The girls’ basketball team clinched at least a share of the League VIII Championship with a huge 40-28 victory at Pierson/Bridgehampton, avenging their only league loss of the season in the process. Since losing to the Whalers on January 11th, ending a string of 23 straight and 62 of 63 regular season league wins, the Bears have reeled off eight straight wins against league opponents by an average margin of 23.6 points. Now the girls need just one win in their last two games to win the league title outright. Either way, the girls have added an incredible seventh consecutive League Championship banner to the walls of Swanson Gymnasium, the 136th League title in school history.

The girls opened with a strong first quarter in which they outscored Pierson, the #8 ranked Class C team in New York, 11-6 and by halftime they pushed the lead to double-digits for a 23-13 edge. The third frame was a defensive struggle that the Blue and White won 6-4 and after an evenly played 11-11 final frame the Brook emerged the victor. Brannon Burke led the way with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Jess Winston added 9 points, Danielle Pappas scored a season-high 8, and Natalie Istrati chipped in 6 while pulling down 21 boards.

Lady Whalers Upended by Stony Brook

In a game that had league title implications, the Pierson girls basketball team came up short at home on February 8, falling 40-28 to first-place Stony Brook (9-1 in league play, 10-5 overall).

~ The East Hampton Press

Notes

Brannon Burke is 11th on Long Island and 8th in Suffolk County in points per game with 18.5. She is also 9th on Long Island and 8th in Suffolk County in rebounds per game with 8.5… Natalie Istrati is 18th in Suffolk County in points per game with 15.8. She is also 3rd on Long Island 2nd in Suffolk County in rebounds per game with 13.2… Jess Winston is 3rd on Long Island and 1st in Suffolk County in assists per game with 4.6. She is also 12th in Suffolk County in 3-pointers with 26.

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