<p>Newsday&#39;s 12-part series on the best Long Island high school basketball players of each decade.&nbsp;The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002. Selections were based on the totality of a player&#39;s career.&nbsp;</p>


Sports

High School

Boys Basketball

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<p>The 2010s was evidence that the shift of talent was moving to prep schools in high school basketball. Four of the top players performed at Long Island Lutheran, which was quickly becoming a national powerhouse.</p> 
<p>One of the more notables to play for the Crusaders was 6-9 Kenton Facey, a premier shot-blocker from Jamaica who was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2013.&nbsp;Long Island Lutheran guard Devonte Green was a three-time All-Long Island pick and played four years for&nbsp;Indiana University.</p> 
<p>And there was Cheick Diallo at Our Savior New American, who went from Mali, West Africa,&nbsp;to the hardwood of OSNA in Centereach. The 6-9 center was a three-time All-Long Island pick and the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2015.</p> 
<p>Perhaps the best storyline of all was Michael O’Connell, the CHSAA Player&nbsp;of the Year&nbsp;at Chaminade, who &nbsp;played his senior year at a prep school in New Jersey. He went on to star at Stanford and North Carolina State, helping the Wolfpack reach the Final Four in 2024.</p> 
<p>The coach of the decade is the Crusaders' John Buck, who figured out a way to mold the worldwide talent on his court into championship teams, winning three state Federation crowns.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters,&nbsp; Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<h2>KC Ndefo, Elmont</h2> 
<p>The talented 6-7 forward led the Spartans to the state Class A championship as a sophomore and carried Elmont to the Nassau title&nbsp;as a junior when his buzzer-beating shot&nbsp;defeated&nbsp;South Side. Ndefo was a two-time&nbsp;first-team All-Long Island choice. He transferred to Abraham Lincoln in Brooklyn as a senior. Ndefo&nbsp;played collegiately for&nbsp;St. Peter’s, where he was a three-time MAAC defensive player of the year winner. He also was named first-team All-MAAC as a junior. He won the Lefty Driesell Award as the country’s top defensive player in 2022, transferred to Seton Hall as a senior and played in the NBA G League.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Center Moriches' Sean Braithwaite Jr. goes over Jack Baglieri of Dobbs Ferry during the New York State Southeast Regional Class B boys basketball final played in Centereach on Saturday, March 9, 2019." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/d4e170a0-c9d8-4c8f-98c3-a68d627f1946" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/d4e170a0-c9d8-4c8f-98c3-a68d627f1946', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/d4e170a0-c9d8-4c8f-98c3-a68d627f1946"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/d4e170a0-c9d8-4c8f-98c3-a68d627f1946/FL9I35634883235767.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Center Moriches' Sean Braithwaite Jr. goes over Jack Baglieri of Dobbs Ferry during the New York State Southeast Regional Class B boys basketball final played in Centereach on Saturday, March 9, 2019.</span></a> 
<h2>Sean Braithwaite, Center Moriches</h2> 
<p>The 6-6 point guard with exceptional ballhandling skills led the Red Devils to Long Island championships in 2017, 2018 and 2019 with&nbsp;two trips to the state semifinals. He was a two-time All-Long Island first-team pick, averaging 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. He played for&nbsp;the University of New Haven&nbsp;and earned Academic Distinction (fall 2023) and Academic Honors (spring 2024) accolades on the Northeast-10 academic honor roll.</p> 
<h2>Andre Curbelo, Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>His career was a highlight reel on both ends of the floor. Curbelo was a two-time All-Long Island first-team pick and a two-time&nbsp;Newsday Nassau Player of the Year. He averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and&nbsp;six assists as a senior. Curbelo&nbsp;played for&nbsp;Illinois for a year, earning&nbsp;Big Ten&nbsp;Conference sixth man of the year and All-Freshman awards. He also played for&nbsp;St. John’s and Southern Mississippi.&nbsp;</p> 
<h2>Cheick Diallo, Our Savior New American</h2> 
<p>His basketball odyssey took him from his homeland in Mali, West Africa, to a host family in Coram and the hardwood of OSNA in Centereach. Diallo was a three-time All-Long Island pick and Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2015. The 6-9 center earned MVP honors at the McDonald’s All-American game. He averaged 19 points, 14 rebounds&nbsp;and three blocks as a senior. Diallo&nbsp;played one year for&nbsp;Kansas before starting his NBA career and playing three seasons with the Pelicans&nbsp;and a year with the Suns and Pistons.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Long Island Lutheran's Kenton Facey grabs a rebound during their game against Lincoln High School at the NYS Federation Basketball Tournament in Albany, N.Y. 3-22-13." data-attr-credit="Pat Orr Photography" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/10048610-8058-4cd2-91c8-d879ac9597dc" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/10048610-8058-4cd2-91c8-d879ac9597dc', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/10048610-8058-4cd2-91c8-d879ac9597dc"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/10048610-8058-4cd2-91c8-d879ac9597dc/0MK3CJZS80765.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Long Island Lutheran's Kenton Facey grabs a rebound during their game against Lincoln High School at the NYS Federation Basketball Tournament in Albany, N.Y. 3-22-13.</span></a> 
<h2>Kenton Facey, Upper Room/Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>The shot-blocker of the decade also was a rim-rocker with his thunderous dunks. He was Newsday’s Long Island Player of the Year in 2013. The 6-9 center led the Crusaders to the state Federation Class AA title game and&nbsp;was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year after averaging 15 points, 12 rebounds&nbsp;and four blocks as a senior. Born in Jamaica, he came to the United States in 2010 and played his first year for&nbsp;Upper Room. He played four years for&nbsp;Connecticut&nbsp;and then four seasons in the Spanish Pro-B League.</p> 
<h2>Devonte Green, St. Mary’s/Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>An exceptional talent with a knack for putting the ball in the basket, Green led the Crusaders in scoring average for three straight seasons. The three-time All-Long Island first-team selection led the Crusaders to the state Federation Class AA final as a sophomore in 2014. He played four years for&nbsp;Indiana&nbsp;and is tied for 12th in school history&nbsp;with 164 made three-point field goals.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Aidan Igiehon #22 of Lawrence Woodmere Academy shoots a jumper during a varsity boys basketball game against Berkeley Carroll (Brooklyn) at Lawrence Woodmere Academy on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. LWA won 92-39." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/25f96ab8-9819-4065-a422-bb6015cd6158" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/25f96ab8-9819-4065-a422-bb6015cd6158', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/25f96ab8-9819-4065-a422-bb6015cd6158"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/25f96ab8-9819-4065-a422-bb6015cd6158/161209_S8120324714.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Aidan Igiehon #22 of Lawrence Woodmere Academy shoots a jumper during a varsity boys basketball game against Berkeley Carroll (Brooklyn) at Lawrence Woodmere Academy on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016. LWA won 92-39.</span></a> 
<h2>Aidan Igiehon, Lawrence Woodmere Academy</h2> 
<p>The 6-10 center was a two-time All-Long Island first-team selection in 2018-19. He averaged 26 points, 18 rebounds and six blocks for the NYSAIS Class B champions in 2019 and&nbsp;was a force as the Tigers won three consecutive NYSAIS titles. Igiehon played for&nbsp;Louisville for two seasons and then for&nbsp;Grand Canyon and Abilene Christian.</p> 
<h2>Michael O’Connell, Chaminade</h2> 
<p>The point guard’s journey from Chaminade to Stanford to North Carolina State was&nbsp;loaded with memorable moments. The CHSAA Player of the Year in 2019 and&nbsp;Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection played three years for&nbsp;Stanford, making 76 starts and leading the team in assists and steals. He graduated from Stanford early and played his fourth collegiate year at N.C. State, starting&nbsp;the final 21 games and keying&nbsp;an improbable run to the NCAA Final Four in 2024. His buzzer-beating three-pointer sent the ACC Tournament semifinal game against Virginia into overtime. That shot propelled the Wolfpack to the ACC title and into the NCAA Tournament. He recently signed to play professionally in Puerto Rico.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Half Hollow Hills West's Tavon Sledge jumps and shoots over Elmont's Tristan Brown, left, and Robert Chambers, right, in the Long Island Class AA final game. (March 13, 2011)  PHOTO CREDIT:  KATHLEEN MALONE-VAN DYKE" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/91672d8a-1239-43c0-9569-8e1277bd4212" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/91672d8a-1239-43c0-9569-8e1277bd4212', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/91672d8a-1239-43c0-9569-8e1277bd4212"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/91672d8a-1239-43c0-9569-8e1277bd4212/image.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Half Hollow Hills West's Tavon Sledge jumps and shoots over Elmont's Tristan Brown, left, and Robert Chambers, right, in the Long Island Class AA final game. (March 13, 2011) PHOTO CREDIT: KATHLEEN MALONE-VAN DYKE</span></a> 
<h2>Tavon Sledge, Half Hollow Hills West</h2> 
<p>Sledge was considered the most electrifying player on Long Island in 2010. The super-quick guard, who went&nbsp;to the basket often and was a relentless defender, was a two-time All-Long Island selection. He scored 33 points in a state final loss as a junior and was Newsday’s Suffolk Player of the Year as a senior, averaging&nbsp;25 points, seven assists and three steals. He played one year for&nbsp;Iowa State before transferring to Iona.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Westbury, NY  February 12, 2011 - Harborfields guard Lucas Woodhouse #10 goes up high for the layup against Westbury.  Photo by GEORGE A. FAELLA" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/45185c76-24c0-403d-93a9-1cd50c59148c" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/45185c76-24c0-403d-93a9-1cd50c59148c', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/45185c76-24c0-403d-93a9-1cd50c59148c"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/45185c76-24c0-403d-93a9-1cd50c59148c/SKWetBHa0397700017.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Westbury, NY February 12, 2011 - Harborfields guard Lucas Woodhouse #10 goes up high for the layup against Westbury. Photo by GEORGE A. FAELLA</span></a> 
<h2>Lucas Woodhouse, Harborfields</h2> 
<p>Woodhouse&nbsp;was a pass-first point guard&nbsp;who led Long Island with an average of 11 assists as a junior in 2011. He&nbsp;was a two-time first-team All-Long Island selection and was named the&nbsp;Long Island Player of the Year in 2012 after leading&nbsp;the Tornadoes to the state Class A title. He averaged 22 points as a senior. He played two seasons for&nbsp;Longwood University and then transferred to Stony Brook University, where he was an All-America East Conference first-team selection.</p> 
<h2>Achraf Yacoubou, Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>The 6-5 guard was a selfless player who made everyone around him better. The two-time All-Long Island first-team selection was the Nassau Player of the Year in 2010, when he averaged 20 points and nine rebounds. Yacoubou played two seasons for&nbsp;Villanova and two seasons for&nbsp;St. Louis University. He played four years in the NBA's G League.</p> 
<h2>Coach:&nbsp;John Buck, Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>Buck&nbsp;won three state Federation crowns in the decade and&nbsp;separated himself from the rest of Long Island basketball when he started recruiting some big-time talent to the private school in Brookville. Long Island Lutheran played in five state finals, winning three of them — in 2011 and&nbsp;2012 in Class A and in 2019, when the Crusaders were moved into&nbsp;Class AA.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 2010s

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<p>The decade provided a glimpse of two players who would play in the WNBA: Arella Guirantes of Bellport and Celeste Taylor of Long Island Lutheran. They&nbsp;lit up the hardwood on Long Island with deft shooting touch and exciting ball-handling. Guirantes was&nbsp;selected in the second round by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2021 and Taylor was drafted&nbsp;in the second round by the Indiana Fever in 2024.</p> 
<p>It was also the decade of &quot;Boogie.&quot; As in Lauren &quot;Boogie&quot; Brozoski, a four-time All-Long Island first-team selection who led Long Island Lutheran to four state Federation titles in five years, the most dominant run in Long Island history.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002. Selections are based on the totality of a player's career. This is the 12th and final part of our basketball series.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="St. Mary's forward Jordan Augustus shoots against Kellenberg in a CHSAA girls basketball semifinal playoff game on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014.


Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/99cd37ab-c81e-49f6-b3d9-931c7a8c7e3a" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/99cd37ab-c81e-49f6-b3d9-931c7a8c7e3a', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/99cd37ab-c81e-49f6-b3d9-931c7a8c7e3a"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/99cd37ab-c81e-49f6-b3d9-931c7a8c7e3a/0N1QG8TS43259.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">St. Mary's forward Jordan Augustus shoots against Kellenberg in a CHSAA girls basketball semifinal playoff game on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke </span></a> 
<h2>Jordan Agustus, St. Mary’s</h2> 
<p>The 6-foot forward was a three-time All-Long Island first-team selection and was as good on the inside as she was from the outside. A versatile, athletic playmaker, she&nbsp;averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds and led the Gaels to consecutive CHSAA titles. She scored 29 points in a win over St. Anthony's in the Nassau-Suffolk Catholic High School Athletic Association title game as a junior in 2014. She played at St. John’s, Virginia Commonwealth and University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.</p> 
<h2>Lauren &quot;Boogie&quot; Brozoski, Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>A four-time Newsday All-Long Island first-team selection, she was named the player of the year three times from 2013-15. She scored 2,020 career points and led the Crusaders to three straight state Federation crowns and four in five years, the most dominant girls basketball run to state supremacy in 44 years. She was the Gatorade state player of the year in 2014 and 2015 and Miss NYS basketball in 2015. She was a&nbsp;showcase of quickness and keen game sense. She played two years at the University of Michigan before transferring to Hofstra,&nbsp;where she thrived as the CAA scholar-athlete of the year. She was named to the CAA All-Tournament Team in the 2018-19 season after averaging 22.7 points and 3.3 rebounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Danielle Cosgrove of Sachem East scored 20 points in the Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal girls basketball game against host Commack on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. Commack went on to win 52-33." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/3f2da00f-6e75-43cb-b0cb-a3ed906cca81" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/3f2da00f-6e75-43cb-b0cb-a3ed906cca81', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/3f2da00f-6e75-43cb-b0cb-a3ed906cca81"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/3f2da00f-6e75-43cb-b0cb-a3ed906cca81/FL9I66197932413037.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Danielle Cosgrove of Sachem East scored 20 points in the Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal girls basketball game against host Commack on Tuesday, February 20, 2018. Commack went on to win 52-33.</span></a> 
<h2>Danielle Cosgrove, Sachem East</h2> 
<p>The 6-4 center was a model of consistency throughout her five varsity years, averaging 21 points and 11 rebounds. She was the Newsday Player of the Year as a senior and the three-year captain finished her high school career with 1,573 points, the second most in school history. The McDonald’s All-American played at Notre Dame for three&nbsp;years and then St. John’s for two years.</p> 
<h2>Katie Doherty, Sachem East</h2> 
<p>You want ball-handling skills?&nbsp;You want Doherty. She had innate dribble penetration skills that led Sachem to the 2013 Long Island Class AA title as a junior. The 5-10 guard averaged 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists to earn Newsday Player of the Year and lead Sachem East to a second straight Suffolk Class AA crown as a senior. She started in 110 of 123 games for Holy Cross, where she made All-Freshman Patriot League in 2014-15 and Academic All-Patriot League in 2015-16 and 2016-17.</p> 
<h2>Arella Guirantes, Bellport</h2> 
<p>Guirantes was the most accomplished player of the decade. A scoring machine, she led&nbsp;Long Island as a junior and senior with 33.6 and 34.8 points per game, respectively. The 5-10 guard, a natural shooter, once scored 58 points in a win over Kings Park. The three-time All-Long Island first-team selection scored 2,252 career points. She played at Texas Tech for a year and then transferred to Rutgers, where she averaged more than 20 points per game and led the Scarlet Knights to the NCAA tournament in her senior year and was named first-team All-Big Ten. Guirantes was the 22nd pick in the 2021 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Bellport's Arella Guirantes, left, in 2013, and Ward Melville's Lauren Hansen in 2019.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/c70e6273-8d56-481e-a988-13588cdf761c" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/c70e6273-8d56-481e-a988-13588cdf761c', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/c70e6273-8d56-481e-a988-13588cdf761c"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/c70e6273-8d56-481e-a988-13588cdf761c/arella.png?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Bellport's Arella Guirantes, left, in 2013, and Ward Melville's Lauren Hansen in 2019. </span></a> 
<h2>Lauren Hansen, Ward Melville</h2> 
<p>The 5-10 lightning-quick guard was known for her ball-handling skills and three-point shooting touch. Injuries derailed a few years of her high school career, but she was Newsday's Suffolk&nbsp;Player of the Year in 2019. She nailed a Long Island-best 79 three-pointers and averaged 27.8 points in the 2018-19 season.&nbsp;She played for Auburn, Missouri and Michigan and scored 1,492 points over her collegiate career.</p> 
<h2>Kaia Harrison, Baldwin</h2> 
<p>She had an incredible high school career, leading the Bruins to five straight Nassau Class AA titles, three Long Island championships and two public school state crowns. That included an MVP performance in the state Federation win in 2018. Who else can say that? She finished her Wake Forest career ranked second in program history with 145 games played. She was also the second-leading scorer with nine points per game in her senior season.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Baldwins Aziah Hudson (2) scores against Bishop Kearney players in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls' Class AA semifinal basketball game Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. 


" data-attr-credit=" " data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/fe0d5054-88aa-41f4-90b5-a42d4c20743b" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/fe0d5054-88aa-41f4-90b5-a42d4c20743b', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/fe0d5054-88aa-41f4-90b5-a42d4c20743b"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/fe0d5054-88aa-41f4-90b5-a42d4c20743b/HP103.jp9099537076.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Baldwins Aziah Hudson (2) scores against Bishop Kearney players in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls' Class AA semifinal basketball game Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. </span></a> 
<h2>Aziah Hudson, Baldwin</h2> 
<p>A guard with an explosive first step, she&nbsp;earned All-Long Island first team honors three times from 2016-18. She is Baldwin’s all-time leading scorer and helped lead the Bruins to two state championships. She spent her college career at Old Dominion, where she was named the 2020 Conference USA Co-Sixth Player of the Year as a sophomore and to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll as a junior.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Christ the Kings Khadija Demry (13) and Long Island Lutherans Celeste Taylor (12) chaser a looser ball in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions girls' Class AA high school basketball semi final game on Friday, March 22, 2019, in Glens Falls, N.Y. Christ the King won 57-42. 


" data-attr-credit="HANS PENNINK" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/f9dbe8bc-358a-47e6-b7c1-0a922f45a3b9" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/f9dbe8bc-358a-47e6-b7c1-0a922f45a3b9', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/f9dbe8bc-358a-47e6-b7c1-0a922f45a3b9"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/f9dbe8bc-358a-47e6-b7c1-0a922f45a3b9/HP122.jp7047052739.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Christ the Kings Khadija Demry (13) and Long Island Lutherans Celeste Taylor (12) chaser a looser ball in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions girls' Class AA high school basketball semi final game on Friday, March 22, 2019, in Glens Falls, N.Y. Christ the King won 57-42. </span></a> 
<h2>Celeste Taylor, Long Island Lutheran&nbsp;</h2> 
<p>The 5-11&nbsp;guard was a potent scorer from anywhere on the floor and earned All-Long Island honors three times. She was a McDonald’s High School All-American and the Newsday Player of the Year in 2019. She started her college career at Texas, averaging&nbsp;9.3&nbsp;points and 4.8&nbsp;rebounds and leading the team with 31&nbsp;three-pointers. She was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team. She transferred to Duke after two years with the Longhorns. As a senior, she was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Defense. She finished her college career at Ohio State. She played for Team USA and won three gold medals:&nbsp;16U in Argentina in 2017, 17U in Belarus in 2018 and 19U in Thailand in 2019. Taylor was drafted by the Indiana Fever of the WNBA with the 15th overall pick in 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="North Shore's Gabrielle Zaffiro (13) carries the ball while being covered by Elmont's Zhaneia Thybulle (15) in the second quarter during the Nassau High School girls basketball Class A finals between Elmont and North Shore  on Saturday March 3, 2018 at Farmingdale State College" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/a4826dc5-9b1e-4b4c-8317-8e377fd7e948" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a4826dc5-9b1e-4b4c-8317-8e377fd7e948', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a4826dc5-9b1e-4b4c-8317-8e377fd7e948"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/a4826dc5-9b1e-4b4c-8317-8e377fd7e948/001213458461824452.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">North Shore's Gabrielle Zaffiro (13) carries the ball while being covered by Elmont's Zhaneia Thybulle (15) in the second quarter during the Nassau High School girls basketball Class A finals between Elmont and North Shore on Saturday March 3, 2018 at Farmingdale State College</span></a> 
<h2>Gabrielle Zaffiro, North Shore</h2> 
<p>The 5-9 guard was one of the premier three-point shooters of the decade. She had a Long Island-best 86 threes&nbsp;as a junior in 2017 en route to being named Newsday’s Player of the Year.&nbsp;The three-time All-Long Island first-team selection had unlimited range and finished her six-year career with 2,644 points, second most in Long Island&nbsp;history. She averaged 29 points per game as a senior. She played three years at Amherst, losing one year to the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> 
<h2>COACHES OF THE DECADE</h2> 
<p><strong>Tom Catapano, Baldwin</strong></p> 
<p>The Bruins were of the fast-break variety,&nbsp;always in transition and playing suffocating defense. Catapano earned Newsday Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2017. He guided the Bruins to six straight Nassau Class AA titles between 2014-19. He’s led the program to 13 Nassau Class AA conference titles, seven Long Island crowns and three state titles. Baldwin is the only Nassau Class AA school to repeat as state champions, in 2017 and 2018.&nbsp;He led the Bruins to a win over then-undefeated Christ the King, the top-ranked team in the country at the time, to claim the state Class AA Federation title in 2018.</p> 
<p><strong>Rich Slater, Long Island Lutheran</strong></p> 
<p>He guided the Crusaders to the state Class B Federation championship in 2011, rallying from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Irvington. It was the&nbsp;beginning of an incredible run for the Crusaders. In 2012, they were a state Federation Class B finalist before the school’s first state Class A Federation title in 2013. They won a first state Class AA Federation crown in 2014.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams

Nicole Kaczmarski goes up for a free throw during Tuesday nights game with Stony Brook.

Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 2010s

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<p>The first decade of the 21st&nbsp;century was one of the best in this series. It included a pair of highly successful NBA players in Tobias Harris of Half Hollow Hills West and Long Island Lutheran, and Danny Green Jr. of St. Mary’s. Both were collegiate stars at Tennessee and North Carolina, respectively, before making it at the highest level of basketball.</p> 
<p>Then there’s Antoine Agudio, who broke Hofstra’s all-time scoring record that stood for almost a half-century. There's&nbsp;Amityville’s 6-10 Jason Fraser, who NBA scouts talked about as a first-round draft choice out of high school before he decided to play for Villanova. And of course, Jack Agostino, the Coach of the Decade who led Amityville to a remarkable four straight state championships.&nbsp; This group set a high standard for future players in the new century.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Whitman's Antoine Agudio.
" data-attr-credit="freelance" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/bc929874-014b-40a3-8293-e44f17395d78" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/bc929874-014b-40a3-8293-e44f17395d78', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/bc929874-014b-40a3-8293-e44f17395d78"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/bc929874-014b-40a3-8293-e44f17395d78/4ace0e55-7d2a-4b4e-a7b5-b54373376859?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Whitman's Antoine Agudio. </span></a> 
<h2>Antoine Agudio, Whitman</h2> 
<p>The first-team All-Long Island pick played four years at Hofstra University from 2004 to 2008 and graduated as the program's all-time leading scorer with 2,276 points, surpassing a mark that stood for 43 years. He added a program-best 357 three-pointers and 317 assists. During his tenure, Hofstra won 95 games and made three consecutive National Invitation Tournament appearances (2005-07). He was a first-team All-CAA, leading the conference in scoring with 22.7 points per game. He played pro ball in the NBA's G League and Europe.</p> 
<h2>Matt Cajuste, Jericho</h2> 
<p>He was a three-time All-Long Island selection. Cajuste&nbsp;scored over 1,000 points and had over 1,000 rebounds in his high school career. He averaged 14 points, 14 rebounds and six&nbsp;blocks per game. He played two years at Seton Hall.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Tim Doyle of St. Dominic. 
" data-attr-credit="Sports" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/ed137b55-726c-445c-9cec-ea3d47bd5581" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/ed137b55-726c-445c-9cec-ea3d47bd5581', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/ed137b55-726c-445c-9cec-ea3d47bd5581"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/ed137b55-726c-445c-9cec-ea3d47bd5581/75a709e5-93b1-4eda-9eb9-303cfb6782e5?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Tim Doyle of St. Dominic. </span></a> 
<h2>Tim Doyle, St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>He was a three-time All-Long Island selection. Doyle&nbsp;averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and seven&nbsp;assists per game as a senior. He played one season at St. John’s&nbsp;and then three at Northwestern, where he averaged 11.5 points and 5.1 assists as a senior.&nbsp;</p> 
<h2>Mamadou Diakhate, St. Mary’s</h2> 
<p>The three-time All-Long Island pick was also Newsday’s Nassau player of the year twice. He averaged 20.5 points, eight rebounds&nbsp;and four assists per game as a senior. He played at Eastern Kentucky for one season and then transferred to Fairfield for three seasons. </p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Amityville's Jason Fraser.
" data-attr-credit="Sports" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/b505b454-0ce9-480a-88df-fc8f39c9330e" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/b505b454-0ce9-480a-88df-fc8f39c9330e', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/b505b454-0ce9-480a-88df-fc8f39c9330e"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/b505b454-0ce9-480a-88df-fc8f39c9330e/d55a1704-61a6-49fe-9c9f-dffe380687f3?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Amityville's Jason Fraser. </span></a> 
<h2>Jason Fraser, Amityville</h2> 
<p>The two-time All-Long Island pick was also Newsday’s Suffolk player of the year as a senior. Fraser&nbsp;averaged 22 points, 16 rebounds, six assists&nbsp;and five blocks per game as a senior. He was a McDonald’s All-American and a Parade All-American. He played at Villanova, where injuries hampered his career. He played professionally in New Zealand and for the Harlem Globetrotters. He coached with the Phoenix Suns of the NBA and the Austin Spurs, an affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs.</p> 
<h2>Danny Green Jr., St. Mary’s</h2> 
<p>A truly all-around great player who&nbsp;found success at every level. The McDonald’s All-American averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, four blocks and four assists per game. He went to North Carolina from 2005 to 2009 and played in more games (145) and had more wins (123) than any player in Tar Heel history. He helped lead them&nbsp;to a national championship in 2009. He had a marvelous 13-year NBA career and won championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014, Toronto Raptors in 2019 and Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Danny Green (left) and Tobias Harris chase down a ball during a 2017 matchup between the Spurs and Pistons.
" data-attr-credit="Getty Images" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/79ced398-f62d-483a-b3ae-49097e1c9047" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/79ced398-f62d-483a-b3ae-49097e1c9047', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/79ced398-f62d-483a-b3ae-49097e1c9047"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/79ced398-f62d-483a-b3ae-49097e1c9047/GettyImages-899953548.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Danny Green (left) and Tobias Harris chase down a ball during a 2017 matchup between the Spurs and Pistons. </span></a> 
<h2>Tobias Harris, Half Hollow Hills West, Long Island Lutheran</h2> 
<p>The three-time All-Long Island pick was Newsday’s Suffolk player of the year and averaged 24 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks per game as a senior. He was a second-team All-SEC selection at Tennessee in his one season. He’s enjoyed 14 years in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks (2011-2013), Orlando Magic (2013-2016), Detroit Pistons (2016-2018), Los Angeles Clippers (2018-2019), Philadelphia 76ers (2019-2024), and currently with the Detroit Pistons. He has averaged 16 points per game in his NBA career.</p> 
<h2>Terrell (Tu) Holloway, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>A stellar point guard who was named All-Nassau and All-Long Island after leading the Tigers to the county championship. He was an exceptional scorer and ball-handler, and outstanding defender. He became a college star at Xavier, earning All-Atlantic 10 and All-American honors as a senior. He played professionally in Europe for a decade.</p> 
<h2>A.J. Price, Amityville</h2> 
<p>He was a scoring machine in high school, averaging 29 points and eight rebounds in his senior year. The two-time All-Long Island pick was also Newsday’s Suffolk player of the year. He played at UConn, where he averaged 13 points per game. He spent six seasons in the NBA (2010-2015), playing for five different teams: Indiana, Washington, Minnesota, Cleveland&nbsp;and Phoenix. He averaged six points a game in the NBA.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Kaheim Seawright of Uniondale.
" data-attr-credit="Freelance" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/c941b646-cc63-4e35-a15f-4f964ac5f223" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/c941b646-cc63-4e35-a15f-4f964ac5f223', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/c941b646-cc63-4e35-a15f-4f964ac5f223"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/c941b646-cc63-4e35-a15f-4f964ac5f223/onecms_3326b77d-1237-4a89-b754-2d8e39af8abf.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Kaheim Seawright of Uniondale. </span></a> 
<h2>Kaheim Seawright, Uniondale</h2> 
<p>One of the greatest players in Uniondale history, leading the Knights to four straight Nassau championships. The two-time All-Long Island choice was Newsday’s Nassau player of the year as a junior. He averaged 19 points, 15 rebounds, five assists&nbsp;and three blocks per game as a senior. He played for the University of Rhode Island and then internationally for 16 seasons in Spain, Israel&nbsp;and Turkey.</p> 
<h2>Coach:&nbsp;Jack Agostino, Amityville</h2> 
<p>He earned the Suffolk Coach of the Year in three of four years, leading Amityville to four straight state Class B public schools&nbsp;championships and two state Federation titles. In that span, his record was 100-8. Agostino, still coaching at Amityville, has a&nbsp;career record of 531-165 over 32 seasons for a .763 winning percentage.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Nassau County's #3 Tim Doyle drives to the basket ahead of Suffolk's #6 J.J. Walsh during the first half of the 13th Annual Lupus Basketball Classic held at Sayville H.S.

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 2000s

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<p>The first decade of&nbsp;the 2000s continued to highlight the growth in the girls&nbsp;game.</p> 
<p>The players that ushered in the decade included St. John the Baptist’s Danielle Wilson, who was one of Long Island’s premier shot blockers. She was an All-Big 12 first-team selection at Baylor. And there was Commack’s Samantha Prahalis, drawing comparisons to Sachem’s Nicole Kaczmarski as a pure scorer and playmaker in high school. She didn’t stop there. Prahalis earned the Big Ten Player of the Year for Ohio State in 2012 and played for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. North Babylon’s Bria Hartley was the state Gatorade Player of the Year twice and went on to play for two-time national champion Connecticut and in the WNBA, including with the Liberty.&nbsp;</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Kristen Doherty of Sachem East.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/1fc0aca9-0f07-4840-8b7d-f95c3f42d146" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1fc0aca9-0f07-4840-8b7d-f95c3f42d146', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1fc0aca9-0f07-4840-8b7d-f95c3f42d146"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/1fc0aca9-0f07-4840-8b7d-f95c3f42d146/k.dohert3877.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Kristen Doherty of Sachem East. </span></a> 
<h2>Kristen Doherty, Sachem East</h2> 
<p>Doherty scored 2,227 points in a six-year varsity career. The three-time All-Long Island selection averaged 27 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 5.6 steals as a senior. She was a four-time all-county selection and earned Parade All-America fourth-team honors in 2010. Doherty played four years at Boston College, averaging 12.3 points as a junior and 12.9 points as a senior. She is one of only 12 players in Boston College history with at least 1,000 career points and 600 rebounds.</p> 
<h2>Suzie Fregosi, Massapequa</h2> 
<p>One of the best in a long line of outstanding players at Massapequa. A five-year varsity player who was named to the All-Nassau team three times, the All-State team three times and the All-Long Island team twice. She was Nassau’s Player of the year in 2006 and 2007. Fregosi accepted a scholarship to play at Iona of the MAAC&nbsp;and had a solid career for the Gaels. She was named to the All-MAAC basketball team and All-MAAC academic team.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Bria Hartley with the Liberty in 2017.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/2e6ddb67-ec36-41e8-9418-ec08a3d31738" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/2e6ddb67-ec36-41e8-9418-ec08a3d31738', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/2e6ddb67-ec36-41e8-9418-ec08a3d31738"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/2e6ddb67-ec36-41e8-9418-ec08a3d31738/11a0c8c1-dc7a-4f1e-a765-62e4ec03b96b?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Bria Hartley with the Liberty in 2017. </span></a> 
<h2>Bria Hartley, North Babylon</h2> 
<p>The New York Gatorade Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010, a three-time All-Long Island selection and McDonald’s All-American. She scored 1,978 points and averaged 30 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 5.9 steals and 5.0 blocks as a senior. Hartley won national title at UConn in 2013 and 2014. Named to the AP All-America second team in 2014 and earned WBCA All-America honors in 2012 and 2014. She was selected seventh overall by the Seattle Storm in the 2014 WNBA Draft and played in 207 games across nine seasons, including three with the Liberty.&nbsp;</p> 
<h2>Christine Huber, St. John the Baptist</h2> 
<p>A North Babylon native and three-time All-Long Island selection. She averaged 14.9 points, 15.1 rebounds, 3.7 blocks and 3.7 steals as a senior. She earned NSCHSAA all-league honors in four seasons. Helped lead St. John the Baptist to CHSAA titles in 2007 and 2008. She played her freshman year at Rutgers before playing three seasons at Northeastern.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Lisa Karcic of New Hyde Park.
" data-attr-credit="freelance" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/2ffb0fe9-fbd2-486f-97cb-7fb6800f58b6" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/2ffb0fe9-fbd2-486f-97cb-7fb6800f58b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/2ffb0fe9-fbd2-486f-97cb-7fb6800f58b6"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/2ffb0fe9-fbd2-486f-97cb-7fb6800f58b6/spHSNHPGBB06rs397.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Lisa Karcic of New Hyde Park. </span></a> 
<h2>Lisa Karcic, New Hyde Park</h2> 
<p>A 6-1 forward/center who was the best player in school history. She scored a school-record 1,894 career points. She was named to the All-Long Island team three times. She was a two-time Nassau Player of the Year and MVP in the state tournament, leading New Hyde Park to the state title in 2003. An exceptional shooter, she twice led Villanova in made three-pointers . She earned a spot on the Croatian National Team for the 2012 Olympics. She played pro ball in Finland, Iceland and Spain.</p> 
<h2>Michelle Kurowski, Hicksville</h2> 
<p>She is the best player in school history and one of the best to ever play in Nassau County. Scored 2,581 career points, making her the third-leading scorer&nbsp;all time in Nassau history. She was a two-time All-State selection, a two-time All-Long Island selection and a five-time All-Nassau honoree. She led Hicksville to back-to-back Class A championships and earned MVP in the tournament. She played at University of Maryland Baltimore County and had a solid career. She scored 1,690 career points, placing her second on UMBC’s all-time list. She was twice named to the America East All-Conference team.</p> 
<h2>Lisa Macchia, Island Trees</h2> 
<p>Outstanding 6-4 center who scored 2,047 points and grabbed 1,562 rebounds in a superb five-year varsity career. Her senior year was magical, averaging 27 points and 19 rebounds while leading Island Trees to the Nassau Class B championship. She was twice named All-State and All-Long Island, was a four-time All-County selection and was the Nassau Player of the Year in 2001. Although she was hampered by knee injuries at Boston College, she had a solid four-year career for the Eagles.</p> 
<h2>Samantha Prahalis, Commack</h2> 
<p>Prahalis scored 2,372 points over a six-year varsity career. She earned All-Long Island honors three times, was a McDonald’s All-American, and went on to play at Ohio State. She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2009. She averaged 19.8 pointsas a senior and was named the 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year and an AP first-team All-American. Scored 2,010 career points at Ohio State. She ranks second all-time in Big Ten history with 901 assists. Selected sixth overall by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2012 WNBA Draft and played 41 games across three seasons.</p> 
<h2>Danielle Wilson, St. John the Baptist</h2> 
<p>A Bay Shore native and two-time All-Long Island pick. She averaged 29.1 points, 20.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 3.7 steals and 5.5 blocks as a senior and was named a McDonald’s All-American before playing three seasons at Baylor. She was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team in 2007 and was All-Big 12 first-team selection in 2009. She averaged 15.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks during the 2008-09 season. Ranks third all-time in Baylor history with 249 blocks.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Kia Wright of Copiague.
" data-attr-credit="Sports" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/9e74442b-175d-49cf-9763-091e69aaaaef" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/9e74442b-175d-49cf-9763-091e69aaaaef', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/9e74442b-175d-49cf-9763-091e69aaaaef"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/9e74442b-175d-49cf-9763-091e69aaaaef/hfCOPIAGUE14rs552.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Kia Wright of Copiague. </span></a> 
<h2>Kia Wright, Copiague</h2> 
<p>A four-time All-Long Island selection. She finished her high school career with 2,148 points. Led Copiague to its first Suffolk and Long Island titles in Class A in 2002. During a four-year career at St. John’s, she averaged 14 points and scored 1,536 career points. She was a four-time All-Big East selection, earning first-team honors in 2006 and second-team honors in 2005, 2007 and 2008.</p> 
<h2>COACHES OF THE DECADE</h2> 
<h3>Shari Roessler, Massapequa</h3> 
<p>Roessler was named Nassau Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2005. She led Massapequa to Nassau and Long Island Class A titles in 2000, finishing with an 18-6 record and losing in the state final. She also led Massapequa to Nassau and Long Island Class AA titles five years later, upsetting Elmont in the county final and beating then-22-1 Northport in the Long Island championship. Massapequa also won county titles in 2002, 2003 and 2006, when it also won a Long Island crown.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Shari Roessler of Massapequa and Mike Petre of East Islip/North Babylon.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/c22559bf-66fc-448f-966b-82c61b6fef2f" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/c22559bf-66fc-448f-966b-82c61b6fef2f', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/c22559bf-66fc-448f-966b-82c61b6fef2f"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/c22559bf-66fc-448f-966b-82c61b6fef2f/e7a4187240e5d696933616091d5c449d404b40e4.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Shari Roessler of Massapequa and Mike Petre of East Islip/North Babylon. </span></a> 
<h3>Mike Petre, East Islip/North Babylon</h3> 
<p>Petre earned Suffolk Coach of the Year honors at East Islip in 2001 and at North Babylon in 2007 and 2008. He led East Islip to its first Suffolk and Long Island Class A titles in 2001, also bringing it to a state final appearance. He guided North Babylon to Suffolk and Long Island Class AA titles in both 2007 and 2008, his first two years with the program. Those were the Bulldogs’ first county and Long Island championships in program history.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 2000s

