High School Girls Basketball

BY DARREN SANDS

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- *Yawn*!

It's a bleary-eyed start here for all of us in Glens Falls today as SJB is to take on defending champion Bergtraum. But this promises to be some exciting basketball. We'll be here with the updates.

UPDATE 12:14 -- Bergtraum is out to an 16-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

UPDATE 12:29 -- SJB is down 34-10 with two minutes left in the half and running. They can't get any offense going against Bergtraum's fiesty defense which has their hands in everything. At one juncture, they turned it over on a shot-clock violation, no one seemed to have any idea that the clock was winding down.

UPDATE 12:34 -- Score is 36-14 at halftime here in Glens Falls.

UPDATE 1:03 -- SJB went on a 10-2 run to start the third, but Bergtraum made two straight baskets and Krystal Parnell hit a three as the buzzer sounded and the score is 47-26 at the end of three.

It's a final: SJB falls to Bergtraum, 61-47.

BY ADAM RONIS

St. John the Baptist will play undefeated Bergtraum (Manhattan) for the Federation championship at noon tomorrow. SJB beat Bergtraum in 2004.

NYSSWA rankings (through March 16)
PSAL and CHSAA teams not included

Rank Record Prev

Class AA

1. Rush-Henrietta-5 22-3 4.
2. North Babylon-11 21-6 1.
3. Kingston-9 15-10 3.
4. Syracuse Corcoran-3 19-6 2.
5. Shenendehowa-2 21-3 5.
6. Hicksville-8 17-5 6.
7. Fairport-5 21-3 7.
8. Greece Athena-5 14-10 8.
9. Jamestown-6 18-3 9.
10. White Plains-1 14-11 10.
11. Bethlehem-2 22-2 11.
12. Mount Vernon-1 22-2 12.
13. Oswego-3 19-4 13.
14. Sachem East-11 19-3 14.
15. Canandaigua-5 22-1 15.
16. Amsterdam-2 22-1 16.
17. Minisink Valley-9 20-2 17.
18. Commack-11 18-3 18.
19. Horseheads-4 18-5 19.
20. Calhoun-8 16-4 20.


Class A

1. Malone-10 24-2 5.
2. Honeoye Falls-Lima-5 25-2 1.
3. Cornwall-9 18-6 3.
4. Floral Park-8 20-4 2.
5. Indian River-3 22-2 4.
6. Pioneer-6 23-2 6.
7. Pittsford Mendon-5 22-2 7.
8. Huntington-11 17-6 8.
9. Averill Park-2 18-5 9.
10. Oneonta-4 18-5 10.
11. Pearl River-1 16-9 11.
12. Newark-5 19-4 12.
13. John Glenn-11 18-3 13.
14. Beacon-1 20-3 14.
15. Waverly-4 19-5 15.
16. Roosevelt-8 16-6 16.
17. Mexico-3 17-6 17.
18. Harborfields-11 18-4 18.
19. New Hartford-3 20-2 19.
20. Holy Names-2 14-7 20.


Class B

1. Briarcliff-1 26-1 4.
2. Hoosic Valley-2 27-1 1.
3. Binghamton Seton-4 23-2 3.
4. Nazareth-5 22-3 2.
5. South Jefferson-3 23-2 5.
6. Burke Catholic-9 20-3 6.
7. Hampton Bays-11 21-5 7.
8. Malverne-8 10-11 8.
9. Olean-6 18-6 9.
10. Northeastern Clinton-7 17-5 10.
11. Elmira Notre Dame-4 22-2 11.
12. Ogdensburg Free-10 17-7 12.
13. Wayland-Cohocton-5 19-5 13.
14. Wyandanch-11 17-4 14.
15. Albertus Magnus-1 22-2 15.
16. Cohoes-2 18-5 16.
17. Highland-9 19-2 17.
18. Lansing-4 16-5 18.
19. Cazenovia-3 20-3 19.
20. Falconer-6 15-9 20.


Class C

1. Haldane-1 22-4 2.
2. Madrid-Waddington-10 21-6 4.
3. Blind Brook-1 16-6 10.
4. Avon-5 20-7 3.
5. Cooperstown-3 25-1 1.
6. Florida-9 20-2 5.
7. East Rockaway-8 20-3 6.
8. Stony Brook-11 16-6 7.
9. Watervliet-2 17-8 8.
10. Little Falls-3 22-1 9.
11. Perry-5 22-2 11.
12. Maple Hill-2 22-2 12.
13. Frewsburg-6 21-2 13.
14. Tioga-4 16-7 14.
15. Marion-5 21-1 15.
16. Beaver-River-3 18-5 16.
17. Schenectady Christian-2 22-1 17.
18. Keshequa-5 16-8 18.
19. Bainbridge-Guilford-4 20-3 19.
20-T Tuxedo-9 14-8 20-T
20-T Plattsburgh Seton-7 14-7 20-T


Class D

1. Hammond-10 24-4 1.
2. Coleman Catholic-9 22-2 3.
3. Sackets Harbor-3 23-2 2.
4. Ripley-6 16-9 4.
5. Davenport-4 21-3 5.
6. Whitesville-5 23-2 6.
7. Argyle-2 17-7 7.
8. Romulus-5 18-5 8.
9. Sherman-6 21-2 9.
10. Cherry Valley-Springfield-4 19-3 10.
11. Schroon Lake-7 16-5 11.
12. Chateaugay-10 20-2 12.
13. South Kortright-4 19-4 13.
14. Richfield Springs-3 17-6 14.
15. Jasper-Troupsburg-5 18-4 15.
16. Downsville-4 18-4 16.
17. Sharon Springs-2 9-13 17.
18. Pine Valley-6 16-5 18.
19. New York Mills-3 18-5 19.
20. Hamilton-3 15-7 20.

BY ADAM RONIS

St. John the Baptist broke into the USA Today Super 25 for the first time this season and is ranked No. 13 in the latest rankings. St. John the Baptist is 24-4 and won the CHSAA AA state championship for the second consecutive season after defeating Molloy (Queens), 42-28, on Saturday. St. John the Baptist beat then-No. 8 St. Michael Academy (Manhattan), 63-49, in the semifinals.

