Brozoski's 16 leads Lutheran's victory

Boogie Brozoski and the rest of her Long Island Lutheran teammates were having flashbacks to earlier games - and they were nightmares. Shots unleashed at the final buzzer haven't been kind to Long Island Lutheran this season.

The Crusaders have lost two games in the waning seconds and when Deaisia Acklin hoisted a three-pointer before the buzzer sounded that would have tied the score, the nerves were on edge on the Crusaders' bench.

The shot hit the back of the rim and bounced out and Long Island Lutheran held on for a 69-66 win over John F. Kennedy Saturday in the sixth annual PSAL/John F. Kennedy Challenge in the Bronx.

"I was thinking if this girl hits this shot, I don't know what I am going to do," Brozoski said. "I was like thank you."

Said Long Island Lutheran coach Rich Slater: "I just thought our kids played so hard that it wouldn't have been fair if she would have made that shot."

It was a balanced attack as usual for Long Island Lutheran (10-4). Brozoski scored 16 points, Paige Kriftcher had 15, Christina Raiti 13 and Sam Milhaven added nine. Joyalevern McFarland's 26 points, including six three-pointers, led JFK (14-7).

The Crusaders had a seven-point lead in the final minute before Dimitra Abbott hit three-pointers with 58 and 47 seconds left to bring JFK, one of the top teams in the PSAL, within 65-64.

SEE PHOTOSLI Lutheran 69, JFK 66

Brozoski, an eighth grader, hit two free throws with 43 seconds left and Acklin scored with 33 seconds left for JFK to pull within 67-66. After a jump ball that gave JFK possession, Shaquaya Daniels drove to the basket, drew three defenders, and dished to an open Abbott, who missed a layup with 10 seconds left.

Kriftcher hit two free throws with 6.3 seconds left for the final margin.

"I was pretty calm," she said. "I have been in that situation before. I was ready. It was a big win. It shows we're progressively getting better as a team."

Long Island Lutheran led 41-30 at the half, but JFK closed the third quarter with an 11-2 run to pull within 51-47. Brozoski scored four points in a 9-4 run to open the quarter and push the Crusaders lead to 60-51 with 3:44 left.

"We could have totally folded," Slater said. "This was a good win for us. Raiti made some shots. Milhaven was a beast and Boogie is playing great. Sade Gibbons played the best game all year. All good teams have balance. We're fortunate to have that."

And fortunate to get a miss at the buzzer for once.