Long Island Lutheran girls basketball captures fifth Federation title, first since 2015

LATHAM, N.Y. — Kevin White was watching Long Island Lutheran launch shots before Sunday’s game on Shaker High’s court. The St. Mary’s coach saw something ominous out there.

“They weren’t missing many in warm-ups,” White said. “I said, ‘This isn’t a good sign.’ ”

It wasn’t.

LuHi, representing the NYSAISAA, beat the Gaels from the CHSAA, 99-58, in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions Class AA girls basketball title game. Syla Swords scored 27 points and hit six three-pointers, Kate Koval scored 24 and Kayleigh Heckel added 19. 

“We’re the best team in New York, and now everybody knows it and now everybody can see it,” Koval said. “It’s just a really fun moment for all of us, especially after having a hard season like that, a long season. We started in September.”

LuHi overcame 42 points and 11 rebounds by senior guard Taryn Barbot and gave the school a Sunday title sweep. The boys team also won AA in the tournament’s return after a three-year hiatus. This was the first Fed crown for the girls since 2015.

“Since I was personally 14, I always dreamed of winning state championships,” said Crusaders coach Christina Raiti, a former guard for the team. “And I was fortunate enough in my career to win one in 2011 under Rich Slater. And since taking over, we haven’t had a state championship.

“ . . . None of our kids on our roster have understood what it means to play for a state championship. So the last five weeks have been about what it means to play for each other, to represent your school, and what it means to play in March.”

March play isn’t over for them. The Crusaders are ranked fifth in the nation by ESPN and are bound for the Geico Nationals in Fort Myers, Florida. Their semifinal against McDonogh from Maryland is Friday.

“We’re looking forward to doing the same thing and sticking to our game, and hopefully things will go our way,” Swords said.

Things sure went their way in the all-Long Island final outside of the Charleston-bound Barbot going off for the best scoring total of her impressive high school run in her finale for St. Mary’s.

“I was just trying to work hard for my team to try to get us a win,” Barbot said.

But LuHi took charge early on.

The Crusaders burst out to a 23-7 lead after eight minutes.

“I thought we did a much better job controlling the pace today,” Raiti said.

By halftime, Swords had 18, Heckel had 13 and Koval had 12. Long Island Lutheran, which owned a height advantage, had a 54-24 lead.

“It was definitely harder for them to match up with us,” said Koval, a 6-5 junior forward. “But I would say we all knew how to use our advantages. And we all used them — speed, just running fast . . . and just using our body, using our height, was the biggest thing for us.”

In the third, Swords hit a trio of threes. The last one made it 72-33.

“They shot the ball phenomenally,” White said.

The Gaels, who had repeated as the CHSAA AA state champs, kept trying. But the margin hit 41 in the fourth.

“They’re a group of young ladies that I’m very, very proud of,” White said. “I think their record over a four-year period for the seniors is 110-9. And it wasn’t like we didn’t play people. We went out and played everybody.

“They’ve got something to be proud of. You get to the last game. You ran into one of the best teams in the country.”