North Shore defeats Wantagh in semis

The last time Wantagh and North Shore met prior to last Saturday was the 2015 Nassau County Class A girls’ basketball title game won by the Lady Vikings, 50-46, before a packed crowd at LIU Post’s Pratt Center.

Last Saturday evening’s matchup played just down the road from a classic championship game three years ago was far more decisive with third-seeded North Shore’s up-tempo offense off and running early en route to a 67-48 county semifinal win at SUNY-Old Westbury. The Lady Vikings jumped out to a 31-18 lead and then exploded for 25 points in the third quarter to put the game away and advance to the county finals against top-seeded Elmont, the defending Long Island champs. 

“We try and run at every opportunity,” North Shore head coach Keith Freund said. “We want to push the pace.”

North Shore (20-1) was powered by a big day from senior Gabrielle Zaffiro, who finished with 26 points and five assists three days after becoming Long Island’s second all-time leading scorer by passing former Sachem great Nicole Kaczmarski. Zaffiro, who now has 2,620 career points, tallied 31 in North Shore’s 73-56 quarterfinal win versus Island Trees on Feb. 21.

“It’s impossible to put into words what she has meant,” Freund said. “What she is accomplishing is truly historic.”

Junior Cailey Welch and senior Selena Fortich were also forces offensively and on the glass while also playing stout defense. Welch finished with 14 points and 16 rebounds while Fortich chipped in with nine to go along with 16 boards.

“They both have engines on them,” Freund said of Welch and Fortich. “They are constantly moving.”

Wantagh was led offensively by 19 points from junior guard Caitlin Albanese. The All-County player finished the season averaging 15 points per game and also recorded a clutch late steal to help the Warriors seal a 43-40 quarterfinal win against Locust Valley on Feb. 21.

“She hates to lose and everyone feeds off of that,” Wantagh head coach Stan Bujacich said. “She is a fierce competitor.”

Wantagh forward Julia Wilkinson closed a sophomore season with 11 points against North Shore a game after delivering a late tie-breaking three-pointer in the quarterfinal triumph. Senior guard Juliana Kissane also tallied 11 points in her final Wantagh game and was instrumental throughout the season in helping the Lady Warriors achieve the Conference A-III title.

“From where we were at the beginning of the year I’m happy with where we ended up,” said Bujacich, whose team rebounded from a 1-3 start to finish 15-7 overall and 11-1 in league play “They battled all year.”

North Shore will next look to capture its first county title since the 2015 crown against Wantagh that capped off a run of three championships in four years. The Lady Vikings will face top-seeded Elmont back at SUNY-Old Westbury this Saturday with tipoff set for 11 a.m.

“They are strong and athletic,” said Freund of Elmont, which defeated North Shore 50-49 in last year’s Class A finals. “I expect a very close game.”