Desvignes helps Deer Park get to semis

Andrea Desvignes and Felicia LaSorsa expected to make a deep run into the postseason despite a resume that was blank with playoff experience. The Deer Park duo had lots of varsity experience, both are four-year starters, but didn't appear in a playoff game until Monday.

Deer Park won a league title for the first time since 1978 and will play in the semifinals for the first time since 2002 after a 45-37 home win over No. 5 Whitman Thursday night in a Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal girls basketball game. Fourth-seeded Deer Park (18-2) will play No. 8 Copiague in a semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Farmingdale State.

Desvignes had 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, and four steals and LaSorsa scored 12 points for Deer Park. Alexandra Leftridge and Essence Casey each had 12 for Whitman (16-4).

"It means a lot to make it this far," said Desvignes, a junior point guard. "We knew we would be here. We started out so young a few years ago and grew up together. We were waiting for this moment."

Deer Park has five seniors on the roster, including four that have been on varsity since their freshman season. The Falcons missed the playoffs by a basket two years ago and went 7-11 last year.

"We knew we had the potential," LaSorsa said. "We've come close the past few seasons. We've been playing on varsity for a while and the experience helped."

The score was tied at 29 going into the fourth quarter before LaSorsa ignited a 9-0 run with two free throws. Shayna Robinson scored and Desvignes capped the run with a three-pointer and two free throws with four minutes left to give the Falcons a 38-29 lead.

The Deer Park defense was the difference as it has been all year. Since the calendar flipped to 2011, the Falcons haven't allowed more than 38 points. They held Whitman to four field goals in the second half and limited Leftridge, who was coming off a career-high 32 points. The combination of Nicole Alvarez and Kelsey Dillon thwarted her.

"We've had some tough years," Deer Park coach Mike Gennaro said. "We thought last year would be the year and we got hit by the injury bug."