By Erin Bruehl
Patriots' coach Mike Eisenberg was concerned about how his players would perform while sick, including Murray and 6-foot-3 center Jessica Fuller, but they dominated from the start.After a Shantel Dunston basket put Canarsie (16-10) on the board two minutes into the game, the Patriots (28-1) went on a 6-0 run during the next five minutes. They held the Lady Chiefs to four points in the first quarter with a dominant defense that prevented Canarsie from driving toward the basket. Lewis led 14-4 after the first with 5-foot-10 senior Dawn Coleman and 5-foot-7 junior Diatiema Hill each scoring 6 points. The two finished the game with 14 points each.”We were able to see what they were doing wrong and take advantage of their mistakes,” Coleman said. “And we had height and were able to run fast breaks.”Murray scored half of her 12 points in the second quarter, including an open layup off one of Hill's 7 nifty assists. The second quarter ended with Lewis leading 29-14.And the Patriots cruised, including holding Canarsie sophomore star Wykeemia Gray to just 8 points.”I wanted to make sure we had contact on her at all times,” Eisenberg said of Gray. “We had Diatiema fronting her so we knew where she was at all times.”Lewis also dominated the boards, led by Fuller who pulled down 14 rebounds to go with 13 points and 7 blocks.The Patriots will now face sixth-seeded Midwood in the semis for the second year in a row in a game scheduled for Wednesday at St. John's. Midwood coach Artie LaGreca and Eisenberg are close friends who know each other's teams extremely well. Lewis won last year but then lost the city title to Murry Bergtraum – for the third time in the last four years. But this year the title may finally be within the Patriots' grasp, thanks to the addition of Murray (a Christ the King transfer), the emergence of Gina Wade as point guard and a team now eight or nine players deep compared to five last year. However, the Patriots know while they can dream of finally beating Bergtraum, they must first beat a tough Midwood team. As a senior, Fuller would love to finally win a title but does not want to think too far ahead.”It would be great to finish my career with a win against Bergtraum,” she said. “But like our loss to Curtis two years ago (in the semis), we don't want that to happen again.”Canarsie 51, Cardozo 43. Marissa Flagg scored 18 points in defeat for No. 10 Cardozo in a second round 'A' playoff game game March 2 at Lehman College.Grand Street Campus 66, August Martin 38. Vennasa Ross had 17 points for No. 13 August Martin (18-3) on Friday in a second round 'A' playoff game at New York City Tech.Lab Museum 55, Forest Hills 44. Kathy Gilbert scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for No. 9 Forest Hills in a 'B' quarterfinal game at New York City Tech Saturday against No. 1 Lab Museum.Richmond Hill 52, Norman Thomas 44. Helin Marte scored 37 points for the No. 3 Lions over No. 2 Norman Thomas in the 'B' semifinals Monday at Lehman. Richmond Hill (22-2) will meet top seeded Lab Museum (24-2) in the finals on Friday at 5 p.m. at St. Francis College.Richmond Hill 62, Van Buren 48. Helin Marte scored 28 points and had 7 rebounds for No. 3 Richmond Hill in a 'B' quarterfinal Saturday at New York City Tech against No. 6 Van Buren.
