the fourth quarter with a three point play for Amityville, trimming the Burke lead to 10, and Smith’s pull up jumper from the elbow made it 47-39, but once again the Eagles held off the Warriors, with Dwyer knocking down 3 out of 4 free throws, and then Coffey’s three point play and Dwyer’s pull-up jumper made it 57-41 Burke with 4:38 remaining. Amityville needed baskets and stops to get back into it, and although they were scoring, so were the Eagles, who followed a basket by Walters with a basket by Dwyer, and Laurent’s three pointer with a basket by Buzek, and it was now 61-46 and time was running out. Coffey’s back to back baskets made it 65-47 with 1:58 to play and Amityville was done. 3/16
NSCHSAA Awards
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
DAMON COLEMAN, HOLY TRINITY
ALL-LEAGUE
JEREMY ARTHUR, KELLENBERG
NIGEL CARTER, ST.ANTHONY’S
ANFERNEE CASIMIR, ST.ANTHONY’S
DAMON COLEMAN, HOLY TRINITY
BRIAN DOLCE, ST.ANTHONY’S
MARK FLYNN, ST. DOMINIC’S
TAVON GINYARD, SJB
JESSE GOVAN, ST.MARY’S
DEVONTE GREEN, ST.MARY’S
PATRICK JACKSON, ST.MARY’S
RICH MC EACHERN, HOLY TRINITY
STEPHEN MILHAVEN, ST.MARY’S
JON PATTERSON, CHAMINADE
ISAIAH ROWE, HOLY TRINITY
MIKE WALSH, CHAMINADE
PLAYOFF MVP
JON PATTERSON, CHAMINADE
COACH OF THE YEAR
JOE CONEFRY, HOLY TRINITY
LONG ISLAND
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
He came to this country looking to build a future in basketball, and we're happy to say, chose Long Island as the place to do it. After a year here, he transferred to LuHi for his junior year with a reputation as a player with great potential but very raw skills, and over the next two seasons became one of the top players in the country, winning New York State Player Of The Years honors and committing to his dream school, UConn.
The 2013 Long Island Basketball.com Player of The Year is
Kentan Facey
Long Island Lutheran
CTK Stops LuHi In Final
Christ The King 73 LuHi 64
After winning back to back New York Federation Class A State Titles, Long Island’s number one team, the Long Island Lutheran Crusaders, advanced to the New York State Championship Game for the third straight year and first year in Class AA, falling 73-64 to CHSAA State Champion Christ The King. The first half pattern was established early, with Christ The King surging ahead, and LuHi rallying, the first time on back to back threes by Chris Atkinson that tied the score at 9 all. Ryan Boyd broke a 10-0 Royal run with a layup just before the first quarter buzzer, and then led a second quarter rally that brought the Crusaders back within 3, but CTK’s Jordan Fuchs answered with four straight points and it was 31-22 Royals with 3:51 to play in the half. Kentan Facey sparked another LuHi run with a ferocious dunk, and Tawayne Anderson capped it off with a three pointer to make it a two point game and it was a three point game at the half. The Royals opened the second half on an 8-0 run, with back to back threes by Rawle Alkins and Jon Sever, who had 19 first half points, giving them a 46-35 lead, but this time the Crusaders could not respond, and CTK continued to build the lead, going up 15 after three quarters. LuHi needed stops to get back into it in the fourth quarter, but could only trade baskets. A dunk by Alkins made it 61-46 CTK early in the quarter, it was 64-50 with 3:44 to play and the Crusaders were only able to trim a few points off the lead down the stretch. When you’ve gotten used to winning State Championships, a disappointing end, but in truth an outstanding first season playing with the “big boys”. 3/23
Nassau's Top Seniors