St. John the Baptist will play the winner of Bergtraum (23-0), ranked No. 2 in the country, and Rush-Henrietta (Section V) in the Federation championship on Sunday March 30. SJB beat Bergtraum in 2004 when Rutgers' Epiphanny Prince was on the team.

BY ADAM RONIS

St. John the Baptist senior point guard Dani Iervolino had surgery Monday night at Lenox Hill in the city on a broken nose she suffered against St. Michael Academy last week in the CHSAA state semifinals. The bone was put back in place and the septum was straightened to open up her nasal passages.

The doctor told Iervoilino she shouldn't play for three weeks. St. John the Baptist will play the winner of Bergtraum-Rush-Henrietta for the state Federation championship on Sunday March 30. Iervolino negotiated with the doctor to sit until Saturday. She wanted to get clearance to play or she wouldn't do the surgery.

Iervolino helped lead SJB to two consecutive CHSAA state championships. She was integral to the Cougars winning the state championship last season and ending Christ the King's 17-year reign by being able to handle the pressure of Lorin Dixon, who's now at UConn. When Iervolino got hit against St. Michael, she never left the game. She played with the broken nose against Molloy in the final Saturday. The 5-3 Iervolino will play at Northeastern.

(PSAL and CHSAA teams not included)

*-NYSPHSAA semifinalists
**-Champion
Class AA
1 22-3 5-Rush-Henrietta**
2 21-6 11-North Babylon*
3 15-10 9-Kingston*
4 19-6 3-Corcoran*
5 21-3 2-Shenendehowa
6 17-5 8-Hicksville
7 21-3 5-Fairport
8 14-10 5-Greece Athena
9 18-3 6-Jamestown
10 14-11 1-White Plains
11 22-2 2-Bethlehem
12 22-2 1-Mount Vernon
13 19-4 3-Oswego
14 19-3 11-Sachem East
15 22-1 5-Canandaigua
16 22-1 2-Amsterdam
17 20-2 9-Minisink Valley
18 18-3 11-Commack
19 18-5 4-Horseheads
20 16-4 8-Calhoun

Semis: R-H 58, Kingston 51
NB 61, Corcoran 46
Finals:R-H 59, NB 54

Class A
1 24-2 10-Malone**2 25-
2 5-Honeoye Falls-Lima*
3 18-6 9-Cornwall*
4 20-4 8-Floral Park*
5 22-2 3-Indian River
6 23-2 6-Pioneer
7 22-2 5-Mendon
8 17-6 11-Huntington
9 18-5 2-Averill Park
10 18-5 4-Oneonta
11 16-9 1-Pearl River
12 19-4 5-Newark
13 18-3 11-Elwood John Glenn
14 20-3 1-Beacon
15 19-5 4-Waverly
16 16-6 8-Roosevelt
17 17-6 3-Mexico18
18-4 11-Harborfields
19 20-2 3-New Hartford
20 14-7 2-Holy Names
Semis:Malone 43, FP 32
HF-L 42, Cornwall 39
Finals:Malone 43, HF-L 41

Class B
1 26-1 1-Briarcliff**
2 27-1 2-Hoosic Valley*
3 23-2 4-Binghamton Seton*
4 22-3 5-Nazareth*
5 23-2 3-South Jefferson
6 20-3 9-Burke
7 21-5 11-Hampton Bays
8 10-11 8-Malverne
9 18-6 6-Olean
10 17-5 7-NE Clinton
11 22-2 4-Elmira Notre Dame
12 17-7 10-OFA
13 19-5 5-Wayland-Cohocton
14 17-4 11-Wyandanch
15 22-2 1-Albertus Magnus
16 18-5 2-Cohoes
17 19-2 9-Highland
18 16-5 4-Lansing
19 20-3 3-Cazenovia
20 15-9 6-Falconer
Semis:Briarcliff 37, Seton 33
HV 53, Nazareth 43
Finals:Briarcliff 49, HV 43

Class C
1 22-4 1-Haldane**
2 21-6 10-Madrid-Waddington*
3 16-6 1-Blind Brook
4 20-7 5-Avon*
5 25-1 3-Cooperstown*
6 20-2 9-Florida
7 20-3 8-East Rockaway
8 16-6 11-Stony Brook
9 17-8 2-Watervliet
10 22-1 3-Little Falls
11 22-2 5-Perry
12 22-2 2-Maple Hill
13 21-2 6-Frewsburg
14 16-7 4-Tioga
15 21-1 5-Marion
16 18-5 3-Beaver River
17 22-1 2-Schenectady Christian
18 16-8 5-Keshequa
19 20-3 4-Bainbridge-Guilford
20 14-8 9-Tuxedo and
20 14-7 7-Plattsburgh Seton
Semis:Haldane 63, Cooperstown 39
M-W 42, Avon 35
Finals:Haldane 46, M-W 36

BY ADAM RONIS

Dani Iervolino (St. John the Baptist): Iervolino suffered a black eye and broken nose against St. Michael Academy in the CHSAA state semifinal. She took an elbow on the play, winced in pain and never left the floor or even requested a timeout after the play. She never came out of the game and scored 10 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter in a 63-49 win over the No. 8 team in the country, according to USA Today. She added eight assists. Even after the game, she didn't even know the severity of the injury. She had eight points and seven assists in a CHSAA state final win over Molloy (Queens).

Christine Huber (St. John the Baptist): Huber had 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots in the CHSAA state final against Molloy as SJB won its second consecutive state championship. She had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in the semifinals against St. Michael Academy.

Eugeneia McPherson (North Babylon): McPherson scored 31 points in a Class AA state semifinal win over Corcoran and scored 32 points in the championship game, a 59-54 loss to Rush-Henrietta, which has won three consecutive championships.

Newsday’s Top 10

1. St. John the Baptist (24-4)
2. North Babylon (21-6)
3. Hicksville (17-5)
4. Sachem East (19-3)
5. Calhoun (16-5)
6. Holy Trinity (20-8)
7. Commack (18-3)
8. Copiague (17-5)
9. Massapequa (13-7)
10. Hampton Bays (21-5)

By DARREN SANDS

TROY -- Welcome back!

