Christina Raiti, a seventh-grader at Plainview/Old Bethpage Middle School, traveled to Springfield, Missouri this summer to compete in the AAU Division I National Basketball Championship. Christina and her Long Island Lightning team placed 3rd in the nation and came within one point of playing in the title championship game. This is the furthest any Long Island Lightning girl's team has gotten in a National competition.

Raiti averaged 15 points and 10 assists a game playing against the top teams in the country. The team is coached by Dennis Nuss and John Kiffel, from Garden City and is comprised of athletes from Plainview, Garden City, Hempstead, Massapequa, Baldwin, Freeport, Amityville, Port Washington, and Manhasset.

With their third place finish in the nation, the Lightning automatically qualifies for next year's AAU National Championships in Rochester, Minnesota.

Congratulations to Christina and her Long Island Lightning team.