Lynbrook's Gerstman stays sharp during summer

Lynbrook's Brooke Gerstman helped the NYC Lady Bulldogs to numerous tournament titles this summer.

Courtesy Dan Gerstman

Basketball stardom is never achieved by accident. The players that light up the scoreboard in the winter, rarely, if ever, take a break from honing their skills. While basketball doesn’t need to be a 365, 24-7 activity, the players who look to take their game to a higher level always have hoops on their mind.

For Brooke Gerstman, summer doesn’t mean sleeping late, lazing about, or working on her tan. It means major basketball tournaments, strength conditioning, and listening to offers from college recruiters.

Gerstman, who will soon begin her senior year at Lynbrook High School, has had a tremendous summer on the basketball court. Her NYC Lady Bulldogs won some prestigious tournaments including the top division of the 2011 GymRat Challenge Championship in Albany. Gerstman scored 12 points as the Lady Bulldogs beat the New Hampshire Rivals, 63-40, in the title game.

“I think we opened up a lot of people’s eyes,” Gerstman said. “When opponents see us warming up, they don’t think they’re going up against a great team. We may not pass the look test, but we definitely pass the play test.”

The Lady Bulldogs, who are coached by Tom Catalanotto, who recently led Archbishop Molloy High School to the New York State Federation Class A title, didn’t have an easy road to the title of the GymRat Challenge. They had to win seven games over a 48-hour period, including five on the final day.

“We just wanted to come out and play hard,” Gerstman said. “We got on a roll and beat everyone we played. It’s not like there’s one player we count on to get it done. Everybody has their own niche. We’re a balanced team, and all get along very well.”

Among those joining Gerstman on the roster are Molloy’s Amani Tatum, Carolyn Gallagher, and Alexa Dietrich, Alyson Brennan of Holy Trinity, and Meagan Doherty of Sachem East.

A few weeks later, the Lady Bulldogs continued their winning ways by finishing first in the bronze bracket of the USJN National Championships. The Lady Bulldogs knocked off Baseline Elite, 48-45, in the title game.