We're live at Hudson Valley Community College. As this prime time matchup heats up, we'll hope you stick with us for these updates.

For some unknown reason, North Babylon's Kelly Whitaker has her entire lower leg taped. She seems to be moving fine, but we'll pay attention as we get closer to the tip.

I'm taking the liberty to entitle the theme of this game: The Takeover. Which is to say that the team whose star takes over the game will win. That means Eugeneia McPherson or Rush Henrietta's Shenise Johnson is going to win this game for their team with a huge performance. Star Spangled Banner is up.

Update 8:50 -- McPherson was the one talking in what appeared to be a somewhat humorous pre-game address. McPherson actually quipped that I was -- well, that I needed lotion in post-game interviews yesterday. She starts off the game with a drive to her left and left-handed layup.

Update 8:53 -- Shenise Johnson, Rush Henrietta's McDonald's All-American just called for two VERY quick, fouls. McPherson also now has two, but neither player is out of the game.

Update 8:55 -- Petre calls a 30-second timeout with 3:57 left in the first quarter. The score is 8-4 in favor of North Babylon.

After 1st: North 12, Rush Henrietta 11: That slurping sound you hear down there in Long Island is actually Bria Hartley salivating at the prospect of a big game. She's got six points after the first quarter, but she is much quick than her on-the-ball defender and has gotten into the lane easily.

Update 9:06 -- Rush Henrietta calls a timeout with a 15-14 lead. McPherson drew a foul with 5:41 remaining in the game and knocked down one of two free throws to tie the score at 15. Suddenly, Kelly Whitaker is back in the game sans the wicked tape job.

Update 9:09 -- The state tournament folks have some sort of promotion going on where they are throwing out t-shirts for every three-pointer. North Babylon just got three straight -- the first two by McPherson, the third by Hartley on penetration then a kick out by McPherson. Score is 24-17, Lady Bulldogs. I hope they have enough t-shirts.

Update 9:14 -- Full timeout on the floor -- Katrina Plummer just hit two free-throws with the score tied at 24 to give North Babylon a two-point lead. There is 1:42 left in the first half.

HALFTIME: North Babylon 29, Rush Henrietta 26 -- McPherson has 18 points, and Bria Hartley has 9 as the Lady Bulldogs take a three-point lead into halftime. Shenise Johnson has 19 points. At least half of those are off of putbacks under the rim. Her footwork under the basket is, in a word, sick. She's just quicker to the ball which is probably why she has at least a dozen rebounds.

Update 9:32 -- Stats given to us by the tournament folks say that Johnson has 15 rebounds. We noticed Kelly Whitaker grimacing before the third quarter started as she talked to a trainer from North Babylon. Also, the Comets just scored three straight baskets to take a three-point lead. Score is 32-29 with 6:10 left in the third.

Update 9:38 -- Hartley was fouled in the act of shooting a jumper, and made both free-throws to pull within four points with 4:14 remaining in the third. Petre calls a timeout.

Update 9:42 -- Huge sequence: Maliqua Fisher steals an inbounds pass, and McPherson scored on a jumper. Next time down the floor, McPherson scores a layup to tie the score at 35. She has 22 points and there is 3:07 left in the third. Glad that you folks have nothing better to do on a Saturday night, because this is a good one.

Update 9:45 -- Hartley stole a bad pass by Shenise Johnson and went all the way down the floor for a layup that tied the score at 37.

Update 9:49 -- Rush Henrietta's Kelly Barone made a layup to give them a two-point lead. Maliqua Fisher collided with Shenise Johnson and was called for a foul. Johnson made one of two free throws, but LaDonya Rolle got the offensive rebound to take a 42-37 lead. Fisher left the game.

End of 3rd: Rush Henrietta 42, North Babylon 39 -- Kahsyrah Bryant's layup cut Rush Henrietta's lead to three. A quick layup by McPherson brought them to within one, 42-41, just seconds into the fourth quarter.

Update 9:58 -- A three by Bryant with just over five minutes left brings North Babylon to within two. McPherson stole the ball from Johnson but an official called a foul on the floor as McPherson was on her way to penetrate to the basket. Score is 48-46, Rush Henrietta with 4:23 left in the game. Rush Henrietta will take out the inbounds pass.

Update 10:02 -- North Babylon is down by four with 3:20 remaining. Johnson just hit two big free-throws. Two posession game. Rush Henrietta is in the lead, 50-46.

Update 10:06 -- Rush Henrietta's Rolle made two free throws to stretch their lead to six. 2:20 left.

Update 10:08 -- Rush Henrietta still leads 52-46, now with 1:22 left. Caitlin Fifield missed a three-pointer that would have brought North Babylon to within three. Shenise Johnson turned it over on a close call.

Update 10:10 -- McPherson made one of two free-throws with 1:14 left. 52-47, Rush Henrietta.

Update 10:12 -- With North Babylon in the double bonus, Johnson just made one of two free-throws to put RH's lead back at six.

Update 10:15 -- McPherson, with 57 seconds left, just hit one of two free throws to pull with five, 53-48.

Update 10:16 -- Maliqua Fisher will go to the line with 36 seconds left and a chance to cut RH's lead to three. Coach Mike Petre has called a timeout.

Update 10:18: Fisher drains both. 53-50, RH.

HARTLEY FOULS OUT OF THE GAME. RH's Bernadette Davis misses one of two, stretches their lead to four, 54-50.

Now, Shenise Johnson makes two free throws with 20 seconds lef

MCPHERSON FOR THREE! 56-53, Rush Henrietta.

Nine seconds left.

WIth Shenise Johnson at the line, about 30 North Babylon fans ran over from their cheering section to distract her behind the basket. She made one of two. McPherson came down and was fouled. She also made one of two.

Johnson came down and made two free throws with 0.1 seconds left and that was it: RUSH HENRIETTA WINS, 59-54.

Johnson spent about 30 seconds consoling McPherson just after the buzzer sounded. McPherson played her heart out, but Johnson, by an unofficial count had 37 points and was just too much for North Babylon to handle.

North Babylon just received their medals, but you can imagine the long faces. Tough loss for those girls. I imagine that both McPherson and Hartley will be named to the All-Tournament team.

