Smithtown West girls basketball advances to Suffolk Class AA final

Kate Braun of Smithtown West sets for a three-pointer during a Suffolk Class AA girls semifinal against Centereach on Tuesday at Whitman. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
For the past two seasons, the Smithtown West girls basketball team has fallen early in the playoffs.
On Tuesday, Kate Braun was determined to turn things around.
The senior scored 11 of her 20 points in the second quarter as the second-seeded Bulls rallied from a 14-point first-quarter deficit to tie it at halftime.
Smithtown West opened a five-point lead late in the fourth quarter and then scored the final five points of the game to defeat No. 6 Centereach, 50-40, in the Suffolk Class AA semifinal at Whitman.
“We know that we’ve battled through adversity through this season and in past years, so we knew we could come back after that first quarter,” Braun said.
Alyssa Lorefice hit a three-pointer to give Smithtown West the lead for good at 38-37 with 5:37 left. Smithtown West led 45-40 with 2:36 left.
Delaney Walters scored 11 of her 14 points in the first quarter to lift Centereach (18-4) to a 20-6 lead.
“I think the nerves got to us, but we took it from being nervous to having fun,” Braun said. “We worked together and everyone stepped up when we needed them.”
Braun hit a three-pointer, and junior Catherine Piccininni (20 points) added a step-back three to tie it 25-25 before halftime.
Bella Marciano led the defense with eight steals as Smithtown West (19-3) held Centereach to five points in each of the second and third quarters.
“It was back to being us,” Piccininni said. “We knew that wasn’t us, but we talked about keeping our heads up and how much this means for us.”
Leah Norman (11 points) added a layup and two free throws before Alexa Carmody hit a three-pointer to keep Centereach close in the second half.
The Bulls are having one of their best seasons in recent memory. Smithtown West hasn’t won a league championship since 2010 and hasn’t won a county title since the modern configuration of Smithtown schools.
“We’ve faced defeat in all the years past, so it means something extra special being able to make it this far this year,” Braun said. “Everyone wants it so much.”
Smithtown West will face the winner of No. 1 Westhampton and No. 4 Half Hollow Hills East in the championship at 2 p.m. Sunday at Farmingdale State, where the Bulls will have the chance to complete their ultimate goal.
“It’s a historical season,” Piccininni said. “We know we want it more. We say that before every practice, before this game and at halftime. That’s all that matters.”