Cardozo's Playoff Hopes End

Lincoln High School ended the Benjamin N. Cardozo High School boys basketball team's hopes of making it to Madison Square Garden, defeating the Bayside school 56-54 last night at City College.

Hero: The Judges' leading scorer, Shelton Mickell, was defended by point Shaquille Stokes, allowing senior Chris Gayot to be a scoring machine. Gayot, stepped up when the Judges were in need of a replacement star, putting his team ahead late in the third.

Turning Point: The Judges Jermaine Lawrence, the sophomore giant who played his first game Sunday, continued his sensational playoff run, hitting a late three pointer to give his team their first lead of the game. That lead would stay in place thanks to senior Marquis Barnett, who made a last second buzzer beater at the end of the third quarter to keep the lead at one point going into the fourth.  

Bottom Line: All was going well for the Judges until Stokes and junior Kamari Murphy helped catapult the comeback for Lincoln. While the Judges tried to hold them at bay, Murphy, who had 14 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, made clutch baskets to help the team regain the lead. After being down late in the fourth, Barnett had a chance to tie the game, but missed a key free throw that led to the demise of the Judges' season.

Quotable: An emotional coach Ron Naclerio explained the loss hurt more than all the games he has ever coached.

"The kids are going to be miserable for a while just like I am going to be," said Naclerio. "This is just one of those games the fans love [and] that the Lincoln fans are going to be happy as hell about. The Cardozo fans are going to be miserable." 

A tearful Gayot held his head high on a positive outlook on the season.

"I felt this year was our year. We came with low expectations, not to go nowhere," said Gayot. "Queens is not soft, Cardozo is not soft, Cardozo plays hard, and I'm going to miss this team."