By Chris Vaccaro
MaxPreps.com
Gibson Delivers for Copiague
All year long it's been Dwight Gibson, Jr. and Richard Byrd carrying Copiague's basketball team. They're two dominant physical specimens, but the one thing that separates the two, however, is that Gibson has been to Glens Falls before.
At four years old, Gibson accompanied his father, Dwight, Sr., then coach at Westbury, to the Class B state playoffs. Westbury won the Class B Long Island title that year in 1994, but lost at state.
Gibson, Jr. will make another trip to Glens Falls after Copiague's 68-61 win over Hempstead in the Class AA Long Island final at Stony Brook University last Saturday.
Copiague (21-3), which has won 21 of its last 22 games, will face Mount Vernon in the state semifinals at 2:15 p.m. Saturday at Glens Falls Civic Center.
Gibson had 16 points against Hempstead, including four free throws in the final 40 seconds to seal the Long Island title. Byrd had 24 points in the contest.
Hempstead finished 17-5, and was led by Terrell Holloway, who finished with 26 points.
Kingsmen's Journey Not Over Yet
It all started with an upset over Amityville. Now, Kings Park is the Long Island Class A champion. It beat Jericho, 66-60, and will face the winner of the Peekskill (Sect. I) vs. Elmira-Free Academy (Sect. IV) Saturday at 10:15 a.m. at Glens Falls Civic Center.
Kings Park is 15-8, which is a world of difference from its 2-17 record just two years ago.
The Kingsmen trailed 18-9 after the first quarter and missed their first nine shots of the second quarter, but rallied to come back to win, as they have done for most of the postseason.
Jericho's Matt Cajuste had 13 points, 14 rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Jericho finished 20-3.
Other Scores
St. Anthony's lost to Buffalo-Nichols, 72-62, in the CHSAA Class A semifinal.Greenport beat Coleman Catholic, 61-53, in the Southeast Regional Class D final.Malverne beat Burke Catholic, 63-61, in the Southeast Regional Class B final.Friends Academy beat Tri-Valley, 53-47, in the Southeast Regional Class C final.
Girls Basketball: Wyandanch Wins In Southeast Regional
Normally Wyandanch stories consist of Chris and Cameron Barber highlights for the boy's team. Another family member is making headlines now. Their sister, Charneice McCullough, hit a 21-foot jump shot with 59 seconds left against Albertus Magnus (Sect. I) in the Southeast Regional Class B Final for a 49-47 win.
McCullough finished with 14 points and Wyandanch (22-3) plays East Aurora (Sect. VI) Friday in the state semifinals at 11:45 a.m. at Hudson Valley CC. Wyandanch beat Locust Valley, 56-46, to win the Long Island Class B final last week also.
Other Scores
Blind Brook beat Stony Brook, 46-38, in the Southeast Regional Class C final at SUNY-New Paltz.Stony Brook beat Friends Academy, 46-22, to get to the state semifinals.Shelter Island lost to S.S. Seward, 67-38, in the Class D Southeast Regional final.Harborfields beat Floral Park, 52-35, in the Long Island Class A final.North Babylon beat Hicksville, 53-44, in the Long Island Class AA final.
Track and Field: Henning Does it Again
Another track and field meet, another title for St. Anthony's Walter Henning. Henning won the national shot put championship with a 64 foot, 1.75 inch throw at the National Indoor Championships at The Armory in Manhattan Saturday.