BY MARC JIMENEZ

Hempstead, NY – Just got through watching the Holy Trinity-Christ the King game. HT played well, but CTK was just a little bit better as they held on to win 51-46. Anyhow, I am looking forward to the start of this game. If it’s as exciting as the HT game, then we should be in for another good show. Be back when I can. Tip-off is underway in two minutes.

5:19 -- Yikes! Lots of turnovers to start. SJ trails 5-2 with 3:26 left. Christine Huber scored for SJ.

5:21 -- Huber has 4 points for SJ, which trails 8-6 with 1:09 left.

5:25 -- Daniella Iervolino appears to have a black eye. I am not certain but it sure looks like it. Anyhow, she is playing well. She just knocked down a 3 and SJ went on a 6-2 run to close out the first. They led 11-10.

END OF FIRST

5:30 -- Huber gives SJ a 14-10 lead with 6:25 left to go. She has 6 points.

5:33 -- SJ opens up the second on a 7-2 run and lead 18-12 with 4:07 left.

5:37 -- Huber is unstoppable!!! She has 8 points in the quarter. SJ leads 22-15 with 2:08 left.

5:42 -- SJ leads 22-17 at the half. Huber has 12 points. No one on Molloy can guard her. She should have a big second half.

HALFTIME

5:56 -- Felicia Joyner’s running layup gives SJ a 28-17 lead with 5:40 in the third.

5:59 -- Molloy has not scored yet this quarter. SJ still leads 28-17 with 4:45 left in the third.

6:03 -- SJ has opened up the third on an 11-0 run. They lead 33-17 with 3:01 left. Huber has 14 points.

6:10 -- St. John outscored Molloy 13-5 in the third to take a 35-22 lead into the fourth.

END OF THREE

6:10 -- SJ hasn't scored in nearly four minutes. Molloy cuts lead to 35-28 with 4:11.

6:22 -- Huber ends drought as SJ gets on the board in the third. SJ leads 37-28 with 3:09.

6:26 -- SJ regains its mojo and leads 41-28 with 1:53 left.

6:31 -- St. John the Baptist wins 42-28.

GAME OVER

Recap: Huber recorded 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocked shots. Iervolino, who in fact, played with a broken nose thanks to the girls at St. Michael Academy -- netted eight points and dished out seven assists. Joyner scored seven points, Kathryn Cronin had three points and five rebounds and Smith chipped in with five points and eight rebounds.

Next up for St. John will be a trip to Glenn Falls in the New York State 2A Federation title on March 30. They will play the winner of North Babylon-Rush Henrietta and
Manhattan Center-Bergtraum.

BY MARC JIMENEZ

Hempstead, NY – I’m here at Hofstra covering the title game and the opening tip-off is just 10 minutes away. Right now, Holy Trinity and Christ the King are warming up. It will be interesting to see if HT can handle CTK freshman guard Bria Smith. If they can’t, it might be a long afternoon. Both teams look ready to play. This should be a good one. Will be back soon.

3:01 -- The starting lineups are being announced. Holy Trinity coach Theresa Huebner just told me Terry Green is six points away from 1,000. Let's see if she can get there.

3:10 -- CTK leads 6-4 with 3:17 left in the first. Both teams look a little tight. Too many air balls and turnovers right now, though I am sure things will settle down.

3:16 -- Julia Finley scored underneath the basket as the first quarter came to an end. HT trails, 12-8.

END OF FIRST

3:22 -- Julia Finley just drained a 3 right in front of me to give HT its first lead, 15-14, with 5:09 left to play. Finley has nine points.

3:33 -- Caitlin Costello came alive in the second, scoring five points. Her 3 with 30 seconds left on the clock cut the lead to 23-22 at the half.

3:41 -- HT scored 14 points in the quarter. So far, it has been Julia Finley and Caitlin Costello providing most of the scoring for HT. CTK went on a 7-0 run -- following Finley’s 3 at 3:22 -- to take a 21-15 lead but HT closed out the quarter on a 7-2 run.

END OF SECOND

3:51 – Glenne Fucci has four points in the quarter for HT, which trails 27-26, with 5:10 left

3:54 -- J. Finlay just hit another 3 to cut CTK's lead to 31-29 with 3:08 left.

4:02 – CTK went on a 7-0 run. Aimee Gomez knocked down a jumper to give CTK a 40-31 lead with 37 seconds left.

4:05 -- Looks like CTK is starting to pull away. CTK 40, HT 32

END OF THIRD

4:11 – HT went down by 10, 43-33, however J. Finlay hit two straight 3s as HT went on a 8-0 run to cut the lead to 43-41 with 5:58 left.

4:13 -- Bridget Grover a monster underneath for HT. She just snatched a rebound, got fouled and hit one of two at the line. HT on a 9-0 run. Trails 43-42 with 5:10 left to play.

4:20 -- Terry Green just notched her 1,000 CAREER POINT on a short jumper to cap an 11-0 RUN by HT. HT leads by one, 44-43. CTK has gone ice cold, hasn’t scored in over two minutes.

4:31 -- Following HT’s 11-0 run, CTK went on an 8-2 run to close it out. CTK won 51-46.

Holy Trinity losses in a close one, 51-46, to Christ the King.

GAME OVER

Recap: Julia Finlay led HT with 20 points. Terry Green had six points and 15 rebounds.
Kristen Costello had nine points and 11 rebounds and Grover chipped in with nine points and 10 rebounds.