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<p>This All-Decade team closed the 20th century with a flourish. The leader was Wally Szczerbiak, who carried a non-basketball power in Cold Spring Harbor to the Nassau and Long Island Class C championships, but he wasn't alone in a decade filled with talent.</p> 
<p>There was two-time Suffolk Player of the Year Gary Williams of Bay Shore and Sewanhaka's 6-11 Zendon Hamilton, the best big man of the decade. And it was all about East End basketball, with Bridgehampton's Maurice Manning and Bobby Hopson leading the Killer Bees under the guidance of coach Carl Johnson to three state titles.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high school sports for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Brian Ehlers drives the lane." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/9a582733-c8b9-4c94-8914-4b10ea1cdf82" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/9a582733-c8b9-4c94-8914-4b10ea1cdf82', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/9a582733-c8b9-4c94-8914-4b10ea1cdf82"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/9a582733-c8b9-4c94-8914-4b10ea1cdf82/9a256320-70fd-43b6-a848-2b0c1040b7c2?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Brian Ehlers drives the lane.</span></a> 
<h2>Brian Ehlers, Bay Shore</h2> 
<p>Ehlers&nbsp;had an exceptional high school and college career. He was a&nbsp;superb shooter with three-point range&nbsp;who averaged 31.4 points per game as a senior and&nbsp;was named&nbsp;the Suffolk County Player of the Year. He went to Lafayette and became a standout, getting&nbsp;named to the All-Patriot League team three times and &nbsp;twice being named Patriot League Player of the Year. Played several years of international pro ball.</p> 
<h2>Eric Ferguson, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>He was the best ballhandler of the decade,&nbsp;an extraordinary dribbler and passer who&nbsp;earned All-Long Island first-team honors as senior and made the second team as a junior. He was the key reason the Tigers won Nassau and Long Island titles. He attended Milford Academy and then had an excellent four-year career for Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Sewanhaka High School basketball player Zendon Hamilton (31) during the Nassau Class B Semifinal game against Garden City High School held at Malverne High School in Malverne, New York on Feb. 25, 1994." data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/ffb81cd0-8205-4a3f-9c1b-b2713db3e49e" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/ffb81cd0-8205-4a3f-9c1b-b2713db3e49e', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/ffb81cd0-8205-4a3f-9c1b-b2713db3e49e"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/ffb81cd0-8205-4a3f-9c1b-b2713db3e49e/zendon.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Sewanhaka High School basketball player Zendon Hamilton (31) during the Nassau Class B Semifinal game against Garden City High School held at Malverne High School in Malverne, New York on Feb. 25, 1994.</span></a> 
<h2>Zendon Hamilton, Sewanhaka</h2> 
<p>The best player in school history, the 6-11 center dominated opponents for four years. He was the Newsday Nassau Player of the Year in 1994 and a McDonald’s All-American. He played <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/st-johns/zendon-hamilton-st-johns-basketball-k71202">four years for&nbsp;St. John’s</a>,&nbsp;spent parts of eight years in the NBA and&nbsp;played extensively in Europe.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="William Floyd High School basketball player Rob Hodgson (33) dribbles during a game against Sachem at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, New York on Jan. 18, 1994. Hodgson scored 47 points." data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/ac0494bc-7b6f-4644-baa5-32443e31aed3" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/ac0494bc-7b6f-4644-baa5-32443e31aed3', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/ac0494bc-7b6f-4644-baa5-32443e31aed3"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/ac0494bc-7b6f-4644-baa5-32443e31aed3/hodgson2.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">William Floyd High School basketball player Rob Hodgson (33) dribbles during a game against Sachem at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, New York on Jan. 18, 1994. Hodgson scored 47 points.</span></a> 
<h2>Bobby Hodgson, William Floyd</h2> 
<p>He played six years of varsity ball and averaged 29 points per game as a senior while leading Floyd to a 21-2 record and the school’s first-ever county title. He finished his career with 2,513 points, placing him second&nbsp;in Suffolk boys basketball history, and&nbsp;had a solid career at Rutgers.</p> 
<h2>Bobby Hopson, Bridgehampton</h2> 
<p>He was a sensational high school player who was the leading scorer in school history with 1,720 points. He was a two-time All-Long Island first-team selection and a four-year starter for&nbsp;Wagner. He amassed 1,568 career points in college and was inducted into &nbsp;the Bridgehampton and Wagner Hall&nbsp;of Fame.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Hempstead's @#15 Darnel Reid guards St. Dominic's @#3 Sean Kennedy in the first half of the game at Malverne High School." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/8badeff5-e255-4a7d-b4df-31038ecfe90d" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/8badeff5-e255-4a7d-b4df-31038ecfe90d', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/8badeff5-e255-4a7d-b4df-31038ecfe90d"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/8badeff5-e255-4a7d-b4df-31038ecfe90d/dfa603df-1cc0-40d3-ba4c-bfadda9f0783?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Hempstead's @#15 Darnel Reid guards St. Dominic's @#3 Sean Kennedy in the first half of the game at Malverne High School.</span></a> 
<h2>Sean Kennedy, St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>An elite point guard whose eye-popping passes helped St. Dominic win a state title. He was voted Newsday’s top Nassau player as a senior. The two-time All-Long Island first-teamer had an outstanding career for&nbsp;Marist College, getting named to the &nbsp;All-MAAC first team, before playing&nbsp;pro ball&nbsp;in Poland and Turkey.</p> 
<h2>Maurice Manning, Bridgehampton</h2> 
<p>An East End legend and three-time All-Long Island first-team selection. He was a two-time Suffolk and State Player of the Year and led the Killer Bees to multiple championships. After a <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/maurice-manning-returns-to-court-after-5-year-hiatus-h77264">five-year layoff</a>, he went back to Suffolk Community College and led the Clippers to two NJCAA titles and a record 52-game winning streak. He was a junior college All-American.</p> 
<h2>David Mascia, Lynbrook</h2> 
<p>A four-year starter and two-time first-team All-Long Island selection. He also was an All-Long Island second-team pick as a sophomore, leading&nbsp;Lynbrook to the Nassau Class B title. He scored 2,077 career points,placing him first all-time among Nassau public high school&nbsp;players. He played college ball for&nbsp;LSU and Fordham.</p> 
<h2>Wally Szczerbiak, Cold Spring Harbor</h2> 
<p>He was the player of the decade, a&nbsp;marvelous shooter who averaged 36.0 points&nbsp;and 15.9 rebounds per game as a senior. He was named Newsday Nassau Player of the Year and State Player of the Year after leading&nbsp;the Seahawks to Nassau and Long Island Class C basketball titles. <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/wally-szczerbiak-lands-at-msg-i21781">Szczerbiak</a> had a&nbsp;superb college career for&nbsp;Miami of Ohio and was named&nbsp;MAC Player of the Year before enjoying an excellent NBA career, mostly with Minnesota.</p> 
<h2>Gary Williams, Bay Shore</h2> 
<p>He was a 6-6 power forward and nearly unstoppable. A two-time&nbsp;Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer and two-time Suffolk Player of the Year. He traveled across the country to play for&nbsp;the University of Southern California.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Bridgehampton Coach Carl Johnson poses for a photo prior to the start of the Suffolk County Boys Class C Basketball finals at Suffolk Community College in Selden on Feb 19, 2017." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/3453b0b0-1034-42f1-99bf-983dbf7e9564" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/3453b0b0-1034-42f1-99bf-983dbf7e9564', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/3453b0b0-1034-42f1-99bf-983dbf7e9564"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/3453b0b0-1034-42f1-99bf-983dbf7e9564/608a3227-e307-4734-a09e-d90cda5ab665?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Bridgehampton Coach Carl Johnson poses for a photo prior to the start of the Suffolk County Boys Class C Basketball finals at Suffolk Community College in Selden on Feb 19, 2017.</span></a> 
<h2>Coach:&nbsp;Carl Johnson, Bridgehampton</h2> 
<p>The Suffolk County coaching legend led the Killer Bees to three state titles <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/basketball-is-bridgehampton-s-passion-k52382">in the 1990s</a>.&nbsp; He guided the team to 300 wins, 13 league championships and 11 Suffolk titles.&nbsp;He is unique in state annals, having led Bridgehampton to state championships&nbsp;as <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/bridgehampton-coach-carl-johnson-has-had-quite-the-run-h40648">both a player and coach</a>.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Brian Ehlers drives the lane.

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Hempstead's @#15 Darnel Reid guards St. Dominic's @#3 Sean Kennedy in the first half of the game at Malverne High School.

