On Sunday, Feb. 3, the eighth-grade girls' basketball team from St. Gertrude's of Bayville defeated the Long Beach tri-parish team (39-31) to clinch the Nassau-Suffolk Division "B" CYO Championship for the 2001-2002 season. The game, held at Molloy College, was the fourth game of the playoff series that began on Jan. 20 against Infant Jesus CYO of Port Jefferson. The second round game, held on Jan. 26, was played against Our Lady of Lourdes CYO of Malverne and the "quarter-final" match-up against St. Raymond's CYO of East Rockaway, was played on Feb. 2.

A tremendous all-around team effort on defense was the key to the team's success all season long. Seventh-graders Jessica Bell (51 points) and Kim Brennan (46 points) led the offense for the championship playoff series. In the closest game of the series, against St. Raymond's, Jessica hit 5 out of 6 foul shots in the first half and scored 13 points, while teammate Allison Micheletti scored all 15 of her points in the second half! The final score of that "heartstopping" game was 42-40.

The Catholic Youth Organization's eighth-grade girls' basketball "B" division includes 43 teams from across Long Island. St. Gertrude's girls, also known as the "Blue Waves," are to be commended on an outstanding season of teamwork, dedication and respect for the game and their opponents.