Parmese helps lead Division over South Side girls

It's been Nassau County's toughest "Division" problem.

There are five players on a basketball floor. If a team is lucky, two, maybe three can defend the low post. Now, let's say a team commits two players to containing 5-10 Nicolette Parmese, Division's main post presence. Who does that leave to stop Kristen Stuart and Kristen Costello, Division's pair of 6-footers, who roam the high post and beyond?

The question has perplexed defenses throughout the season and Tuesday at Freeport, No. 4 South Side had no answers as top-seeded Division advanced to its first Class A title game with a 53-44 semifinal victory.

Parmese was unstoppable in the first half, scoring 11 of her game-high 15 points. In the second half, Stuart took over, scoring all 10 of her points.

"Sometimes one person is on fire," Parmese said. "Maybe they played me a little tougher in the second half. Everyone stepped up."

That was necessary. Division (18-1) led 22-14 at halftime and led by as many as 11 late in the third quarter, but South Side rallied behind Colleen Burke and Lauren Lopresti, who each finished with 13 points.

"They're a really good team," Division coach Steve Kissane said. "Colleen Burke is awesome. We see her in soccer and now we see her in basketball and she's just great to play against."

SEE PHOTOSDivision 53, South Side 44

It was a putback from Stuart that put Division ahead 38-27 late in the third quarter, but South Side (13-7) responded with a 14-3 run, tying it on a putback from Lopresti with 3:54 remaining in the game. Division scored 12 of the next 13 points on a three-pointer from Costello and nine free throws. Julie Ballantyne (13 points) hit four free throws in the final minute to seal it.

"Free throws are a nervous thing for us," Kissane said. "But these girls really wanted it."

Said Stuart: "I can't even describe how this feels . . . Before the season, I never would have thought this was possible."

Gerstman lifts Lynbrook. Brooke Gerstman led a team effort for Lynbrook, as the third-seeded Owls rolled past No. 2 Garden City, 50-29, in the nightcap. Gerstman scored nine of her game-high 17 points in a 17-9 second quarter. "It was just good ball movement," Gerstman said. "It was the team."

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Seniors Jessy Rosen (13 points) and Shannon Doody (eight points) helped to round out that team effort.

"It was all for the seniors," said Gerstman, a sophomore who has started since eighth grade. "It's just amazing. We all worked so hard to get here."

Barbara Sullivan (23 points) and Diana Leondis (12 points) did their best to keep Garden City (16-4) in it, combining for 25 of their team's 29 points.

Lynbrook (13-8) and Division will square off for the county title Saturday at 2 p.m. at C.W. Post. Lynbrook is the only team to defeat Division this season.

"They're great; they have a lot of height, a lot of athletes," Rosen said. "It's going to be a great game."