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1990s

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<p>By the 1990s, Long Island girls basketball was in full force, turning out one big star after another. There were high school stars such as&nbsp;Nicole Kaczmarski of Sachem, the No. 1 recruit in the country. There was Bethany LeSueur of Garden City, who scored a then-state record 3,167 points. There was a 2,048-point scorer in Our Lady of Mercy Academy's Denise Hammersley. There was four-time&nbsp;first-team All-Long Island selection Paula Bacso of Farmingdale. And last, but certainly not least, was Sue Bird, who played at Syosset and Christ the King and went on to have a Hall of Fame career in the WNBA.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<h2>Paula Bacso, Farmingdale</h2> 
<p>The four-time first-team All-Long Island selection and three-time Nassau Player of the Year between 1992 and 1995 dominated this era. She was the first freshman to earn All-Long Island first-team honors and finished her career with 1,530 points and 1,170 rebounds. She led the Dalers to three straight Long Island Class A title appearances, winning the LI crown in 1992-93. The six-year varsity player went on to play for Boston College.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Sue Bird with Team USA and the Seattle Storm.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/cb8f33af-eeca-466c-9139-de88ca8eb1b0" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/cb8f33af-eeca-466c-9139-de88ca8eb1b0', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/cb8f33af-eeca-466c-9139-de88ca8eb1b0"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/cb8f33af-eeca-466c-9139-de88ca8eb1b0/f1ede77c3dc2df64a9c6452d93bdbb8e71253287.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Sue Bird with Team USA and the Seattle Storm. </span></a> 
<h2>Sue Bird, Syosset</h2> 
<p>She undoubtedly is the greatest female basketball player in Long Island history. The skilled point guard earned All-Long Island first-team honors as a sophomore at Syosset in 1996 and then transferred to Christ the King. She led UConn to&nbsp;three Big East titles and two NCAA Division I national championships (2000, 2002). Bird was the first winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award in 2000 as the top point guard in the nation. She won the award three times and captured&nbsp;the 2002 Naismith Award as the college player of the year in her senior season. The trophy case is loaded. The all-time WNBA assists leader (3,234) was a four-time WNBA champion and a 13-time All-Star with the Seattle Storm. She&nbsp;also was a five-time Olympic gold medalist.</p> 
<h2>Denise Hammersley, Our Lady of Mercy Academy</h2> 
<p>A point guard who&nbsp;could distribute the ball or hit any shot, she was a two-time All-Long Island first-team choice in 1990-1991 and finished with 2,048 career points, third in Long Island history at the time. Hammersley led OLMA to the state Class D Federation title and was named the state tournament MVP. She played four years for&nbsp;Fordham, totaling 1,331 points and 232 steals, and holds six school records. She was a four-time All-Patriot League selection and led the Rams to two league titles and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1994. She was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1995.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Danielle Hurley of Commack.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/8413b431-243d-4e48-8ae2-b8b6698e9666" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/8413b431-243d-4e48-8ae2-b8b6698e9666', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/8413b431-243d-4e48-8ae2-b8b6698e9666"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/8413b431-243d-4e48-8ae2-b8b6698e9666/5de3151a-36ec-4fc2-9377-269e8b461e61?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Danielle Hurley of Commack. </span></a> 
<h2>Danielle Hurley, Commack</h2> 
<p>She dominated inside and grabbed a school-record 1,034 rebounds in her varsity career. The two-time All-Long Island first-team selection was the Suffolk Player of the Year as a senior in 1996. Hurley scored a Long Island-best 447 points, including a 39-point effort in a shocking upset of&nbsp;perennial power Northport. She averaged 25 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks. Her school record of 1,380 career points fell when Samantha Prahalis (2,372 points) shattered that mark. The 6-4 center played four years for&nbsp;Georgetown.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Nicole Kaczmarski of Sachem.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/09bc0963-c0b3-4933-a217-c5ecea632ab7" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/09bc0963-c0b3-4933-a217-c5ecea632ab7', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/09bc0963-c0b3-4933-a217-c5ecea632ab7"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/09bc0963-c0b3-4933-a217-c5ecea632ab7/onecms_f24ae9bf-85f9-48c7-91c9-2d518eccc6a2.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Nicole Kaczmarski of Sachem. </span></a> 
<h2>Nicole Kaczmarski, Sachem</h2> 
<p>She turned Long Island fans on to girls basketball, packing gymnasiums at home and on the road. Her extraordinary skills were must-see and curious fans flocked to her games. It became Kazmania after she earned the Newsday Player of the Year as an eighth-grader and led Sachem to the state Class A championship. She was a four-time winner of Newsday’s Suffolk&nbsp;top player award from 1995-99. She totaled 2,583 career points and was named the Gatorade national player of the year as a senior. She was an All-Pac-10 freshman at UCLA in 2000 but&nbsp;did not return to college after suffering from Lyme disease and severe plantar fasciitis. In 2003, she was chosen&nbsp;in the third round of the WNBA Draft by the Liberty. She played professionally in Greece and Austria before returning to the United States, where she briefly joined the Los Angeles Sparks in 2005. She had her No. 23 retired at Sachem and was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.</p> 
<h2>Bethany LeSueur, Garden City</h2> 
<p>She was the second player to earn All-Long Island first-team honors as an eighth-grader. The five-time All-Long Island first-team selection was known for her dogged defense and inside scoring ability. She is Long Island’s all-time leading scorer with 3,167 points over five seasons and&nbsp;led the Trojans to three Nassau and three Long Island Class B titles. She attended the University of Virginia for a year before playing three seasons for&nbsp;Georgetown, where she was a two-year captain.</p> 
<h2>Nora Mitchell, Elmont</h2> 
<p>The 5-10 forward was a five-year starter for the Spartans and is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,515 points. She averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds during her senior season in 1992. She earned All-Long Island first-team honors twice.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Mary Ranone of St. Dominic.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/e2a75043-4595-4a19-865e-b717f05ceff2" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/e2a75043-4595-4a19-865e-b717f05ceff2', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/e2a75043-4595-4a19-865e-b717f05ceff2"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/e2a75043-4595-4a19-865e-b717f05ceff2/55af1d1b-5184-4c5f-96f4-8f6de9e4b690?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Mary Ranone of St. Dominic. </span></a> 
<h2>Mary Ranone, St. Anthony’s/St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>The St. Anthony’s transfer was forced to sit out her sophomore season because of the CHSAA transfer rule. The two-time All-Long Island first-team selection led the Bayhawks to the state Federation Class B &nbsp;title in 1996 and&nbsp;was named the MVP. &nbsp;Ranone had 1,173 career points and helped lead St. Dominic&nbsp;to consecutive CHSAA titles and a 35-game winning&nbsp;streak. The 6-1 forward played four years for&nbsp;William &amp; Mary.</p> 
<h2>Cami Ruck, Northport</h2> 
<p>The do-it-all point guard led Northport to consecutive Suffolk Class A titles in 1991-1992. The Tigers won the Long Island Class A crown, with Ruck right in the thick of it. The 5-9 guard was the Suffolk Player of the Year and averaged 18 points, six assists, six rebounds and five steals. She went on to play four years for&nbsp;the University of Delaware.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Cami Ruck and Kim Ruck of Northport
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<h2>Kim Ruck, Northport</h2> 
<p>Following the footsteps of her older sister, the four-year starter and two-time All-Long Island selection led Northport to the Long Island crown in 1994. She played four years at Cornell University, earning All-Ivy honors in her senior year. The guard/forward scored 1,214 points for the Big Red.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Northport head coach Rich Castellano.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/b33080fc-968f-467f-9206-4b4cccbe06e9" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/b33080fc-968f-467f-9206-4b4cccbe06e9', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/b33080fc-968f-467f-9206-4b4cccbe06e9"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/b33080fc-968f-467f-9206-4b4cccbe06e9/e1e1aa55-53a4-4930-80e5-b105dc79520e?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Northport head coach Rich Castellano. </span></a> 
<h2>Coach: Rich Castellano, Northport</h2> 
<p>One of Long Island’s all-time winningest basketball coaches got started in the '80s and blossomed in the '90s. He bridged the two decades, winning three straight Suffolk Class A titles. He enforced a defense/teamwork priority with all of his teams. His record from 1988-1994 was an incredible 135-9. He guided the Tigers to Long Island titles in 1991 and 1994.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams </span></a>

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........COMMACK BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR DANIELLE HURLEY GOES UP FOR A LAYUP.

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MARY RANONE, A SENIOR FROM SAINT DOMINICK'S HIGH SCHOOL DRIVES FOR THE HOOP IN THE CLASS B NY STATE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS, AGAINST SAINT JOSEPH'S BY THE SEA, VIKINGS. IN STATEN ISLAND

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 1990s

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<p>The 1980s produced some of the best boys basketball players to come off Long Island — high school stars, college stars and professional stars. Five of the 10 players wound up in the NBA and two of them, Tom Gugliotta and Bill Wennington, had long, highly successful careers.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<p>Then there’s Kenny Wood, who graduated with the New York State career scoring record. And there’s two-time national champion coach Billy Donovan, now with the Chicago Bulls, and Kenny Atkinson, currently coaching the Cleveland Cavaliers to the best record in the NBA.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<p>All told, an excellent decade.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/4ecbe622-7535-4473-8c39-c5519b76843a" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/4ecbe622-7535-4473-8c39-c5519b76843a', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/4ecbe622-7535-4473-8c39-c5519b76843a"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/4ecbe622-7535-4473-8c39-c5519b76843a/c561dd4c-df6a-4d8e-a66e-94a7c0e76ef2.jpeg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a> 
<h2>Kenny Atkinson, St. Anthony’s</h2> 
<p>He grew up in Northport but transferred to St. Anthony’s as a junior. A standout guard who was on the first Long Island team to beat New York City in the Newsday Classic. A four-year starter and star player for Richmond who is in the school’s Hall of Fame. He coached the Nets and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/kenny-atkinson-all-star-game-coach-w87llprl">now the Cavaliers</a> in the NBA.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Matt Brust, Babylon</h2> 
<p>The physical 6-4 guard/forward was a two-time Newsday All-Long Island selection. He went to the University of North Carolina and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/st-johns/lou-carnesecca-matt-brust-st-johns-f5az5ufl">transferred to St. John’s</a>, where he had a solid three-year career.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/83ff4b4c-02dd-434a-a69d-e1cc75319021" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/83ff4b4c-02dd-434a-a69d-e1cc75319021', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/83ff4b4c-02dd-434a-a69d-e1cc75319021"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/83ff4b4c-02dd-434a-a69d-e1cc75319021/spNETS230210_033.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a> 
<h2>Billy Donovan, St. Agnes</h2> 
<p>A Newsday All-Long Island guard at St. Agnes while leading his team to the NSCHSAA title, he was an extraordinary shooter. His three-point shooting <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/st-johns/rick-pitino-billy-donovan-providence-n3z53842">helped Providence reach the NCAA Final Four</a> in 1987. He played briefly with the Knicks and then coached Florida to back-to-back NCAA titles. He now coaches the Chicago Bulls.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Tom Gugliotta, Whitman</h2> 
<p>A Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer who kept getting better and better. He starred at North Carolina State, where he became an All-American. He played 13 seasons in the NBA and was an All-Star in 1997.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Andre Hawkins, Malverne</h2> 
<p>A 6-8, 240-pound behemoth who carried the Mules to a pair of state championships. He was MVP of the state tournament and was named the state’s Player of the Year in 1981. An absolute beast on the boards and a three-time Newsday All-Long Island honoree. He was a four-year starter for Syracuse.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/a4381ca6-6de6-44e1-9d54-52c827ddb373" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a4381ca6-6de6-44e1-9d54-52c827ddb373', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a4381ca6-6de6-44e1-9d54-52c827ddb373"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/a4381ca6-6de6-44e1-9d54-52c827ddb373/ivey-jones.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a> 
<h2>Kyle Ivey-Jones, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>Ivey-Jones had an unprecedented high school career. The four-year starter was the Tigers’ best player on four straight Long Island championship teams. He led them to two state Class A crowns and was MVP of the state tournament. The Newsday first-team All-Long Island pick played for Rhode Island.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Shelton Jones, Amityville</h2> 
<p>A 6-9 point guard who was Amityville’s version of Magic Johnson, he had uncanny ballhandling skills for a player of his size. The Newsday first-team All-Long Island pick was the state Player of the Year in 1984. He starred for St. John’s and played for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs and Golden State in the NBA.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Tim Kempton, St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>A 6-10 center/forward who led St. Dominic to a state title. He was named the state Player of the Year and was a Parade All-American. He started for Notre Dame and spent eight seasons in the NBA.</p> 
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<h2>Bill Wennington, LI Lutheran</h2> 
<p>A 7-foot Canadian import who was the main reason Lutheran was ranked among the top high school teams in the country. He was the state Player of the Year. He played in the 1985 <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/st-johns/st-john-s-chris-mullin-1984-85-ncaa-tournament-final-four-u14774">NCAA Final Four for St. John’s</a> and was a three-time NBA champion with the Bulls. He spent 15 years in the NBA.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Kenny Wood, East Hampton</h2> 
<p>A legendary figure in Long Island basketball, Wood scored what was then a state-record <a href="https://projects.newsday.com/databases/long-island/long-island-high-school-basketballs-2000-point-club/?where=sport=Boys%20basketball&amp;offset=0">2,613 career points</a> and was the state Player of the Year in 1989. The two-time Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer played for Richmond and was inducted into the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p> 
<h2>Coach: Ted Adams, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>Adams led his teams to seven Nassau titles and five Long Island Class A crowns in the 1980s. The Tigers won 17 Nassau championships, 12 Long Island titles and three state crowns under Adams. His teams won 517 games and he was Newsday’s Coach of the Year seven times.</p>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1980s

