Sports Notebook: Local Basketball Teams Make the Playoffs

Three local high school basketball teams are in the playoffs, with Suffolk County tournament brackets released earlier this week. Ward Melville's girls' basketball team will face Copiague on Monday in the Class AA tournament, while both the boys' and girls' teams from The Stony Brook School will launch campaigns in the Class C tournament.

Saturday, Feb. 19

• Girls' basketball play-in game: No. 4 Southold at No. 1 The Stony Brook School, 3:30 p.m. Southold (7-10) has been inconsistent at times this season, starting out with a five-game losing streak but winning four straight contests later in the season. Stony Brook (12-5) has defeated Southold twice, once by 25 points and once by 8 points. The outcome could depend on the play of senior Brannon Burke, a sharpshooter who recently scored her 1,000th career point but who has also dealt with injuries this season.
• Boys' basketball first-round game: No. 3 Port Jefferson at No. 2 The Stony Brook School, 6:00 p.m. Stony Brook (14-2) has defeated Port Jefferson (11-6) twice this season, but the second game was a lot closer than the first, so the Bears can't afford to get complacent on Saturday.

Monday, Feb. 21

• Girls' basketball first-round game: No. 9 Ward Melville at No. 8 Copiague, 5:00 p.m. Ward Melville (9-7) lost a 53-29 contest to Copiague (12-6) in its first game of the year on Dec. 14, but that was then. This is now. "We are a completely different team from then," coach Lawrence Combs said. "So many players have stepped up. ... We know we need to keep this game at our pace." Junior Caysea Cohen has been averaging 15 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists per game for the Patriots, and junior Meaghan Murtagh has been averaging 7 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks. The team will look to its top defender, junior Vanessa Pryor (7 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals), to hold Copiague's leading scorer, Chelsea Williams, to under 18 points. Monday will mark the Patriots' fourth straight playoff appearance.

Watch for playoff coverage on Three Village Patch.

Scholar Athlete Teams Lauded at Awards Night

Ward Melville honored its boys' and girls' fencing, boys' swimming, girls' basketball, girls' bowling, and boys' and girls' indoor track teams as scholar athlete teams on Wednesday. The boys' indoor track team led the pack with a collective average of 96.976.