LI Lutheran's Celeste Taylor named Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year
Celeste Taylor #12 of Long Island Lutheran pulls up for a jumper during a non-league girls basketball game against Nazareth at Long Island Lutheran High School in Brookville on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019. Lutheran won by a score of 81-58. Credit: James Escher
Celeste Taylor’s senior-year trophy case continues to grow with each passing month.
The senior guard on the Long Island Lutheran girls basketball team was named the Gatorade New York Girls Basketball Player of the Year in an official announcement Friday morning, not long after she was named a McDonald’s All-American in late-January.
From Valley Stream, the Texas commit stands 5-11 and is the defending Newsday All-Long Island Player of the Year. The Crusaders are 15-7 behind Taylor’s averages of 16.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 4.0 steals per game. They’ll next play in the state Federation tournament in Glens Falls on March 22.
She is the second recipient of this award in program history and the seventh girl from Long Island to earn the honor. Crusaders point guard Lauren “Boogie” Brozoski copped the award in 2015.
Forward Monika Kost of Lindenhurst was the first Long Island player to earn the distinction in 1987. Sachem point guard Nicole Kaczmarski of Holtsville earned the distinction three times between 1996-1999.
Garden City guard Bethany LeSueur earned the award twice in 2000 and 2001. Point guard Samantha Prahalis of Commack won in 2008. North Babylon guard Bria Hartley also won it twice in 2009 and 2010.
Taylor will play in the McDonald’s All-American Game on March 27 and is now in the running for the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year, which will be announced later in March.