<p>With the girls game growing in popularity across Long Island, Newsday began to recognize those players&nbsp;with its first&nbsp;All-Long Island team in 1984. Sue Wicks of Center Moriches, the player of the decade, averaged almost 40 points per game. Coach Warren Fuller led Wyandanch to two state titles and coach Ollie Mills and his Hempstead Tigers dominated Nassau County.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<h2>Missy Batchelor, St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>The 5-10 forward averaged 23 points as a senior&nbsp;— her&nbsp;fourth season as a varsity player — and finished her career with 1,854 points. She&nbsp; was selected for All-Long Island twice. The Doms were 27-2 and won the state&nbsp;Federation Class C title in 1989. Batchelor went on to play&nbsp;at Fordham.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Adrina Crichlow of Wyandanch.
" data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/b6c6e113-1fad-412b-8a53-bd6b28b14097" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/b6c6e113-1fad-412b-8a53-bd6b28b14097', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/b6c6e113-1fad-412b-8a53-bd6b28b14097"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/b6c6e113-1fad-412b-8a53-bd6b28b14097/photo075.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Adrina Crichlow of Wyandanch. </span></a> 
<h2>Adrina Crichlow, Wyandanch</h2> 
<p>Crichlow was selected to Newsday’s first All-Long Island team in 1984. She averaged 26 points and 17 rebounds as a senior and finished her career with 1,372 points and 1,164 rebounds. Wyandanch was 75-3 in her three-year career. She played for North Carolina State, but multiple knee injuries cut her career short.</p> 
<h2>Lisa Dodd, Holy Trinity</h2> 
<p>The shot-blocking center was a three-time member of Newsday’s All-Long Island team, earning first team in 1985 and 1986. She scored 1,380 points and added 1,110 rebounds in her career. She went to Wake Forest and averaged 8.3 points in 111 career games.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Andrea Dwyer of Hampton Bays.
" data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/6dd71694-8be2-444e-8d3c-ff1482c38e87" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/6dd71694-8be2-444e-8d3c-ff1482c38e87', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/6dd71694-8be2-444e-8d3c-ff1482c38e87"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/6dd71694-8be2-444e-8d3c-ff1482c38e87/dwyer.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Andrea Dwyer of Hampton Bays. </span></a> 
<h2>Andrea Dwyer, Hampton Bays</h2> 
<p>The 5-4 guard eclipsed Wicks' scoring total&nbsp;with 1,754 career points. She was a three-time All-Long Island selection, including two first-team picks. She played at Wake Forest.</p> 
<h2>Kathy Gholson, Wyandanch</h2> 
<p>She became Suffolk’s all-time scoring leader with 1,794 points. Gholson was a three-time All-Long Island selection from 1986-88. She averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds as a senior. She played for a year in college at Old Dominion.</p> 
<h2>Jill Januszewski, Oceanside</h2> 
<p>The greatest female athlete in school history, she was named All-County in basketball, volleyball and softball. She led the Sailors in scoring and rebounding on the way to the county final. She was a physical player with a soft shooting touch. She was inducted into the Nassau High School Athletics Hall of Fame.&nbsp;</p> 
<h2>Monika Kost, Lindenhurst</h2> 
<p>She scored a school-record 1,426 points as a four-year starter. She averaged 20 points and 18 rebounds as a senior, leading the Bulldogs to the Long Island Class A title. She was the first sophomore to be selected to Newsday’s All-Long Island first team. She was a three-time All-Long Island pick, and played at Duke,&nbsp;averaging&nbsp;8.6 points in 112 career games.</p> 
<h2>Kathy O’Reilly, Sachem</h2> 
<p>The point guard was nicknamed the &quot;Kamikaze Kid&quot; for her aggressive, all-out style of play. O'Reilly was named the state MVP when she led Sachem to the state title in 1982. She was also the MVP of Newsday’s New York City vs. Long Island Classic in 1982. She was a record-setter at Seton Hall, compiling 533 career assists, a mark&nbsp;that stood for 25 years. In 1985, she was named to the Big East All-Rookie team. She was inducted into the Seton Hall Hall of Fame in 2023.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Patty Reynolds of Valley Stream South.
" data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/beb8af57-5c25-4513-8e60-e1dc01c5aff7" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/beb8af57-5c25-4513-8e60-e1dc01c5aff7', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/beb8af57-5c25-4513-8e60-e1dc01c5aff7"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/beb8af57-5c25-4513-8e60-e1dc01c5aff7/reynolds.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Patty Reynolds of Valley Stream South. </span></a> 
<h2>Patty Reynolds, Valley Stream South</h2> 
<p>The 5-8 guard was a three-time All-Long Island selection, including two first-team selections in 1985 and 1986. Reynolds scored 2,258 points as a four-year starter, making her the No. 8 scorer in Long Island history. She&nbsp;went to Iona and is the No. 2&nbsp;scorer in Gaels’ history with 1,683 points in 110 career games. She was inducted into the Nassau County Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.</p> 
<h2>Lisa Smith, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>The 1983 graduate of Hempstead High School&nbsp;dazzled opponents for four years, scoring what was then a state-record 2,418 points, and leading the Tigers to a 92-3 record with four Nassau titles, two state championships&nbsp;and a Federation title in 1982. Hempstead won 52 straight games during one stretch of Smith's career. She had an outstanding career at St. John’s. She was inducted into the Nassau County Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.</p> 
<h2>Marlane Ward, Wyandanch</h2> 
<p>The 5-10 center averaged 25 points and 23 rebounds in her senior year. Ward was a three-time All-Long Island pick, including two first-team selections. She scored 1,604 career points at Wyandanch, and played at Norfolk State.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Sue Wicks with the Liberty in 1999. 
" data-attr-credit="Associated Press" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/276df344-dde0-4997-bda7-8bf5fafba6ca" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/276df344-dde0-4997-bda7-8bf5fafba6ca', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/276df344-dde0-4997-bda7-8bf5fafba6ca"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/276df344-dde0-4997-bda7-8bf5fafba6ca/AP990717040260324.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Sue Wicks with the Liberty in 1999. </span></a> 
<h2>Sue Wicks, Center Moriches</h2> 
<p>Unequivocally, the player of the 1980s. She averaged 39.9 points as a senior and was selected to Newsday’s first- All-Long Island team. The 6-3 Wicks totaled 1,688 career points in her high school career and went on to play at Rutgers, becoming the most decorated player in school history. Wicks was a three-time Kodak All-American and 1988 Naismith and U.S. Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year. She still owns the Rutgers career records for points, rebounds and scoring average. She is a member of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.&nbsp;She spent more than 15 years playing professionally overseas. When the WNBA was formed in 1997, she was the first-round selection of her hometown Liberty, playing six seasons before her retirement in 2003.</p> 
<h2>COACHES OF THE DECADE</h2> 
<h3>Warren Fuller, Wyandanch</h3> 
<p>He won four Long Island championships and five Suffolk titles in the 1980s. Wyandanch was 27-0 in 1983, part of a Suffolk-record 51-game winning streak. They were 24-1 in 1984 and lost in the state Class C final. They were 29-1 in 1987 and earned the school’s third public school state title and the state Class C Federation crown. In 1988, they were 27-1 and lost in the Class C state final. He coached for 33 years and captured 13 Long Island titles with a career record of 579-172.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Warren Fuller of Wyandanch and Ollie Mills of Hempstead.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/485b75bb-9fab-41a7-b6fd-d1f0cd819306" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/485b75bb-9fab-41a7-b6fd-d1f0cd819306', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/485b75bb-9fab-41a7-b6fd-d1f0cd819306"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/485b75bb-9fab-41a7-b6fd-d1f0cd819306/fb1e0e4d8f6a7625b7eed9c320d365f412cc0bd1.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Warren Fuller of Wyandanch and Ollie Mills of Hempstead. </span></a> 
<h3>Ollie Mills, Hempstead</h3> 
<p>He coached Hempstead for seven years but in that time had a profound impact on the program. He accumulated a remarkable 140-9 record. But that’s not the most impressive thing he did. From 1979-83, his teams had a record of 92-3, won four Nassau and Long Island titles, won a state public school championship and a state federation crown. Along the way, they won 71 straight home games and never lost a game to a Nassau County team over a four-year period.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 1980s

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<p>There is a rich history of Long Island boys basketball, and the 1970s was the strongest decade of them all.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<p>Picking just 10 names was no easy assignment. The list includes an NBA All-Star in Jeff Ruland of Sachem, an Olympic gold medalist in Mitch Kupchak of Brentwood and Frank Alagia of St. Agnes, who was recognized as the top college player in the country under 6-foot, an annual award selected by a panel from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<p>Simply put, a tremendous group.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<p>This is Part 3 of Newsday’s look back at Long Island’s best basketball players for each decade, a series that will take you through seven decades for the boys and five decades for the girls.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high school sports for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<p><a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/77a647d3-d354-4816-a5cc-e9b88d66f5ca" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/77a647d3-d354-4816-a5cc-e9b88d66f5ca', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/77a647d3-d354-4816-a5cc-e9b88d66f5ca"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/77a647d3-d354-4816-a5cc-e9b88d66f5ca/Alagia%20crop.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a></p>
<h2>Frank Alagia, St. Agnes</h2>
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<p>A generational player who led St. Agnes to three NSCHSAA titles. The 5-9 point guard was an All-Long Island and All-State selection. He was a four-year starter at St. John’s University. He set a school record with 478 assists. As a senior, he won the prestigious Francis Pomeroy Naismith Award as the country’s top player under 6 feet.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>Frank Brickowski, Locust Valley</h2>
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<p>Perhaps the greatest late bloomer in Long Island history. He made All-Division, but not All-Nassau or All-Long Island in high school. Penn State took a chance on the 6-9 center and he blossomed. By his senior year, he was the Nittany Lions’ MVP. He was drafted in the third round by the Knicks and averaged double figures in points eight times in 12 NBA seasons, playing for several teams.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/438b6996-feeb-4630-a161-ab4c57a825c1" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/438b6996-feeb-4630-a161-ab4c57a825c1', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/438b6996-feeb-4630-a161-ab4c57a825c1"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/438b6996-feeb-4630-a161-ab4c57a825c1/AP03011402874.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a></p>
<h2>Matt Doherty, Holy Trinity</h2>
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<p>He was the first freshman to make the <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/matt-doherty-holy-trinity-q23elhug">varsity for the Titans</a>. A versatile 6-6 forward, he led the team to the 1980 New York State crown. He was named to the McDonald’s and Parade All-American teams and Newsday’s All-Long Island team twice.<a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-basketball/matt-doherty-rebound-from-pain-to-passion-leadership-lessons-learned-p14140"> Doherty</a> went to North Carolina and started alongside Michael Jordan and James Worthy on the 1982 NCAA championship team. He later coached at North Carolina, among other spots. <span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>Marc Iavaroni, Plainview JFK</h2>
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<p>An outstanding 6-8 player who made Newsday’s All-Long Island first team in 1974. He was a four-year starter at Virginia and averaged double figures in points all four years. He spent four years in Europe before making his NBA debut as a starting power forward for the Philadelphia 76ers on the 1983 NBA championship team. He had a seven-year NBA career.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>Toby Knight, Port Jefferson</h2>
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<p>A 6-9 talent who <a href="https://projects.newsday.com/databases/long-island/basketball-points-records/">scored 61 points in one game</a> in 1973. He was an All-Long Island first-team pick as a senior and second team as a junior. He had an outstanding college career at Notre Dame, where he was a three-year starter. He was drafted by the Knicks in the second round in 1977 and had a five-year NBA career.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/e9c4c7b5-724f-49dd-8fbb-f0d0561ea006" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/e9c4c7b5-724f-49dd-8fbb-f0d0561ea006', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/e9c4c7b5-724f-49dd-8fbb-f0d0561ea006"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/e9c4c7b5-724f-49dd-8fbb-f0d0561ea006/AP20119839786523.jpg?f=&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a></p>
<h2>Mitch Kupchak, Brentwood</h2>
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<p>One of the best players in Suffolk history. A 6-9 high school center, he led Brentwood to two Suffolk titles. He averaged 30.1 points as a senior and was a high school All-American. He starred for North Carolina, was an All-American selection and earned ACC Player of the Year as a senior. He was a gold medalist on the U.S. team in the 1976 Olympics and played for two NBA championship teams during his 10-year career with Washington and the Los Angeles Lakers.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/239794e8-0dbe-4058-ae67-8114f9fc5465" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/239794e8-0dbe-4058-ae67-8114f9fc5465', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/239794e8-0dbe-4058-ae67-8114f9fc5465"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/239794e8-0dbe-4058-ae67-8114f9fc5465/ruland_crop.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a></p>
<h2>Jeff Ruland, Sachem</h2>
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<p>A 6-10, 240-pound dominant high school center, Ruland was a first-team Newsday All-Long Island pick and a first-team McDonald’s All-American. He also was a Parade Magazine All-American. He was heavily recruited and chose Iona, where he became a two-time All-American. He had an eight-year NBA career with Washington, was a two-time All-Star and averaged 22.2 points in his best season.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>David Russell, Bellport</h2>
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<p>A 6-6 forward who could jump to the moon. He led Bellport to the Suffolk Class AA title in 1979, and the Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer was voted the state’s Player of the Year. He was a standout at St. John’s and earned Big East Rookie of the Year. He was an honorable mention All-American and became the Red Storm’s third-highest scorer in school history at that time with 1,753 points. (He ranks ninth now.)<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/6d557cef-4a75-451d-a1ba-030342787bba" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/6d557cef-4a75-451d-a1ba-030342787bba', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/6d557cef-4a75-451d-a1ba-030342787bba"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/6d557cef-4a75-451d-a1ba-030342787bba/beaversmith_crop.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /></a></p>
<h2>William (Beaver) Smith, South Side</h2>
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<p>Smith was 6-4 and played like he was 6-11. He was a fearsome shot blocker and the best defensive player of the decade. He was an All-Long Island pick and led South Side to consecutive Nassau titles in 1971 and 1972. He had an outstanding career at St. John’s as a four-year starter alongside Alagia. He was drafted by the Knicks in 1976.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>Howard Wood, East Hampton</h2>
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<p>A 6-7, 235-pound powerhouse. He carried East Hampton to the 1977 state championship and was a two-time, first-team All-Long Island pick. A great high school player who was even better in college, Wood was a ferocious rebounder and defender and an All-American at Tennessee. He played in the NBA with the Utah Jazz.<span contenteditable="false"> </span></p>
<h2>Coach: Frank Morris, St. Agnes</h2>
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<p>Morris guided the Stags to 471 wins, including four NSCHSAA championships in this decade. He produced a slew of Division I players using a full-court press and fast-break offense to completely demoralize opponents. Surprisingly, Morris never played high school or college basketball.<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-f="" data-attr-q="" data-attr-w="" data-attr-align="" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"></a></p>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1970s

