Davis, Bandrowski lead Center Moriches girls to win

Amber Davis scored her 1,000th career point with less than one minute left in the game Friday, but no announcement was made. The career achievement was secondary for the Center Moriches junior forward.

"It's OK," Davis said. "They'll announce it on Tuesday."

Davis is a big reason Center Moriches will keep playing. She scored 26 points to lead No. 3 Center Moriches over host No. 2 Wyandanch, 66-47, in a Suffolk Class B semifinal. Center Moriches (13-6) will play top-seeded Mattituck in the final at 4 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's (L.I.).

Center Moriches beat Wyandanch, 63-55, in overtime on Jan. 13 before losing to the Warriors last week, 62-55. This time Center Moriches made sure it wasn't as close.

"It's really big for us," Red Devils coach Rich Alifano said. "You know the tradition here. Look around the gym."

Wyandanch has won three of the last four Suffolk Class B championships and a total of 14 county titles.

Davis scored 17 points in a 36-26 first half. Kelsey Glanzman had 11 of her 13 points in the first half and Jessica Bandrowski carried the Red Devils home with 14 of her 20 points, including four three-pointers, in the second half.

SEE PHOTOSCenter Moriches 66, Wyandanch 47

"The difference was when we got in the huddle, Bandrowski was saying we ain't losing it," Alifano said. "We had a leader who stepped up and made it happen. She said put it on my shoulders and I'll make it happen."

She did. Wyandanch (13-6) went on a 13-1 run behind eight points from Kim Weathers (23 points) to cut it to 51-44 with 6:27 left. But Bandrowski hit a three-pointer with 5:03 left to push the lead to 54-44.

"I knew we had it after that," Davis said. "That brought the momentum back."

Glanzman followed with a layup, Emma Whittle hit a three-pointer and Bandrowski capped a 10-0 run with a driving layup for a 61-44 lead with 1:34 left.

SEE PHOTOSHigh school sports -- February

Wyandanch, behind by 19 points in the third quarter, made two big runs, but the Red Devils answered each time. "They responded and it broke our backs," Wyandanch coach Warren Fuller said. "These teams are so evenly matched. I give them credit. They were the better team."

Center Moriches was flustered by the Warriors' 1-2-2 press last week, but handled it better. "We kept our composure," Bandrowski said. "We learned not to play at their speed. We broke their press and slowed it down and played our game."

The Red Devils knew if they wanted to reach the county championship game, they would have to beat Wyandanch at some point in the postseason. "We've been thinking about this since the season started," Davis said. "It feels good."