Zambrotta sets LI girls scoring record
Upper Room's Sydney Zambrotta set a Long Island record with 63 points in a girls basketball game. (undated file photo) Credit: MSG Varsity
Eighth-grader Sydney Zambrotta set a Long Island record with 63 points in a girls basketball game Tuesday night as Upper Room (Dix Hills) beat Our New Savior American, 78-17, in an IPPSAL game.
The previous mark was 60 points, set by Jennifer Mitchell of Hempstead in 1973.
Zambrotta had 24 field goals, including one three-pointer, and 14 free throws. She added 13 rebounds, 11 steals, and two assists.
Zambrotta, a 5-7 point guard who transferred from North Babylon, is averaging 43.5 points in seven games.
"I wouldn't have been able to do this without my teammates, coaches and trainer Jerry Powell," Zambrotta said. "It feels great. I worked hard for this goal."
Zambrotta stated on her Twitter account Tuesday morning that she was aiming to score 60 points. Her parents told her she was nine points away from tying the record when she scored 51 in a 58-38 win over Lexington on Dec. 20.
Zambrotta scored 58 points in a 66-26 win over Our New Savior American on Jan. 19.
Upper Room has just seven players on the roster and only Zambrotta and Katherine Henriquez have basketball experience.
"She has a good handle," Royals coach Rebecca Stevens said of Zambrotta. "That gives her the ability to go anywhere on the court. She reads the floor well and anticipates the next moves. She has a great ability to do anything on the floor."
The IPPSAL league isn't known for its girls basketball prowess and doesn't draw talent. Very rarely do players from the league play AAU basketball.
"It was much more competitive in the public schools," Zambrotta said.
Zambrotta scored 11 of her 35 points in the first half of a 64-37 loss to Portledge on Jan. 13. Portledge (13-0) features sophomore Tamara Simpson, who is also a transfer from North Babylon and plays AAU for the Philadelphia Belles. Zambrotta plays for New Heights (New York City). Upper Room and Portledge will meet on Feb. 10.
"Sydney's skill level is definitely above everyone I have seen so far with the exception of Tamara Simpson," Stevens said. "They don't back off her and she has to work for all her points. The teams we lost to have ability. Some of the games are much more competitive than the games against OSNA."
Our New Savior American is 1-9 and scored five points in one of its losses this season. It has been outscored 462-167.
Zambrotta is also doing a lot of teaching to her teammates.
"I enjoy teaching them," Zambrotta said. "They're getting better every single game and it's great to watch."
