Lynbrook returns to semifinals

Ahead by as many as eight points in the second quarter and behind by as many as eight in the third, No. 3 Lynbrook rode the hot shooting of guard Brooke Gerstman and the frontcourt tandem of Danielle Amaya and Joelle Church down the stretch to pull out a 57-50 victory over sixth-seeded Wantagh in a Nassau Class A girls’ basketball playoff quarterfinal Feb. 21.

After Christina Peden’s basket put the Lady Warriors ahead by six early in the fourth quarter, Gerstman took over in the final home game of her high school career. The senior standout fed Amaya for a basket and then ripped off a dozen straight points to give the Lady Owls a commanding 54-46 lead with 2:33 remaining.

“Brooke has experienced every situation imaginable and wasn’t about to let her career and our season end,” Lynbrook coach Heather Manikas said of Gerstman, who had 33 points and five steals. “We didn’t play the best offensive game against South Side in the first round, but we worked hard in practice and I’m really proud of the way we executed,” she added.

Amaya, a senior who missed the previous day of practice with flu-like symptoms, ripped down 15 rebounds and along with the junior Church (six points, eight rebounds) set ideal screens to provide Gerstman with daylight at the perimeter. Gerstman shot 3-for-5 from behind the arc and 12-for-12 from the foul line.