Center going out on a high note for Smithtown West

Center soaring

Smithtown West's Shneeka Center has been on quite a run to end her career. The Davidson-bound senior forward has 2,154 career points and is fifth all-time among Suffolk public school players. She is 20 points behind Ieasia Walker (Copiague, 2009).

Center has eight games of 30 or more points this season, including a career-high 49 on Feb. 4 against Copiague. Smithtown West will host Northport in a Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal Wednesday.

Farewell to Crummell

Don Crummell was asked to take over as the girls basketball coach at Roosevelt in 1989 by then athletic director Harvey Palmore. Crummell was told to stay at the helm until the Rough Riders could find another coach. Well, 21 years later, Crummell still had the job.

"I never thought it would be that long," Crummell said. "Girls basketball wasn't that popular at the time."

Crummell is retiring and coached his last game at Roosevelt on Tuesday night in a 58-37 loss to Division in a Nassau Class A quarterfinal. Crummell will work in the community to help develop the basketball skills of girls from grades two through six.

Crummell finished with 283 wins at Roosevelt. He won a Long Island championship in 1994 and the Rough Riders were the runner-up in the state final. He led Roosevelt to county championships in 1989, 1990 and 1994 and won nine conference championships.