Burke's 26 points lead Stony Brook girls

As Brannon Burke goes, so goes Stony Brook. Burke, one of the top scorers on Long Island, averages 18.5 points per game and is the focal point of the Bears offense.

Burke led the way again Tuesday night for No. 1 Stony Brook, scoring 26 points to go with 10 rebounds and four steals, as the Bears defeated No. 2 Pierson/Bridgehampton, 43-29, in the Suffolk Class C girls basketball finals at St. Joseph's College.

"It comes with experience. I've been playing basketball all year round since I was 10 years old and these are the games where it really shows," Burke said. "It comes down to being able to handle pressure situations [and] having teammates that really know what they're doing."

Burke, the unanimous League VIII MVP, scored 11 of Stony Brook's 13 points in the fourth quarter, including 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, to lead the Bears to their sixth straight county championship.

"Every team we play is running at least two people at [Burke] and our younger girls have been getting good angles and giving her opportunities," Stony Brook coach Amy Helm said.

After a slow start by both teams in the first quarter, Stony Brook found a rhythm and took a 19-11 lead at halftime. Pierson/Bridgehampton (9-11) cut the deficit to six with 3:48 left after Kaci Koehne converted on a three-point play, but the Bears outscored the Lady Whalers 11-3 down the stretch.

Stony Brook (14-5) has two games to look forward to after Tuesday night's victory. The Bears play Suffolk Class D qualifier Shelter Island in the Suffolk Class CD title game Saturday at St. Joseph's College at 2:30 p.m. Additionally, Stony Brook will face Nassau Class C qualifier Friends Academy in the State Regional semifinals March 8 at SUNY Old Westbury at 5 p.m.

SEE PHOTOSStony Brook 43, Pierson/Bridgehampton 29

Helm said she will consider resting some of her players against Shelter Island in order to be fully healthy for the game with Friends Academy. Burke liked the idea of preventing injuries against Shelter Island, which Stony Brook defeated in both regular-season meetings, but said she is ready for anything. "It would be nice to rest but you've got to do what you've got to do and we've got to prove that we're capable of being CD champs," she said. "I'm definitely keeping my eyes focused on Friends though."