High School Girls Basketball

BY ADAM RONIS

Playoff record: 51-8
Tuesday 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's College
Malverne (10-10) vs. Hampton Bays (20-4): Hampton Bays has won 11 of 12. Senior center Kelly Cavallo has finally received the opportunity to play in the postseason and has flourished. She tore her ACL in each of the last two seasons at Westhampton and didn't play in the postseason. Cavallo has elevated Hampton Bays to championship status, enhancing a team with a good nucleus of Genna Kovar, Sami Krantz and Rachel Tufano. Malverne is playing well, winning six of eight. Malverne played all Class A schools during the regular season, so the Mules have had a tough game every night. The record isn't indicative of its ability. Alisha Steele, a 5-11 junior, should go against Cavallo and that will be an interesting matchup. Other players to watch are Brittany Jenkins, Alexis Gabbe and Brianna Cunningham. The winner takes on the Briarcliff (Section I)-Burke Catholic (Section IX) winner Thursday for a trip to the state championships. PICK: Hampton Bays

Tuesday 8 p.m. at St. Joseph's College
East Rockaway (18-2) vs. Stony Brook (16-4): East Rockaway won four consecutive Long Island Class C championships before losing in the Nassau Class C final last season. East Rockaway lost to Malverne in the small schools championship for its first loss since December. The offense runs through Kelli Hughes, a 5-11 senior and Alli Pacheco. East Rockaway played mostly Class A schools and won every league game by double-digits except for two. Junior Danielle Spiliotis, a transfer from Port Jefferson, is the linchpin for Stony Brook. She can score inside or outside and has improved her post-up game. She is also a force on defense. Sadie Singer runs the offense. Stony Brook won the Long Island championship last season. PICK: East Rockaway