BY ADAM RONIS

Playoff record: 59-11

Saturday 8:45 p.m.
North Babylon vs. Rush-Henrietta: How dedicated am I to you guys? It's 5:50 a.m. and I just returned from Denny's. Akinyele is pumping on the TV and I'm writing a preview. I feel like I'm putting more work in than Papoose. This is a rematch of last season's game won by Rush-Henrietta, which has won two consecutive state titles. Rush-Henrietta is led by 5-11 senior Shenise Johnson, who will play at Miami. She was named Miss New York Basketball. Johnson is averaging 25 points, 18 rebounds, and seven assists. She has won four consecutive Section V titles and the MVP of each of those tournaments. Johnson is a Nike All American and McDonald's All-American. She had 11 of her 29 points in the fourth quarter of a 58-51 win over Kingston in the semifinals Friday. She added 16 rebounds, seven steals and four assists. Johnson had 24 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and seven steals last season against North Babylon. (I could use that on my fantasy team). She had 35 points and 24 rebounds in the sectional final this season. But Rush-Henrietta lost its big girl and point guard from last season and has four first-year starters. North Babylon also lost two key starters. Eugeneia McPherson scored 31 points in the semifinals as she continues to play great in big games. Bria Hartley scored 20 points and handles pressure well. North Babylon plays good pressure defense and will face a challenge in Johnson, who handles the ball well. The common opponent this season for both teams is Commack. Rush-Henrietta beat Commack 76-59 in December and North Babylon defeated Commack in the Suffolk Class AA semifinals 63-58. Can North Babylon knock off another team with a McDonald's All-American? PICK: North Babylon

By DARREN SANDS

TROY, N.Y. -- Ladies and gentlemen. As if we never left, welcome back to Hudson Valley Community College.

Now gearing up for North Babylon's much anticipated match up with Corcoran of Section III. An interesting tidbit from Adam came in our conversations leading up to today. North Babylon coach Mike Petre went all the way upstate after beating Hicksville last week to see Corcoran play in the quarterfinals against Shenendehowa. Petre said that the Lady Bulldogs would beat Corcoran seven out of ten times.

That's a pretty good clip. Albeit a biased one.

With that said, we don't know if his prediction will hold true today. This is one game. But North Babylon stars Bria Hartley and Eugeneia McPherson look focused and ready to go.

And so are we. The tip is just minutes away.

Update 8:03 -- McPherson just made two straight three-pointers to help North Babylon open up an 8-0 lead.

Update 8:07 -- A Bria Hartley layup made the score 14-2. North Babylon is so much more athletic than Corcoran right now that it's a bit stifling. Corcoran can barely get the ball past midcourt.

North Babylon 19, Corcoran 6: North Babylon's Kelly Whitaker hit a three-pointer and the Lady Bulldogs lead by 15. My sidekick Adam believes, and this may very well be true, that McPherson has had a role in every basket except Hartley's lay up. She has 12 points and two assists.

Update 8:27 p.m. -- Corcoran has crawled back to within four with a 9-0 run. Score is 19-15 in favor of North Babylon.

Update 8:40 -- North Babylon leads, 26-20, with more of the same from Corcoran. They are a bigger team, and are essentially beating North Babylon up. I've counted Hartley and McPherson picking themselves up from the floor a total of six times. Every time they get in the lane, watch out. Corcoran has been to the line a bunch in the second quarter. We'll have official numbers for you at halftime.

North Babylon 28, Corcoran 25 HALF -- Corcoran sneaked their way back into this contest with strong rebounding and brusing, physical defense. The players guarding Hartley and McPherson may not be quicker than the North Babylon duo, but they know it, and they are trying to make up for it by playing somewhat recklessly on dribble drives to the basket, and on a punishing, collaspsing defense. McPherson leads the Lady Bulldogs with 16 points.

Update 9:05 -- There is 4:22 left in the third quarter, North Babylon leads, 36-27. North Babylon's Maliqua Fisher and Katrina Plummer each have four fouls.

A Bria Hartley three-pointer has made the score 41-29 with 3:02 remaining.

North Babylon 43, Corcoran 36 3rd: A three-pointer from the left side by Ayana Bradley of Corcoran cut North Babylon's lead to seven. Eight minutes to go. Rush Henrietta's players are here, scattered throughout. They beat Kingston, 58-51. Shenise Johnson, who was today named this year's Miss Basketball New York -- over Sammy Prahalis -- had 29 points, 16 rebounds, and seven steals.

Update 9:20 -- An NBA three-pointer by Laura Whitaker has stretched North Babylon's lead to 50-40. There is 5:40 remaining in the game.

Update 9:25 -- North Babylon has let its ballhandlers milk the game clock. With two free-throws by Hartley, North Babylon stretched its lead, 54-42.

Update 11:02 -- Sorry. Wireless went out in the entire building. North Babylon wins, 61-46.

Hey, folks.

Our wireless connection went out at Hudson Valley Community College. Our next best option was a Starbucks two miles down the road, according to a league official. Our sincere apologies.

North Babylon ended the game on a 16-6 run to pull away with a 61-46 victory. They'll play two-time defending champion Rush-Henrietta, and arguably the best player in the state in Shenise Johnson. Johnson was nowhere to be found, but several players stuck around to watch North Babylon. Look out for Adam Ronis' game story soon.

By DARREN SANDS

Greetings from Troy, New York! We are a little over two hours out from the first girls semifinal featuring Floral Park versus Malone. Adam Ronis picked Floral Park.

Yes. A-Ron, a magician with the picks of late, picked Floral Park.

Of course this comes with a caveat: They've got to get off to a strong start. Floral Park hasn't shot well in the opening quarters of both the county championship, and the L.I. Championship against Huntington. Franklin Academy has been here before and Floral Park fans are in agreement that a slow start could be lethal in a setting like this.

We'll have the scene, lineups and all that good stuff as we get closer to tip. In the words of T.O., getcha popcorn ready.

Update 3:25 p.m. -- You're probably wondering why we haven't started the blog.

We still have no start here at Hudson Valley Community College.

Floral Park has just taken the court after a nailbiter between Honeoye Falls Lima (Section V) and Cornwall (Section IX). Should Floral Park win against Franklin Academy, they will play the Cougars of Honeoye Falls, who just eeked out a 42-39 win against Cornwall. The Cougars had about 300 fans here. Two minutes from introductions. Stay tuned.

Franklin Academy 8, Floral Park 1: Floral Park turned the ball over five times on offense. A three-point play by Franklin Academy's Haley Poupore capped the scoring.

Floral Park has started off slow. Again.

Update 4:00 p.m. -- Shannon Ingram's strong defense and rebounding helped Floral Park get back into the Huntington game. But has Ingram ever played against anyone as long as 6-1 Alyson Johnson? The Franklin Academy "guard" -- and we use that term loosely -- is in a bit of foul trouble, but she could neutralize Ingram's intensity on the boards come the second half.

