The Westbury based L.I. Wave Girls Basketball Team finished their spectacular season in an equally spectacular fashion, winning the National Amateur Athletic Union Championship for the 13 and under girls basketball division.

The National Championship was held in Orlando, Florida, July 8-16 with the top teams from every state in the country competing. The Wave team has 11 players, nine of them in the eighth grade, with the exception of Lisa Claxton, a sixth-grader in the point guard position, and Randi Bender, a seventh-grade guard.

The team traveled throughout the year playing up in the ninth through 12th grade girls competitions. They ended with an unbelievable record of 95 wins, 3 losses going into the eighth grade National Tournament. They even played a boys league this past Christmas.

After reaching the Elite 8, the team lost by 2 to the Maryland Cougars. Their backs to the wall, the Wave had to win three games the next day against the second, third and fourth ranked teams in the country. No team to date had been able to win this challenge in the Nationals. The starting five guards used their press and 3-point shooting to beat last year's 4th finisher, the New Jersey Hawks, the 2nd finisher from California, the Starlets, and again, last year's 3rd ranking team, the Maryland Cougars. History was made that day . With every win, the excitement escalated on the benches and in the stands. "It felt like David meeting Goliath. It was really something to see coaches and teams from all over the country enjoying and respecting our game, and even cheering for us," said Britt Lizza of Oyster Bay.

The L.I. Wave advanced to the finals, which would take place the following morning against the defending champions, the Michigan Cagers. The Cagers had remained unbeaten in two years, with five starters six feet and over. The Wave had to win two games in the finals to win the Championship. During the must win first game, the Wave was down by nine at half-time, but came back to win. In the second game, the L.I. Wave led from beginning to end, leaving no doubt in the minds of the thousands of spectators--the L.I. Wave were the undisputed champions.

For all of those who know the game and love basketball, this was an up-tempo, full court-pressing exhibition that was done in clinic fashion.

Coach Aly Lizza has had this team for just over two years. Because of him, many of the girls left on the bench on other teams are interested in basketball again. "He took them all to another level," Ron Bender explained. "He saw potential that they didn't even know they had, and made the girls believers in their own ability. Without him, we never would have made it past the Verranzano Bridge. His knowledge and passion are only surpassed by his winning philosophy, that no one person makes a team, but each one is a special link to success. Even the girls' parents are especially close and dedicated. He brings us all together."

A jubilant coach Aly Lizza said, "The girls earned their championship with over 100 practices and probably just as many games. I truly believe that in the years to come, this national title, and all the efforts and lessons learned along the way, will factor in many of the girls' future successes."