Wyandanch girls top Southampton in B semi

Whatever Wyandanch did in the first half against Southampton Tuesday, it didn't work. The Warriors forced Southampton to drain the shot clock many times. It didn't matter.

Noel Hodges hit a three-pointer as the first quarter expired and later in the second quarter Southampton inbounded the ball with 1.6 seconds left on the shot clock and Paris Hodges knocked down a jumper. It was clicking on all cylinders for the Mariners until Wyandanch went to the press in the second half.

Second-seeded Wyandanch rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to defeat No. 3 Southampton, 52-42, in a Suffolk Class B girls basketball semifinal at Wyandanch. The Warriors had a 32-11 advantage in the second half.

Lineker St. Hilaire had 12 points and seven rebounds, Jada Sellers had 11 points and 12 rebounds, Jalicia Robinson scored 11 points and Lorenza Birt had 10 points and seven assists for Wyandanch (13-6), which will play top-seeded Center Moriches in the final Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at St. Joseph's College. Cassidy Guida's 11 points led Southampton (13-6).

"The press gave them a lot of problems," St. Hilaire said.

It translated to the offensive end. Robinson hit a three-pointer to bring Wyandanch within 34-31 with 3:03 left before Hodges pushed the lead to 36-31. Dejanae Mike hit a three-pointer with 2:16 left and hit another one off the glass with 1:18 remaining to give the Warriors the lead for good at 37-36.

"I didn't even know it was going to go in," Mike said of the second three. "It was luck. It kissed the glass and went in. I made it and everyone went crazy."

SEE PHOTOSWyandanch 52, Southampton 42

Said Wyandanch coach Warren Fuller: "Dejanae can shoot it. Paris was giving her a little bit of a hard time. We were able to get her off some screens and she got some nice open looks there."