A couple of free throws from Kate Hartnett and a huge three-pointer got Floral Park back into this one. The score is 12-7 in favor of Franklin. Three minutes to go in the half.

Franklin Academy 16, Floral Park 9, Half: Kate Hartnett has five points to lead Floral Park, but Lady Knights trail Franklin by five points.

Enough with the hogwash analysis: Floral Park can defend in their 2-3 zone against this team. But can they score? Adam and I were just chatting for a second and said that if Floral Park can get some sort of rhythm on offense, its anyone's game. We'll be back, as, apparently coach Mayerhofer has kept his halftime speech short. His team is already back on the floor.

Update 4:28 -- Franklin went on an 11-1 run capped by a three-pointer from Alyson Johnson, which gave Franklin a 29-14 lead. Not looking good for the Lady Knights.

Franklin 31, Floral Park 19, 3rd quarter: Can Floral Park do it again?

Update 4:39: We might have the answer to our last question. Ericka Re just hit a huge three from the left side to pull Floral Park within five. Franklin scored again, but Shannon Ingram is at the line and just hit the first of two free throws. Hold on.

She made them both. 35-30, Franklin. There is 4:30 remaining in the game.

Update 4:46: Floral Park forced a backcourt violation with 2:15 left, still 35-30, Lady Knights ball.

Time for rapid fire updates:
Franklin called a timeout, they have the ball.

Franklin throws the ball away. 1:30 left.

Very hard foul by Kate Hartnett on Haley Poupore. Poupore makes both free throws. Franklin up by seven.

Ashley Marshall goes the length of the court and scores a layup for Franklin to put them up by nine. The score is 39-30, with 47 seconds left. The Lady Knights are running out of time.

FINAL 43-32, Floral Park is defeated in the State Class A Championship Semifinal.

Franklin Academy's Haley Poupore had 14 points and Alyson Johnson had nine to help outlast Floral Park, 43-32, in a State Class A Semifinal.

Floral Park overcame a slow start from to pull within five points at halftime, and did it again after Franklin Academy used an 11-1 run to build a 12-point lead in the third quarter, but it eventually ran out of time. Kate Hartnett had 10 points for Floral Park, and Megan Galvin added nine.

Franklin Academy will move on to the final tomorrow at 7 p.m. against Section V's Honeoye Falls Lima.

BY ADAM RONIS

Both games at Hofstra on Saturday
CHSAA AA state championship
St. John the Baptist vs. Molloy, 5 p.m.: St. John the Baptist continues to win without much recognition. The Cougars ended the 17-year reign of Christ the King last season to win the state championship and upset St. Michael Academy, ranked No. 8 in the country by USA Today, 63-49, in the semifinals. SJB isn't a team that overwhelms you, but when you watch them play you can appreciate how they function as a team. They play excellent defense and move the ball well on offense to get a good shot. Christine Huber gets most of the attention, but Dani Iervolino is a player that doesn't get enough recognition because her stats aren't eye-popping. She's tough for a player 5-3, can hit three, hits free throws and handles pressure well. Felicia Joyner is one of the top defenders on Long Island and can score from outside or slash to the basket. Kathryn Cronin rebounds, passes well and is a good defender. Alexis Smith does the little things and defends well too. Molloy has gone through controversy this season. Coach John McGlynn resigned on Jan. 16 and Dom Cecala, former JV coach too, has done a good job.
Molloy lost to Christ the King by 20 points in the first meeting and with Cecala they beat Christ the King twice, once in the regular season to end CK's eight-year, 108-game winning streak in league play, and in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens final to snap CK's 23-year division title streak.
Molloy has depth, but no stars. Senior Kerri White, a 5-foot-10 Manhattan-bound forward, is probably the best of the group. Junior guard Shannon LaVelle has been key in the playoffs, and sophomores Kelly Robinson and Marielle Duryea are both very quick point guards and good perimeter defenders. Sophomore Kyra Aloizos is an emerging force inside.Molloy is a young and inexperienced team, but held together by White. PICK: St. John the Baptist

Class A state championship, 3 p.m.
Holy Trinity vs. Christ the King: Holy Trinity rallied from a big deficit in the second half to advance in the semifinals in an overtime win. Holy Trinity plays good defense, but is limited by injuries. Its top three reserves are out for the season. Terry Green can score inside or outside and rebounds well. Julia Finlay is a good outside shooter and Caitlin Costello does a little of everything. Christ the King isn't the dominant team it has been in recent seasons, but is still a very good team. Freshman guard Bria Smith is one of the top players in the city. She is the first freshman to play for CK since 1998. She started the season in junior varsity and was called up along with freshman Nia Oden. Smith is a slasher and very athletic. CK is most successful when it runs. CK isn't a great shooting team. Senior Jael Pena is the best shooter. PICK: Christ the King

Girls basketball 2007-08 NYSSWA rankings (through March 9)
Note: PSAL and CHSAA teams not included
Rank Record Rank
Class AA

1. North Babylon-11 20-5 4.
2. Syracuse Corcoran-3 19-5 6.
3. Kingston-9 15-9 8.
4. Rush-Henrietta-5 20-3 10.
5. Shenendehowa-2 21-3 3.
6. Hicksville-8 17-5 2.
7. Fairport-5 21-3 9.
8. Greece Athena-5 14-10 18.
9. Jamestown-6 18-3 5.
10. White Plains-1 14-11 7.
11. Bethlehem-2 22-2 11.
12. Mount Vernon-1 22-2 12.
13. Oswego-3 19-4 13.
14. Sachem East-11 19-3 14.
15. Canandaigua-5 22-1 1.
16. Amsterdam-2 22-1 15.
17. Minisink Valley-9 20-2 16.
18. Commack-11 18-3 17.
19. Horseheads-4 18-5 19.
20. Calhoun-8 16-4 20.