Nassau County 's annual senior showcase, know as the Exceptional Seniors Doubleheader, was a big success, with several of the counties top players distinguishing themselves in front of college coaches and the largest crowd in recent memory. Freeport's Kyhiem Chaplin led all scorers with 33 points, Valley Stream South's Diego Maldonado had 22, Aaron Cust from Uniondale 17, Mike Waszczuk from Mineola 16, and Kewan Beebe from Glen Cove and Michael Julka from Hicksville 14 each. PHOTOS LATER. ROSTER TEAMS
NY STATE CLASS B FINAL
Watervliet 72 Babylon 60 OT
Babylon rallied once again, climbing out of a 16 point halftime hole to take a fourth quarter lead, but couldn’t put Watervliet away in regulation and the Cannoneers dominated the extra session to capture the 2013 NYSPHSAA Class B State Championship. Watervliet struck quickly, going up 4-0 on baskets by Tyler McLeod and Jordan Gleason, but Babylon kept pace, trailing by 3 at the first quarter buzzer on missed free throws. The Panthers drew within 1 early in the second quarter on a putback by Jake Carlock and a free throw by Fernando Vazquez, but Watervliet closed out the half on a blistering 17-2 run, going up 31-19 on back to back three pointers by Jordan Gleason and Connor Dockstader, and leading 35-19 at the half on Henassy McConico’s steal and basket and bank shot from behind the foul line. Babylon was unfazed, and went right to work to close the gap as the second half got underway. Ray Wardell knocked down a jumper from the elbow, and then Vazquez reeled off 7 straight points, scoring on a putback, a three pointer, and two free throws, and the Panthers were suddenly back within 6. Gleason broke the run with a coast to coast basket, but Babylon cut it to 5 after Vazquez went 3 for 3 from the line, and to 4 after his three pointer from behind the left elbow with 28 seconds left in the quarter. McLeod made it a 6 point game again on his drive from the top at the buzzer, but Brendan Laing found Wardell under the basket for what turned out to be a three point play early in the fourth quarter, Vazquez scored on a beautiful drive through traffic, and Wardell scored on a putback to tie it at 49 all with 4:15 to play. Babylon then took the lead on a drive by Carlock and two free throws by Wardell, but McLeod kept it close with a three point play at the 3:29 mark, and put Watervliet back on top 54-53 with two free throws with 3:01 left. Wardell scored from down low to reclaim the lead for the Panthers, but they couldn’t build on it, missing the front end of a 1 and 1, and McLeod took advantage, going coast to coast to tie it with 20 seconds remaining. After a Babylon turnover, the Cannoneers had the ball at half court with 8 seconds to play and got off two clean shots before the buzzer sounded, but both were off target and the game was headed for overtime. There wasn’t much drama in OT. Gleason opened it up with two free throws, added two more, and then a fast break basket by Shane Ray and a putback by McLeod made it 65-57 Watervliet with 1:53 to go. Gleason’s three point play was the backbreaker, making it a 9 point game with 1:37 remaining, and Babylon never got any closer after that. 3/16
Vazquez Sets Record!
Babylon's Fernando Vazquez scored 40 points in the semifinal and 27 in the Championship Game to set a New York State Class B Final Four record of 67 points!
ALL-LONG ISLAND
SOPHOMORES
Chris Atkinson, LuHi
Chris Burkely, Harborfields
Kevin Cluess, Floral Park
Devonte Dixon, William Floyd
Joe Forrler, East Meadow
Tavon Ginyard, SJB
Jessie Govan, St. Mary’s
Patrick Jackson, St. Mary’s
David McKenzie, Central Islip
Thomas O'Connell, Chaminade
Mike Smith, Amityville
Bradley Weiss, Plainview
FRESHMEN
Jamel Allen, Brentwood
Mike Almonacy, Brentwood
Tylik Furman, Bridgehampton
Daniel Fusco, East Rockaway
Devonte Green, St. Mary’s
Dana King, Valley Stream South
Josh Lamison, Bridgehampton
Harrison Lynch, Rocky Point
Kevin O'Keefe, Oceanside
Alex Sorensen, South Side
Chris Coalmon, No.Babylon 8th
Chris Kelly, Wyandanch 8th
THE HONOR ROLL!
