Port Jefferson continues winning in Suffolk Tournament of Champions
Port Jefferson’s Lola Idir (15 points) tries to get around Center Moriches’ Charlotte Castiglione during fourth quarter of Suffolk BCD final on Saturday, Feb, 25, 2023. Credit: Bob Sorensen
As the only playoff team in Suffolk Class C the Port Jefferson girls basketball knew they would have to wait until March to play for the chance to go to the state final four.
But the Suffolk Tournament of Champions has allowed the Royals to continue playing games — and to continue winning.
Alexa Ayotte and Lola Idir each scored 15 points as Port Jefferson defeated Class B champ Center Moriches, 41-37, Saturday at Center Moriches in the Suffolk BCD game.
They advance to play Class A champ Shoreham-Wading River in the Suffolk small schools final before playing for the Southeast Regional championship and a spot upstate against a yet-to-be determined opponent from Section I or Section IX on March 11.
“We look at these games as an opportunity to play the competition we feel we should be playing against,” Port Jeff co-coach Jesse Rosen said. “We advanced to this game against Greenport last year and won and we treat these games kind of like a county championship.”
Port Jeff (18-2) got off to a slow start, falling behind 19-11 midway through the second quarter. That would be the largest lead of the game for either team.
“If there’s one thing I wish I could change it’s that we come out slow,” Rosen said. “Our offense often feeds off our defense and if we don’t get steals or force turnovers it takes our offense time to settle in.”
Climele Browne led Center Moriches (16-6) with 17 points and scored her team's first eight points. Center Moriches will next play the winner of Cold Spring Harbor and Locust Valley in the Long Island Class B final on March 8 at Hofstra.
Port Jeff went on a run in the second quarter and the game stayed close throughout. Amy Whitman hit a three to tie the score in the fourth and Idir followed with two free throws with 5:07 remaining that gave Port Jeff the lead for good.
“The community has really been behind us and today we played an away playoff game but it felt like a home game,” Idir said. “We’re looking forward to playing Shoreham and seeing how it ends up.”
Whitman and Rosen both gave credit to the team's younger players and the JV program for helping keep the team sharp.
“They come to practice with just as much energy as the starting five,” Whitman said. “I don’t know where we’d be without them.”
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
