Amanda Tragna snaps tie giving Smithtown West Suffolk AA playoff win over Rocky Point
Smithtown West guard Amanda Tragna hits the three-point shot late in the fourth quarter to give her team the lead against Rocky Point in the Suffolk Class AA playoffs on Wednesday at Smithtown West. Credit: George A Faella
Amanda Tragna was not about to let her senior basketball season come to an end Wednesday night. The score was tied and there was 24 seconds remaining in the game. Tragna got the ball just outside of the three-point line and put up a shot. That basket clinched No. 8 Smithtown West’s 42-38 Suffolk AA playoff win over visiting No. 9 Rocky Point.
“I didn’t even think,” Tragna said. “I wasn’t even sure if I had the open shot, I just felt it and I took it.”
Having that moment meant more to her than just three points in the stat book. Tragna suffered an ankle injury against Comsewogue last week. Instead of letting that injury keep her off the court, she got right to work on rehabbing to make sure she was able to perform in the playoffs.
“On Thursday night I got hurt, I went to the doctor immediately on Friday to start physical therapy,” Tragna said. “That could have been my last game, but it would’ve killed me not to be here today. This meant everything to me.”
Tragna finished with six points, four rebounds and five steals.
The Bulls trailed most of the game. They were down seven after the first quarter and five going into the half.
“I think their minds might have been elsewhere at some points during the game,” coach Katie Schroeder said. “We had to regroup and focus on what we needed to do to win.”
Smithtown West had been defeated twice by Rocky Point during the regular season and sophomore Alyssa Lorefice said that was extra motivation for them to get the win Wednesday.
“We started stagnant,” Lorefice said. “We’ve seen them before, so we knew what we needed to work on. We just had to come together and find that shift in energy.”
Lorefice finished with 17 points, five rebounds and one steal.
Rocky Point’s season ended with a 12-8 overall record. Madison Moeller finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Last season, the Bulls didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs after falling to Sachem East. Now they’ll give it their all when they face No. 1 seed Half Hollow Hills East on the road Friday at 5:30 p.m.
“I’m so excited for them,” Schroeder said. “They deserve a rest tomorrow, but then it’s all about getting ready for Friday.”