Class A

1. Honeoye Falls-Lima-5 24-1 1.
2. Floral Park-8 20-3 3.
3. Cornwall-9 18-5 10.
4. Indian River-3 22-1 4.
5. Malone-10 21-2 7.
6. Pioneer-6 23-2 6.
7. Pittsford Mendon-5 22-2 2.
8. Huntington-11 17-6 5.
9. Averill Park-2 18-5 9.
10. Oneonta-4 18-5 8.
11. Pearl River-1 16-9 11.
12. Newark-5 19-4 12.
13. John Glenn-11 18-3 13.
14. Beacon-1 20-3 14.
15. Waverly-4 19-5 15.
16. Roosevelt-8 16-6 16.
17. Mexico-3 17-6 17.
18. Harborfields-11 18-4 18.
19. New Hartford-3 20-2 19.
20. Holy Names-2 14-7 20.


Class B

1. Hoosic Valley-2 27-0 2.
2. Nazareth-5 22-2 3.
3. Binghamton Seton-4 23-1 5.
4. Briarcliff-1 24-1 7.
5. South Jefferson-3 23-2 1.
6. Burke Catholic-9 20-3 6.
7. Hampton Bays-11 21-5 4.
8. Malverne-8 10-11 8.
9. Olean-6 18-6 9.
10. Northeastern Clinton-7 17-5 10.
11. Elmira Notre Dame-4 22-2 11.
12. Ogdensburg Free-10 17-7 19.
13. Wayland-Cohocton-5 19-5 12.
14. Wyandanch-11 17-4 13.
15. Albertus Magnus-1 22-2 14.
16. Cohoes-2 18-5 15.
17. Highland-9 19-2 16.
18. Lansing-4 16-5 17.
19. Cazenovia-3 20-3 18.
20. Falconer-6 15-9 20.


Class C

1. Cooperstown-3 25-0 3.
2. Haldane-1 20-4 9.
3. Avon-5 20-6 10.
4. Madrid-Waddington-10 20-5 12.
5. Florida-9 20-2 1.
6. East Rockaway-8 20-3 2.
7. Stony Brook-11 16-6 4.
8. Watervliet-2 17-8 5.
9. Little Falls-3 22-1 6.
10. Blind Brook-1 16-6 14.
11. Perry-5 22-2 7.
12. Maple Hill-2 20-1 8.
13. Frewsburg-6 21-2 11.
14. Tioga-4 16-7 13.
15. Marion-5 21-1 15.
16. Beaver-River-3 18-5 16.
17. Schenectady Christian-2 22-1 17.
18. Keshequa-5 16-8 18.
19. Bainbridge-Guilford-4 20-3 19.
20-T Tuxedo-9 14-8 20-T
20-T Plattsburgh Seton-7 14-7 20-T


Class D

1. Hammond-10 22-4 1.
2. Sackets Harbor-3 23-1 2.
3. Coleman Catholic-9 21-1 3.
4. Ripley-6 16-8 4.
5. Davenport-4 21-3 5.
6. Whitesville-5 23-2 6.
7. Argyle-2 17-7 7.
8. Romulus-5 18-5 8.
9. Sherman-6 21-2 11.
10. Cherry Valley-Springfield-4 19-3 10.
11. Schroon Lake-7 16-5 9.
12. Chateaugay-10 20-2 12.
13. South Kortright-4 19-4 13.
14. Richfield Springs-3 17-6 14.
15. Jasper-Troupsburg-5 18-4 15.
16. Downsville-4 18-4 16.
17. Sharon Springs-2 9-13 17.
18. Pine Valley-6 16-5 18.
19. New York Mills-3 18-5 19.
20. Hamilton-3 15-7 20.

BY ADAM RONIS

Playoff record: 58-10

Friday
Class A state semifinal at Hudson Valley CC in Troy
3:15 p.m.
Floral Park (20-3) vs. Franklin Academy (23-2):Memo to Floral Park coach Greg Mayerhofer: Find a way to have the scoreboard operator say it's the fourth quarter on the scoreboard when the game begins. Then maybe Floral Park will come out strong. Floral Park has played below its standard for the first three quarters in the last two games. Floral Park used a 22-point fourth quarter to defeat Westbury, 44-43, in the Nassau Class A final and rallied from a 15-point third quarter deficit to beat Huntington, 47-44, in overtime of the L.I. Class A championship. Floral Park plays very good defense and has some size inside. Floral Park doesn't have a star player, but several are capable of scoring whether it's Ericka Re, Shannon Ingram, Kate Hartnett, Megan Galvin, or Justine O'Callahan. Floral Park has shown a lot of resiliency and is never out of a game. Allison Johnson and Haley Poupore are the top players for FA, which has won 16 straight and is playing in its third straight state semifinal. Last season, FA lost in the state final to Lakeland. The experience factor is a concern here, especially considering the way Floral Park has started the last two games. PICK: Floral Park

Class AA state semifinal at Hudson Valley CC in Troy
8 p.m.
North Babylon (20-5) vs. Corcoran (19-5):Irene Hudson and Akebulynn Stephens are the top players for Corcoran, which won its first sectional title in nine years. Corcoran coach Jim Marsh notched his 400th career win in his 24th season on Feb. 19. Corcoran is athletic ans a solid defensive team. North Babylon showed the ability to win with its role players. Eugeneia McPherson and Bria Hartley have carved teams up in the postseason, but they were slowed down against Hicksville. No problem. Maliqua Fisher, Kelly Whitaker, Katrina Plummer, Kahsyrah Bryant and Caitlin Fifield all played very well in the win. North Babylon puts pressure on the ball at all times and that's what ignites its success. North Babylon lost in the state final last season and returns to the semifinals despite the loss of two key starters. PICK: North Babylon

Make sure to check back here before game time for live updates on the games.

BY ADAM RONIS

For the second consecutive season, St. John the Baptist stared a daunting challenge in the eyes and didn't blink. SJB ended the 17-year reign of Christ the King as state champions last season and knocked off St. Michael Academy (Manhattan), 63-49, tonight in a CHSAA AA semifinal at the College of Staten Island. St. Michael is ranked No. 8 in the country by USA Today.

"They're all athletic and can play," said Felicia Joyner, who had 17 points. "We knew we had to play real good defense to win."

