Long Island boys and girls basketball's Hardwood Heroes
Pierson's Luke Seltzer carries the ball in the second quarter during a Suffolk boys basketball game against host Southampton on Jan. 30, 2023. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Pierson’s Luke Seltzer had 39 points in the Whalers’ 81-78 win over Bayport-Blue Point in Suffolk League VI Tuesday. Two days later, he had 28 points in Pierson’s 62-45 win over Mattituck. Following his strong week, Seltzer is Newsday’s Hardwood Hero.
BOYS BASKETBALL
JUSTIN BROWN, Holy Trinity
He had eight three-pointers and 33 points in an 85-73 win over Knox.
MICHAEL FAVALORO, Newfield
He had 27 points in a 64-48 win over Northport.
BRIAN HASELTON, Sayville
He hit the winning three-pointer as time expired in a 49-46 win over Islip.
MAZIN IBRAHEM, East Meadow
He had 30 points and hit seven three-pointers in a 78-53 win against MacArthur.
ISAIAH McCARTER, Smithtown Christian
He had 17 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in a 69-66 victory over Greenport, then had 20 points, 20 rebounds and three blocks in a 64-38 victory over Ross.
CASMERE MORROW, Rocky Point
He had 27 points, seven rebounds and three steals in a 60-52 win over Eastport-South Manor. He had 26 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four blocks in a 62-52 win against Comsewogue.
CHRISTIAN SMILEY, Bay Shore
He had 20 points, including the tiebreaking basket with 1:34 left, and grabbed 16 rebounds in a 54-51 win over Northport.
AJ VURCHIO, Sachem East
He had 31 points — including five three-pointers — four assists and three rebounds in a 59-46 win over Whitman.
JEREMIAH WEBB, Wyandanch
He had 29 points, five rebounds, five assists and five steals in a 75-57 win over Miller Place.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
ROSE AZMOUDEH, Half Hollow Hills East
She had 31 points and 12 rebounds in a 52-37 win over Bellport.
MAKAYLA DAUBE, Mepham
She had 19 points and 18 rebounds in a 56-39 win over Long Beach.
JADE DOCKERY, West Babylon
She had 33 points in a 64-38 victory over Newfield.
EMMA HEANEY, Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK
She had 23 points, 16 rebounds and eight blocks in a 40-24 win over Port Washington. She became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 932 points as a junior.
IRIS HOFFMAN, Whitman
She had 20 points, eight rebounds, five assists and 11 steals in a 62-34 win over Longwood.
JULIANA MAHAN, Shoreham-Wading River
She had 35 points in a 69-63 overtime victory over Bayport-Blue Point.
JASMINE McKAY, North Babylon
She had 34 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 56-32 win over Sachem North.
DIAMOND PERTILLAR, Patchogue-Medford
She had 30 points, 22 rebounds and five assists in a 71-38 win over Longwood.
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