Newsday's All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1970s

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<p>The 1970s was the decade of transformation.</p> 
<p>It started in 1971 when 5-on-5 girls basketball replaced the old 6-on-6 version, allowing&nbsp;girls to play the game that boys had been&nbsp;playing for decades. The passage of Title IX followed in 1972, a landmark federal law that gave female athletes equal opportunity in sports. This meant that girls high school teams quickly began to appear across Long Island. But the 1970s wasn't a full decade since Title IX wasn’t enforced until 1975. There were no girls high school leagues until 1978. Nonetheless, there were some outstanding pioneer girls playing the game and laying the groundwork for future generations.</p> 
<p>Newsday began to recognize the girls game with its first All-Long Island team in 1984.&nbsp;Sue Wicks of Center Moriches was the shining star on that team after averaging almost 40 points per game and eventually became the national collegiate player of the year at Rutgers. Not a bad start for Long Island girls high school basketball.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high schools for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Sachem's Barbara Durham (32) gets the ball by Jeanne Bockrath (11) of Harborfields in the first period of the Suffolk County championship basketball game on March 9, 1979." data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/78fea09d-0cf0-42df-92f6-84dc8dcf80e5" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/78fea09d-0cf0-42df-92f6-84dc8dcf80e5', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/78fea09d-0cf0-42df-92f6-84dc8dcf80e5"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/78fea09d-0cf0-42df-92f6-84dc8dcf80e5/img043.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Sachem's Barbara Durham (32) gets the ball by Jeanne Bockrath (11) of Harborfields in the first period of the Suffolk County championship basketball game on March 9, 1979.</span></a> 
<h2>Barbara Durham, Sachem</h2> 
<p>The first 1,000-point scorer in Sachem history, who, according to Sachem coach Risa Zander, put the girls program on the proverbial map when she scored 39 points in a playoff win over Brentwood in 1977. The shooting guard led Long Island to the gold medal at the first&nbsp;Empire State Games in 1977. She went on to play at Wake Forest.</p> 
<h2>Floretta Jackson, Wyandanch</h2> 
<p>The three-time All-Suffolk selection was a Parade All-American and a Street &amp; Smith All-American. She started her career in 1979 and led Wyandanch to two public school state titles and a state Federation crown in 1983. She played for James Madison, where she was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. She also was selected to the CAA All-Decade team from 1985-1995.</p> 
<h2>Sue Johnson, Whitman</h2> 
<p>&nbsp;A&nbsp;three-sport star at Whitman from 1978-1982 who went on to a record-breaking career at Yale. She would play basketball, lacrosse and soccer at Yale, but it was on the hardwood where she flourished. She was a four-year starter and one of the most outstanding players in program history, setting nine university records. She was a two-time All-Ivy League first-team selection and led Yale in scoring twice, rebounding three times and set a single-season record with 74 steals. Johnson coached at Yale, Princeton and Boston College before taking the head coaching job at New Hampshire for 10 years. She was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.</p> 
<h2>Eileen McCann, Smithtown</h2> 
<p>She could score on the inside or bounce it outside. She was known for her ballhandling skills and vision to see the court and make the great pass. She played for four years at North&nbsp;Carolina and helped the Tar Heels win an ACC title. She was invited to the Olympic camp for a tryout. The Smithtown West graduate was a gold medalist in the 1978 Empire State Games. She is currently a New York State trooper.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Jennifer Mitchell of Hempstead High School was one of the first great high school girls basketball players on Long Island. She scored 60 points in a game in 1972, a Long Island record that stood for nearly 40 years." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/b1382e7a-0ac6-496f-b392-cbbfbe307329" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/b1382e7a-0ac6-496f-b392-cbbfbe307329', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/b1382e7a-0ac6-496f-b392-cbbfbe307329"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/b1382e7a-0ac6-496f-b392-cbbfbe307329/download%20(1).png?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Jennifer Mitchell of Hempstead High School was one of the first great high school girls basketball players on Long Island. She scored 60 points in a game in 1972, a Long Island record that stood for nearly 40 years.</span></a> 
<h2>Jennifer Mitchell, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>Probably the greatest Long Island girls basketball player no one ever heard of because she played before the advent of Title IX. Imagine, when she scored 60 points in a 62-60 win over Bethpage, there was no box score or story in any newspaper. Those 60 points stood as a Long Island record for 40 years. She had a stellar career at Federal City College in Washington, D.C., where she earned the nickname, &quot;Jump Shot Jen.&quot;&nbsp;Mitchell, who was known to have a respiratory condition,&nbsp;died suddenly at 22 years old from what a newspaper&nbsp;reported&nbsp;was a blood clot.&nbsp;The top player of the 1970s.</p> 
<h2>Melissa Pearsall, Oceanside</h2> 
<p>Like many girls before her, Melissa Pearsall was ahead of her time. A great all-around athlete in the 1920s, she was the leading basketball scorer on the South Shore and went on to play several years with a traveling girls professional basketball team. She was inducted into the Nassau High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2020. We put her on the All-Decade team in recognition of all those girls who never got the chance to play high school basketball or any other sport.</p> 
<h2>Debbie Polcer, Long Beach</h2> 
<p>She played three years in the 1970s and was one of the most outstanding players in Nassau by the time she graduated in 1980. One of the best female players ever produced at Long Beach, she went on to become an All-Region selection at Nassau Community College, followed by a solid&nbsp;two-year career at Seton Hall in the Big East.</p> 
<h2>Marie Riley, Centereach</h2> 
<p>In an epic showdown, Riley, a two-time All-Suffolk selection, and Far Rockaway star Nancy Lieberman packed the gym with fans who&nbsp;watched what was considered the two best players from the local area. “An unforgettable experience,” said Sachem coach Risa Zander, who was in attendance. “The atmosphere was great.” The 5-10 guard went on to become a three-time Carolinas Conference female athlete of the year and led High Point University&nbsp;to three conference titles and an AIAW national championship in 1978. She scored 1,949 points in her career. In 2016, she was inducted into the High Point Hall of Fame. She also played tennis and volleyball in college.</p> 
<h2>Carol Walderman, Centereach</h2> 
<p>The 5-10 forward was way ahead of her time and part of a fierce Centereach-Sachem rivalry. An athletic scorer with tremendous defensive skills, Walderman led Centereach to three straight Suffolk titles from 1976 to 1978, posting a 60-3 record in that period. The three-time All-Suffolk selection averaged 16 points per game. She was a three-sport athlete, also selected All-Suffolk in field hockey and softball. She played for one year at Colorado and then scored 1,280 points in three years at Penn State.</p> 
<h2>Kelley Watts, Bay Shore</h2> 
<p>The Marauders’ big playmaker was their assist leader for two years. She averaged 17 points per game as a senior and accepted a full scholarship to play guard at Rutgers, where Watts helped&nbsp;lead the Scarlet Knights to the first perfect conference season in Atlantic 10 history. She served as the head coach at Merchant Marine Academy and St. Joseph’s (LI). She was inducted into the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame in 1995.</p> 
<h2>Coach:&nbsp;Risa Zander, Sachem</h2> 
<p>She was there from the start and her impact was felt through the Seventies and beyond as she was one of the first coaches to promote and influence the girls’ game. Whether it was coaching the Empire State Games, where she led Long Island to gold, silver and bronze medals in her six years, or coordinating the Newsday Classic pitting New York City all-stars against Long Island,&nbsp;Zander was right in the thick of it all. She coached from 1974 through 1996 and had a career record of 338-96. She led Sachem to nine Class A league titles, four Suffolk crowns&nbsp;and two regional wins before winning a state championship in 1985. She was named the National High School Basketball Coach of the Year for the 1990-91 season. She was the first woman to be inducted into the New York State Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1de4646b-2269-4195-be42-a3f188d89ea4"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Girls Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 1970s