They certainly did. SJB led throughout and illustrated how team basketball is played. SJB went 25-for-29 from the foul line, didn't force anything on offense and worked the shot clock smartly and played good defense. St. Michael Academy is one of the biggest high school teams I have seen. They are very athletic and talented, but play too much one-on-one. SJB did the complete opposite.

"We were very patient and rotated the ball," Joyner said.

SJB doesn't strike you as a dominant team, but when you watch them play, all the pieces fit together well. Dani Iervolino is one of the toughest 5-3 girls you will see. She took an elbow to the nose, winced in pain briefly, but never left the floor. She went 10-for-11 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to help seal it and finished with 15 points.

"They're definitely one of the most athletic and quick teams we played," Iervolino said. "I'm 5-3 and there's nothing I can do about that. I just have to get it out of my head and play basketball."

Said Christine Huber: "We worked real well as a team. Everyone needed to step up and did. Everybody guarded well."

Kathryn Cronin wasn't intimidated by the stark contrast in the size of the teams.

"I don't think about that," she said. "I knew if we work as a team, we can beat anyone."

Added coach Ted Oberg: "They don't care who the high scorer is. We look to pound it inside, but we don't force it in. It's a really unbelievable group. The last two days we told them we would win by double digits if we executed our game plan. We've knocked off nationally ranked opponents every year."

BY ADAM RONIS

Holy Trinity will play Christ the King (Queens) for the CHSAA A state championship at 3 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra. Christ the King defeated St. John Villa (Staten Island), 70-56, tonight. The winner goes upstate to the Federation tournament in two weeks.

BY ADAM RONIS

Sammy Prahalis was named the New York Gatorade Player of the Year. She averaged 30 points and led Commack to the Suffolk Class AA semifinals. Prahalis, a six-year starter, finished with 2,372 career points and is a McDonald's All-American.

Prahalis, who will play at Ohio State, had the three highest scoring games of her career this season. She scored a career-high 50 points, 40 against Northport last month and 39 against Rush Henrietta (Section V) in December. Prahalis will play in the McDonald's All-American Game on March 26 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

BY ADAM RONIS

Playoff record: 57-10

Wednesday
CHSAA AA state semifinals at College of Staten Island
St. John the Baptist vs. St. Michael Academy (Manhattan), 6 p.m.: St. Michael (24-1) is loaded with talent and is ranked No. 11 in the country by USA Today. That has been the case for St. Michael the past few years, but it has yet to win a state title. St. Michael has size and is very athletic and features 6-1 junior Jelleah Sidney, 6-foot junior Shenneika Smith, Jennifer O'Neill and Janine Davis. St. John the Baptist is the defending CHSAA state champion after ending the 17-year reign of Christ the King. St. John the Baptist plays very good defense. SJB likes to work the ball inside to 6-4 junior Christine Huber. That opens the perimeter for Dani Iervolino and Felicia Joyner. Kathryn Cronin is solid on the boards and freshman Alexis Smith is a promising young player. SJB has the experience of winning last season and also has a mental advantage. The only team that beat St. Michael Academy this season was H.D. Woodson (Washington D.C.). St. John the Baptist beat H.D. Woodson, 55-51, in overtime. This will be a tough game for St. John the Baptist and it needs to play better than it has in the postseason to win. SJB surprised last season by beating Christ the King. Can the Cougars do it again? PICK: St. John the Baptist

BY ADAM RONIS

Floral Park will play Malone Franklin Academy in a Class A state semifinal at 3:15 p.m. Friday in Troy. Check back for the preview.

BY ADAM RONIS

Here's how the CHSAA state playoff picture looks right now:

Class AA
St. John the Baptist plays St. Michael Academy (Manhattan) at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the College of Staten Island. The winner takes on Molloy, which beat Christ the King for the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens title, 5 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.

Class A
Holy Trinity will play the winner of Christ the King (Queens) and St. John Villa (Staten Island) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Hofstra.

Newsday’s Top 10

1. St. John the Baptist (22-4)
2. North Babylon (20-5)
3. Hicksville (17-5)
4. Sachem East (19-3)
5. Calhoun (16-5)
6. Holy Trinity (20-7)
7. Commack (18-3)
8. Copiague (17-5)
9. Massapequa (13-7)
10. Hampton Bays (21-5)

BY ADAM RONIS

Nassau Players of the Week
Terry Green (Holy Trinity): The junior had 25 points, 18 rebounds and six blocked shots in a 64-60 overtime win over Buffalo Nichols in a CHSAA Class A state semifinal.

Megan Galvin (Floral Park): Galvin helped ignite Floral Park’s rally with a three-pointer with 1:51 left in the third quarter to start a 19-6 run that gave FP a 36-34 lead en route to a 47-44 win over Huntington in the Long Island Class A final. Galvin scored 10 points.

Suffolk Players of the Week
Christine Huber (St. John the Baptist): The 6-4 junior had 17 points and 17 rebounds for SJB in a 43-30 win over Holy Trinity to win its fifth consecutive NSCHSAA championship.

Maliqua Fisher (North Babylon): Fisher often gets overlooked as she does the things that don’t show up in the boxscore. Fisher scored 11 points on her 17th birthday to help North Babylon defeat Hicksville, 55-53, in the Long Island Class AA championship.

BY ADAM RONIS

Indian River (Section III) will play Malone Franklin Academy at 6 p.m. Monday. The winner plays Floral Park in a Class A state semifinal on Friday at 3:15 p.m. in Troy.

BY ADAM RONIS

Holy Trinity trailed by 18 points with 5:03 left in the third quarter. Buffalo Nichols was sizzling from three-point range and a comeback appeared bleak. But it happened. Kristen Costello hit a three-pointer with 1:35 left in overtime to give Holy Trinity a one-point lead en route to a 64-60 win today over Buffalo Nichols in a CHSAA Class A state semifinal at Daemon College in Buffalo.

The basket gave Holy Trinity (20-7) a 60-59 lead. Julia Finlay hit two free throws with 23 seconds left to make it 62-59 and Terry Green hit two free throws with seven seconds left to cap the scoring. Green, who had 25 points, 18 rebounds and six blocked shots, scored off an inbounds pass from Caitlin Costello (