STATE PLAYOFF BRACKETS
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Titans Stop Kellenberg
January means league play is in full swing, and there was a big time early season matchup in the NSCHSAA, with 8th ranked Holy Trinity defeating previously unbeaten and 3rd ranked Kellenberg 72-61 in the league opener for both teams. Holy Trinity’s Damon Coleman was the difference in this one, hounding the Kellenberg point guards into turnover after turnover, and he made his presence known early on, stealing the ball and scoring the Titans’ first basket. Sharpshooter Jack Sixsmith’s three pointer put Holy Trinity up 5-4, and it was back and forth the rest of the quarter, with Kellenberg big man Brian Gellineau powering up to give his team a 9-7 lead, Isaiah Rowe's three pointer from the left baseline putting the Titans up 12-11, and Long Island All-Star Jeremy Arthur’s jumper from just outside the left elbow giving the Firebirds an 18-17 lead at the buzzer. Arthur’s three pointer from the top gave Kellenberg a 4 point lead early in the second quarter, but a rare 4 point play by Mike Farella with 5:02 to go in the half put Holy Trinity back on top, and then a three pointer by Peter Alkins at the 1:29 mark and a fast break basket by Coleman gave the Titans a 37-27 lead at halftime. Rich McCeachern opened the second half with two free throws for a 12 point Holy Trinity lead, and a runner by Sixsmith made it 45-31 Titans, but a three pointer from the top by Connor Powers broke the momentum, and then back to back baskets by Arthur and a steal and basket by Gellineau brought Kellenberg back within 6. A putback by Ryan Durney made it a 4 point game and that’s the way the third quarter ended. A looping shot by Powers from the low post brought the Firebirds within 2 as the fourth quarter got underway, but Farella would not let them draw even, nailing a three from the right baseline, and then Coleman pulled up for a foul line jumper, then stole the ball and scored, and Farella also stole the ball and scored and it was an 11 point game in the blink of an eye. Arthur’s three point play with 3:04 left brought Kellenberg back within 6, and a putback by Richard Ragusa cut it to 62-58 with 2:18 to go, but a fast break basket by Sixsmith, a coast to coast basket by Coleman, and an easy basket by Jimmy Golasewski off an inbound play gave the Titans a 10 point lead with 1:14 to play. Arthur knocked down a three pointer to give the Thunderbirds a glimmer of hope, but they could not close the gap, despite Holy Trinity missing the front end of back to back 1 and 1s down the stretch. 1/2
Baldwin Rips SJB
The Baldwin Bruins are back on track, beating SJB 68-48 and Hempstead 56-35 to win their 33rd annual Holiday Basketball Tournament in impressive fashion. The Bruins took charge right away in both games, jumping out to a 22-12 lead in the championship game against St. John The Baptist and to a 21-7 lead against Hempstead with aggressive defense and a balanced attack.Travis Hylton led the way against the Cougars with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, Jordan Williams had 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Eric Mack 11 points and 8 rebounds. In the semifinal, Elijah McMillan led with 13 points, Williams had 11 and Mack 10. 12/28
SJB Stops #5 Deer Park
With two of Long Island’s best teams and best big men, this was another one of those games you mark off on your calendar as soon as the schedules come out. This one had a bit of a surprise ending though, with St. John The Baptist pulling away in the second half for an impressive 67-51 victory over 5th ranked Deer Park. The Falcons jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead, with Rome Jenkins scoring twice on nice feeds from Karon Blackwell, but a Kyle Williams basket from underneath with 2:33 to go in the quarter put SJB on top, and the Cougars led 13-11 at the first quarter buzzer. Williams found Conor Cronin underneath to start the second quarter, giving SJB a 4 point lead, but a three point play by Kahwahn Nipper put Deer Park back on top, and a spinning hook shot by Jenkins made it 19-15 Falcons. Williams answered with a turnaround jumper from the low post, and after a Deer Park free throw, Ginyard’s three pointer from the left baseline tied it at 20 all with 4:47 left in the half. The teams continued to trade baskets and free throws the rest of the way, and the game was tied at 29 all at intermission.Keith Williams opened the second half with a runner from the right side of the lane, and his fast break basket gave Deer Park a 33-29 lead, but Kyle Williams and Ginyard tied it with baskets, and a Vincent Abbondola three pointer with 5:15 left in the quarter put the Cougars up 37-33.Charles Lloyd’s basket from the low post bumped the lead to 42-35, and Abbondola closed out the quarter with a three pointer and a steal and basket for a 10 point SJB advantage. Charles Joyner opened the fourth quarter with a runner and then two free throws for a 53-39 St. John’s lead, but two long range threes by Keith Williams, the second with 5:04 to play, brought Deer Park back within 10. The Falcon rally stalled however, and a three point play by Kyle Williams with 3:33 to play made it 60-47 SJB, and a baseline drive by Bryan Sinclair with 2:19 left made it a 16 point game and Deer Park was done. 12/27
ALZHEIMERS ALL-STAR CLASSIC