Newsday's Long Island All-Decade girls basketball players: The 1970s

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<p>There is a rich history of Long Island boys basketball,&nbsp;and the 1960s was&nbsp;the decade of the game-changer.</p> 
<p>The biggest star, of course, was&nbsp;Julius Erving, who became known as Dr. J for his out-of-this-world dunking ability&nbsp;as he soared to Hall of Fame status.&nbsp;But before that, the greatest player from Long Island&nbsp;wasn’t heavily recruited at Roosevelt High School.&nbsp;</p> 
<p>The decisions on selections of players were made based on the totality of their careers, not just their high school accomplishments.</p> 
<p>This is Part 2 of Newsday's look back at&nbsp;Long Island's best basketball players for each decade, a series that will take you through seven decades for the boys and five decades for the girls.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high school sports for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="North Carolina's Bill Chamberlain, right, battles with UMass' Chris Coffin during an NIT game at MSG on March 20, 1971." data-attr-credit="AP" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/f81c7d75-f11d-410a-b738-ad76d6391231" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/f81c7d75-f11d-410a-b738-ad76d6391231', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/f81c7d75-f11d-410a-b738-ad76d6391231"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/f81c7d75-f11d-410a-b738-ad76d6391231/AP710320061.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">North Carolina's Bill Chamberlain, right, battles with UMass' Chris Coffin during an NIT game at MSG on March 20, 1971.</span></a> 
<h2>Bill Chamberlain, LI Lutheran</h2> 
<p>A rugged 6-6 forward who was first-team All-Long Island, first-team All-State and a Parade All-American. He had a terrific career at the University of North Carolina and was the <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/college/college-basketball/lutheran-s-bill-chamberlain-opened-doors-at-north-carolina-q27916">second Black player behind Charlie Scott to integrate</a> the Atlantic Coast&nbsp;Conference. He played in the NBA and ABA.</p> 
<h2>Joe DePre, Westbury</h2> 
<p>A big, tough shooting guard who was named first-team <a href="https://projects.newsday.com/databases/long-island/all-long-island-teams-history/?where=sport=Boys%20basketball;year=1966&amp;offset=0">All-Long Island in 1966</a>. He went on to a stellar career at St. John’s University, after which he was drafted by Phoenix in the NBA and the Nets in the ABA. He spent three years with the Nets.</p> 
<h2>Julius Erving, Roosevelt</h2> 
<p>He is better known as &quot;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/julius-erving-dr-j-nancy-lieberman-roosevelt-basketball-court-mackey-park-y6d4mra7">Dr. J</a>,&quot; an outstanding high school player&nbsp;who exploded on the college scene at UMass. He starred on championship teams with the <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/nets/julius-erving-nets-reminisce-about-magical-aba-championship-run-50-years-ago-jtek5viu">Nets in the ABA</a> and the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. He changed the game with a&nbsp;previously&nbsp;unseen&nbsp;variety of thunderous dunks.</p> 
<h2>Phil Hankinson, Great Neck North</h2> 
<p>He was a silky-smooth 6-8 forward who averaged 28 points and 17 rebounds while leading Great Neck North to the Nassau title, scoring&nbsp;39 points in the county final. He starred at the&nbsp;University of Pennsylvania, leading the Quakers to three Ivy League titles and three NCAA Tournaments. He was Penn’s MVP in 1973 and played two seasons for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.</p> 
<h2>Tom Riker, St. Dominic</h2> 
<p>He was the best big man in the country as a high school senior, a&nbsp;Parade All-America&nbsp;first-team selection and the New York State Player of the Year in 1968. He was an All-American at the University of South Carolina and was selected in the first round of the NBA Draft by the Knicks. He spent parts of three years in the NBA.</p> 
<h2>Randy Smith, Bellport</h2> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="The Bellport High School basketball court was dedicated to Randy Smith on Feb 2, 2019. " data-attr-credit="" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/8c049fcb-57d0-440e-8d7b-469eede95588" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/8c049fcb-57d0-440e-8d7b-469eede95588', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/8c049fcb-57d0-440e-8d7b-469eede95588"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/8c049fcb-57d0-440e-8d7b-469eede95588/9dd8c158-4afb-4109-8b15-e0677eb7548f?w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">The Bellport High School basketball court was dedicated to Randy Smith on Feb 2, 2019. </span></a> 
<p><a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/basketball/randy-smith-bellport-nba-mcadoo-q51426">Randy Smith</a> was a fabulous all-around athlete who excelled in basketball, soccer and track, a second-team All-Long Island basketball player and a Division II All-American in three sports at Buffalo State. He enjoyed a 12-year NBA career and set the then-NBA record by&nbsp;playing in 906 straight games. He was a two-time NBA All-Star and an All-Star Game MVP.</p> 
<h2>Chris Thomforde, LI Lutheran</h2> 
<p>The 6-9 center put the Crusaders' program on the basketball map. He was an All-Long Island selection before enjoying&nbsp;a superb career at Princeton, leading the Tigers to three Ivy League titles and becoming an All-American selection. Thomforde&nbsp;was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated,&nbsp;was drafted by the Knicks and became a college president at several schools.</p> 
<h2>Clarence &quot;Foots&quot;&nbsp;Walker, Southampton</h2> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Foots Walker of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1977." data-attr-credit="Getty Images" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/e97c3420-184c-405a-b304-10508e164412" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/e97c3420-184c-405a-b304-10508e164412', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/e97c3420-184c-405a-b304-10508e164412"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/e97c3420-184c-405a-b304-10508e164412/7e1907ec-1a49-47c8-a5a3-bd44ffc12a0d?w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Foots Walker of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1977.</span></a> 
<p>He was a two-time&nbsp;first-team All-Long Island star who led the Mariners to consecutive unbeaten seasons and Suffolk championships. He was a major force in <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/southampton-61-game-winning-streak-d31394">Southampton's record 61-game winning streak</a>. He led West Georgia College to the NAIA collegiate title in 1974 and&nbsp;had a 10-year NBA career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Nets.</p> 
<h2>Al Williams, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>He was a fantastic high school guard who was a first-team All-Long Island selection and&nbsp;also quarterbacked an unbeaten Tigers football team. He attended Laurinburg Prep before accepting a scholarship to Niagara, where he starred for three years and eventually was&nbsp; inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame.</p> 
<h2>Wandy Williams, Malverne</h2> 
<p>He was an elite all-around athlete who starred in high school basketball, football and track and&nbsp;was a first-team All-Long Island pick after&nbsp;leading the Mules to their first county championship in 1964. He transferred from the University of Kansas to Hofstra University, where he played football and basketball. The running back was drafted in the sixth round by the Broncos and played for Denver in 1969 and 1970.</p> 
<h2>Coach: Joe Romanosky, Southampton</h2> 
<p>His teams used a relentless fast-breaking offense to produce three straight unbeaten regular seasons and two Suffolk championships. From 1967 to 1970, Southampton won an astounding 61 straight games, a Long Island record that has stood for 55 years.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1960s

Newsday's All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1960s

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<p>There is a rich history of Long Island boys basketball, from the 1950s with superstars such as Jim Brown of Manhasset and Carl Yastrzemski of Bridgehampton. Both went on to spectacular Hall of Fame careers in football and baseball, respectively, but they also left their mark on the hardwood.&nbsp;</p> 
<p>The decisions on selections of players were made based on the totality of their careers, not just their high school accomplishments.</p> 
<p>And that's where Newsday begins its look at Long Island's best basketball players for each decade, a series that will take you through seven decades for the boys and five decades for the girls.</p> 
<p>The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high school sports for 40 years. Candel&nbsp;covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.</p> 
<h2>Joe Blocker, Hempstead</h2> 
<p>Sensational four-sport athlete who was a four-year starter on powerful basketball teams. Not only a gifted scorer but&nbsp;one of the best defenders in the county. Always drew the opponent's best player. All-County first team. Aside from&nbsp;Jim Brown, the most versatile athlete of the decade.</p> 
<h2>Jim Brown, Manhasset</h2> 
<p>Yes,<em> that&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/columnists/tom-rock/jim-brown-john-mara-cleveland-browns-new-york-giants-k0ly63ce">Jim Brown</a>. One of the greatest&nbsp;players in NFL history&nbsp;and a sensational high school basketball player. Remains the only player in <a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/jim-brown-leads-inaugural-class-of-nassau-high-school-hall-of-fame-inductees-w82964">Nassau history</a> to score more than 50 points (55 and 53) in consecutive games. Two-time first-team All-County pick. He still holds the Long Island&nbsp;season record of 38.1 points per game.</p> 
<h2>Larry Brown, Long Beach</h2> 
<p>He was the best point guard on Long Island in 1958, a&nbsp;great shooter and passer. He played for North Carolina and in the ABA,&nbsp;was one of the most successful coaches in college and the NBA, and was named to the National Basketball Hall of Fame.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Mike Cingiser played for Brown from 1959-62." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/8ea2e095-2131-4904-be04-eb0a8d1867a7" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/8ea2e095-2131-4904-be04-eb0a8d1867a7', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/8ea2e095-2131-4904-be04-eb0a8d1867a7"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/8ea2e095-2131-4904-be04-eb0a8d1867a7/Cingiser%2C%20Mike%20-%20Action%2003.jpeg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Mike Cingiser played for Brown from 1959-62.</span></a> 
<h2>Mike Cingiser, West Hempstead</h2> 
<p><a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/boys-basketball/mike-cingiser-obituary-e6br127f">Cingiser</a> was the greatest player in school history, a&nbsp;two-time first-team All-Nassau selection, and&nbsp;scored a school-record 39 points in leading West Hempstead&nbsp;to the 1957 county title. He was a three-time first-team All-Ivy League pick at Brown,&nbsp;was drafted by the Celtics and&nbsp;coached Brown to an Ivy League title in 1986.</p> 
<h2>Connie Dierking, Valley Stream Central</h2> 
<p>At 6-10, he was the best Long Island&nbsp;big man of the decade. An All-Nassau top&nbsp;five player who led his team to the county title. He was an All-American at Cincinnati and had a 12-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals.</p> 
<h2>George Emma, Freeport</h2> 
<p>The&nbsp;two-time All-Nassau selection and two-time county scoring champion&nbsp;averaged 28.6 points per game. He played basketball for&nbsp;Villanova and minor league baseball for the Yankees and led the New York-Penn League in home runs.</p> 
<h2>Reggie Giddens, Oyster Bay</h2> 
<p>A superb all-around player who led the Baymen to three consecutive Nassau titles in 1950, '51 and '52. A two-time first-team All-County basketball player who also was a standout in football, baseball and track.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Art Heyman was a former Oceanside HS, college and NBA star. Heyman, a 1959 graduate, 1963 Sports Illustrated cover on display at Oceanside HS,  Friday, February 28, 2025." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/f3bba25d-a80c-45e5-bbbd-12e480f6e1b6" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/f3bba25d-a80c-45e5-bbbd-12e480f6e1b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/f3bba25d-a80c-45e5-bbbd-12e480f6e1b6"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/f3bba25d-a80c-45e5-bbbd-12e480f6e1b6/2I7A9721-Enhanced-NR-Edit.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;">Art Heyman was a former Oceanside HS, college and NBA star. Heyman, a 1959 graduate, 1963 Sports Illustrated cover on display at Oceanside HS, Friday, February 28, 2025.</span></a> 
<h2>Art Heyman, Oceanside</h2> 
<p><a href="https://www.newsday.com/long-island/obituaries/art-heyman-former-knick-dies-at-71-l52025">Heyman</a>&nbsp;was the best Long Island player of the decade and&nbsp;a&nbsp;first-team Parade All-American. After leading&nbsp;the Sailors to the county crown, he&nbsp;was a three-time All-American,&nbsp;national player of the year and Final Four MVP at Duke. He played in the NBA and the ABA.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption=" Bill Thieben photo from the Sayville High School yearbook. February 28, 2025 ( copy by Neil Miller)" data-attr-credit="Sayville High School" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/6ff125cf-8e19-4e64-8f03-6d7e2b66176a" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/6ff125cf-8e19-4e64-8f03-6d7e2b66176a', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/6ff125cf-8e19-4e64-8f03-6d7e2b66176a"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/6ff125cf-8e19-4e64-8f03-6d7e2b66176a/thiebenb04nm.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3" /><span class="captionwrapper" style="display: block;"> Bill Thieben photo from the Sayville High School yearbook. February 28, 2025 ( copy by Neil Miller)</span></a> 
<h2>Bill Thieben, Sayville</h2> 
<p>He was an elite high school player who scored a then-Suffolk record 48 points in a single game. He set school scoring and rebounding records at Hofstra, was a two-time All-American and won the Haggerty Award as the best player in the metropolitan area. He played for the Fort&nbsp;Wayne Pistons of the NBA.</p> 
<h2>Carl Yastrzemski, Bridgehampton</h2> 
<p>Yes, <em>that</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/remembering-carl-yastrzemski-s-triple-crown-50-years-ago-w77954">Carl Yastrzemski</a>, the Hall of Fame baseball player. He averaged 31.4 points per game&nbsp;as a senior after setting the Suffolk&nbsp;single-season scoring record in 1955. He's one of the best high school basketball players in Suffolk history.</p> 
<h2>Coach: Dick Crawley, Oyster Bay</h2> 
<p>Crawley made the Baymen into a Nassau power, winning three straight county titles&nbsp;from 1950 to 1952. That included unbeaten seasons in both 1950 and 1952. Crawley’s teams won 38 straight games during that span, which remains a Nassau record 73 years later.</p> 
<a class="p-smartembed" data-onecms-id="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6" data-onecms-type="storywidget" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/edd6ed5d-fdbd-4eaf-a43e-889a8f1570b6"><span>STORYWIDGET: Newsday's All-Decade Boys Basketball Teams </span></a>

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Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1950s

Newsday's All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1950s

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