Burke 56

Sullivan West 20

LAKE HUNTINGTON -- Senior nights are always special as well as emotional. They represent the coda of an athlete's career in a particular sport; a last time to play in front of a home crowd which is appreciative and supportive.

For Sullivan West seniors Brooke Kloss, Maggie Russell and Kerintin Burr, the game against John S. Burke Catholic was that moment, one to savor with joy as well as with some tears. These three girls have added their leadership and persistent effort to a season defined mostly by youthful inexperience and mounting losses that necessarily result from learning while you play.

The future of the Sullivan West girls basketball program resides with its young players. To that end this season has been about learning the fundamentals that ultimately comprise the keys to winning. The team's losing record gives little insight to how much the squad improved and how much learning took place.

For John S. Burke Catholic which is 9-0 in its division and 13-8 overall, the senior story revolves principally around the Costello triplets, Brenna, Jackie and Caleigh who combined for 45 of Burke's 56 points on the night.

Proficient sharp shooters, deft ball handlers and fierce defenders they are the nucleus of a team that could win Section 9 Class B if they can vanquish Marlboro one more time. For coach Shawn Thomas, the shooting acumen of the three will not be enough to prevail. In his postgame comments he alluded to the team's lack of patience on offense, their need to work against the zone to make the other team's defense contend with quick passes back and forth. From that would come the open looks. Also rebounding and better handling of the ball up the floor will serve to lower turnovers and the resulting transition buckets registered by teams that love to run the floor.

Burke led 17-9 at the end of the first quarter, a lead that burgeoned to 33-13 in the second stanza. Stringent defense held the Lady Bulldogs to two points in the third quarter while Burke added 14 more to evince a 47-15 lead. Brenna Costello led all scorers with 23 points. Caleigh Costello netted 16. Riley Ernst and Keri Burr led Sullivan West with eight points. Sullivan West's final game is at Chester. The Lady Bulldogs did not qualify for sectionals this year.