Werbitsky guides Harborfields girls' win
Harborfield's Amy Werbitsky drives the baseline against Islip's Vanessa Jeungerkes in the second half. Harborfields defeated Islip 68-52. (Jan. 10, 2012) Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
Amy Werbitsky's first points of the game came from the free-throw line midway through the second quarter. The Harborfields junior had no idea she had given her team the lead for good at that point and her fourth-quarter performance made the game even more memorable.
Werbitsky had 11 of her career-high 17 points in the fourth quarter to lead Harborfields to a 68-52 win against host Islip in Suffolk League V girls basketball Tuesday.
"If I can get her to be consistent, I can sit there and relax," Harborfields coach Russ Tietjen said of Werbitsky. ". . . You see improvement, now it's being consistent."
Werbitsky closed the third quarter with a fast-break basket off a long pass from Lexi O'Connor (nine points) and converted on several fast-break opportunities in the fourth.
"We're a team of fast breaks so if we get the opportunity we always take it," Werbitsky said.
She was also one of several Tornadoes who matched up with Islip's Shannon Duer, the Island's leading rebounder (17.7 per game).
"We definitely prepared for boxing out against her," said Werbitsky, who added six rebounds. "We knew she was a good player and she gave us a fight but we had to be strong and physical against her."
Duer had 18 points and 20 rebounds and Vanessa Juengerkis added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Buccaneers, who controlled the game for nearly the entire first half.
Islip (6-4, 3-1) led 23-17 but Harborfields went on a 14-5 run to take a 31-28 lead at halftime.
Kasey Stolba scored 10 of her 11 points in the third quarter and added four rebounds for the Tornadoes (10-0, 4-0).
Amy (11) and Julie Luxemberg totaled 20 points and knocked down several important three-pointers for the Tornadoes, who were without Bridgit Ryan (ankle) for the fifth straight game. Tietjen said she could return for Thursday's game with Kings Park.
