Having been No. 1 in nation, Long Island Lutheran girls basketball confident in taking on best

It's not always easy for elite teams and players to measure themselves in an attempt to see just how really good they are. One way to do that, though, is by competing against the best — to be the best, you have to beat the best.

The Long Island Lutheran girls basketball team, an elite program ranked among the nation's best, had the opportunity to prove its worth last month at the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions in Mesa, Arizona. And after  that tournament,  the Crusaders were indeed recognized as the best.

Long Island Lutheran, a small private school seemingly hidden away in Glen Head on the north shore of Nassau County, has an enrollment of 420 students in grades 6-12. But among that small roll of students are some of the best prep basketball players in the country.  And those girls showcased their talent in a big way on a large stage.

LuHi won the Nike tournament (Dec. 19-22), considered by most observers to be perhaps the best girls tournaments in the country. The Crusaders defeated La Jolla (California) Country Day, 63-50, in the championship game,  becoming the first New York team since 2004 to win the highest division of the tournament.

Nike featured 128 of the top teams nationally in eight 16-team divisions. The Crusaders, among the 24 teams in the highest division bracket, went 4-0 with victories over  nationally ranked teams, including Sidwell Friends School of Washington, D.C. — the No. 1 team in the country at the time — in the semifinal. And in the national rankings released after the tournament, Long Island Lutheran had replaced Sidwell Friends as No. 1.

“It’s pretty cool, we [were] the only team that [could] say that,” said Syla Swords, a LuHi junior guard. “I think that’s the biggest thing but also we understand it’s a privilege to be there. We have to keep doing what we’re doing and really just act like we are the No. 1 team in the country and practice like it, too.”  

The Crusaders were ranked No. 1 in multiple polls, including ESPN, MaxPreps and the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25. They enjoyed that ride at No.1 for awhile, but have since learned it’s difficult to remain on top. On Jan. 13, LuHi suffered its first loss of the season, 59-48, to St. John Vianney (Holmdel, New Jersey),   and slipped to No. 2 by ESPN and No. 3 by MaxPreps.
LuHi then split two home games this weekend, losing 67-60 to Montverde (Florida) Academy Friday night before defeating West Catholic (Philadelphia) Prep, 99-22, Saturday for a 13-2 record. 

“The lesson now is you are getting everybody’s best shot,” LuHi coach Christina Raiti said. “If you’re No. 1, that’s everybody’s Super Bowl. And you need to be ready to play. We don’t have the luxury of having an off day or taking a day off because you’re tired. That just doesn’t exist at this level anymore and I think that’s a really good lesson.”

But the experience of the Nike tournament —  the Bell Bank Park’s 320-acre grounds with 16 hardwood floors with LED scoreboards — is one the players will never forget. 

“Everybody knew it was not going to be easy, but we were confident,” said Kate Koval, a 6-5 junior. “Everyone on the team was ready to fight to win. We were definitely not scared.” 

“We were really confident,” said Kayleigh Heckel, a junior guard from Port Chester, New York. “Even when we went against the No. 1 team in the country, we felt like we could win it. We all knew the talent we had on the team was enough to beat anyone.”

In the Nike tournament, Heckel averaged 14.8 points and seven assists and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the highest division. 

“She’s just so even keeled, sometimes it doesn’t even look like it fazes her," Raiti said. "She was pretty nervous honestly but it’s just a testament to her to be able to get those nerves intact and lead. She’s not the loudest kid, she doesn’t talk the most but she’s a leader by example. Once she gets going, our kids understand we’re going to be OK.”

Koval and Shya Hawkins were also named to the all-tournament team. Koval averaged 12.5 points and 8.5 rebounds and Hawkins averaged 9.3 points and 6.5 rebounds for the four games.

Raiti remembers being in a hotel conference room watching film with players getting up and moving around to demonstrate aspects such as floor spacing and defense. She knew her student-athletes weren’t just satisfied with playing in the tournament. They wanted to win it.

“Our main message to the kids is, ‘Respect everybody but fear nobody',” Raiti said. “I don’t think we ever go into games expecting to win, I think that’s when you get yourself into trouble. But we can go into games confidently feeling like we are prepared.”

When LuHi took the court for the final against La Jolla Country Day, the lights and cameras clearly became more apparent. The game was broadcast live on ESPNU. 

“[We were] definitely a little bit nervous because there were a lot of cameras around us, we’re on ESPN, a lot of outside factors,” Koval said. “But as soon as the game started and we were all on the court together, it all kind of went away and it was just us and basketball.”

Heckel had 22 points and seven assists in the final with Koval adding 10 points and nine rebounds. 

“Being able to win that tournament really showed us we can do anything,” Heckel said. “We can hang with the top teams in the country.”

This year’s Crusaders team is vastly different from last year's squad which finished 14-10. Koval is the team’s lone returning starter and is one of 12 underclassmen. Koval, who is from Ukraine, quickly realized all the talent this year on a roster that includes players from Long Island, other parts of New York State and the country and even Canada. 

“You can see a lot of players on our team have talent but the biggest thing was putting it all together,” Koval said. “And as soon as we played our first game, we realized the only thing that could stop us was ourselves, to be honest. We just have to keep working and I don’t think there’s anyone in this country who can stop us.”

Winning the Nike tournament and climbing to No. 1 is only one chapter in the Crusaders' season — their goal is to win their first New York State Federation title since 2015.

“This is special,” Raiti said. “It’s a really, really special group and I don’t think we’ve even scratched the surface, which I think is really amazing.”