Lynbrook knocks off No. 1 Manhasset

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Thanks in large part to outstanding performances by a couple of talented freshmen, Lynbrook capped a perfect day for Nassau Conference A-IV girls’ basketball squads with an upset of top-seeded Manhasset in the Class A quarterfinals on Feb. 23.
Then, on Sunday night at Hofstra, the Owls gave Floral Park all it could handle before falling 51-47 in overtime in the semis. “The girls played their hearts out,” Lynbrook head coach Steve LoCicero said. “They played unbelievably hard and well. In the end, we just didn’t get enough shots to fall.”
Floral Park and Plainedge will battle for the county title this Saturday. LoCicero’s squad finished with a record of 14-7.
At Manhasset, freshman guard Brooke Mazzei scored a career-high 18 points, and freshman forward Cate Jennings and senior guard Kyla Nembach added 16 points apiece to lead ninth-seeded Lynbrook to a 75-64 victory.
It was the second straight road playoff win for the Owls, who joined conference rivals Mineola, the No. 2 seed, Floral Park (No. 4) and Plainedge (No. 6) in the Final Four.

“Cate and Brooke are more like sophomores because of how much they’ve played,” LoCicero said of Jennings and Mazzei, who had 15 and 8 points, respectively, in a 65-42 rout of Division in the first round to set the postseason tone. “They did an unbelievable job and it took a complete team effort,” he added after the win at Manhasset.
Junior Kaelynn O’Brien, who chipped in 10 points that night, said Lynbrook’s young dynamic duo paved the way to the semifinals. “They scored and rebounded and really just did everything they could to help us win this game,” O’Brien said of Mazzei and Jennings. “We came in here as the 9-seed and didn’t feel any pressure,” she added. “All the pressure was on Manhasset and we just played our game.”
Mazzei, who fouled out with 2:40 remaining, and Jennings each scored 8 points in the final quarter to help the Owls inch away after they took a 47-46 lead into the fourth. Junior Tyla Vuotto’s three-point play with 1:03 left and four late free throws from O’Brien helped seal the outcome.
“Our confidence and energy have been so high since the playoff started,” said Nembach, a four-year starter who averages 14 points per game.
Nembach, who picked up her fourth foul midway through the fourth, hit four three-pointers for a second straight playoff game. She had 20 points in the win at No. 8 Division last Saturday.
“Kyla’s leadership throughout the season has been incredible and I can’t say enough about her,” LoCicero said. “She missed three games with an injury and had to hit the reset button,” he added. “Without her, we don’t get this far.”
Vuotto scored 7 of her 9 points in the second half, and junior Caityblu Cavassa pulled down 10 rebounds. Manhasset was led by Caitlin Barrett’s 22 points.
Sunday night provided the Owls with a third crack at Floral Park, which defeated them twice during the regular season by double digits. LoCicero said the key to trying to turn the table was to come out fast. Floral Park held 18- and 14-point halftime leads in the previous meetings. The Owls led the semifinal 23-15 at the break.
“It’s heartbreaking but it was a tremendous ride,” said LoCicero, who is assisted by volunteer Koren Pena. “We also had tremendous community support along the way.”