It will truly be a place of Mannings with both Peyton and brother Eli in the RCA Dome while Dad Archie watches along with the rest of the Manning family. Tom Brady revisits the place where his team blew a big half time lead when Peyton Manning finally rose up and carried the Colts to a dramatic win before defeating the Bears for his only Lombardi Trophy. Even if it seems like a long time ago with Peyton about to get run out of town for the next hotshot QB Andrew Luck, it’ll still be a great setting with big bro again lending support to little bro on Super Bowl Sunday.

If it wasn’t unique enough four years ago after Peyton had won the previous year, here he is again in an odd setting which maybe the final time he’ll set foot in Indy as a Colt. That still is hard to fathom how they can toss a hero to the curb but that’s the world of the world of the NFL. An unforgiving business where you can become one of the all-time greats, setting all sorts of records and then once a career threatening injury sidelines you, you’re history. At least according to his agent, Peyton should be okay for offseason workouts to showcase for other interested clubs.

While that huge distraction deters from a highly anticipated rematch between Brady and Eli along with Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin, the two combatants have a game to play tomorrow. Hopefully, it’ll be as good as the first which the Giants won thanks to some late heroics from Eli, unlikely hero David Tyree and Plaxico Burress.  

This time, the names will be different with the younger Manning looking for primary targets Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, who’ve torched opponents all year. And while they were for the most part held in check by a stingy, ferocious 49ers D that took the Giants to sudden death, it’s been the consistency of both wideouts that should be a concern for New England. How to slow down a dynamic duo that can turn a routine catch into a highlight film? There’s the challenge for Belichick, Vince Wilfork and the rest of the Patriot D.

While the Pats contend with the Giants’ air attack, Big Blue must also concern themselves with still the one guy who can beat you in Bradym, who definitely would love to exact revenge after getting pulverized in Arizona. Sure. He’s coming off a poor outing in a fortunate win over the Ravens. But that’s when a great quarterback is most dangerous. It’s his and Belichick’s legacies that are on the line. Figure Brady to come out firing for chief targets Wes Welker and Rob Gronkowski, who won’t be wearing any protective braces.

Does someone else step up on either side like Mario Manningham or Bear Pascoe on the Giants or perhaps former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch or even forgotten man Chad Ocho Cinco?  That’s what makes the Super Bowl so unique. You never know who the unsung hero could be.

Will either side be able to control the clock by running the ball? The experience of Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw should tilt it slightly in the Giants’ favor over BenJarvus Greene-Ellis Much depends on the lines. Who will win the battles in the trenches? The Giants boast a pass rush led by monster Jason Pierre-Paul, who can wreak havoc. Brady must also worry about Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck and forgotten man Mathias Kiwanuka. The play of Chris Canty and defensive leaders Michael Boley and Antrel Rolle give Big Blue a distinct edge in playmakers who can impact the game.  But all that doesn’t mean anything until they play the game.

All the smack talk, cockiness is just that. You have to back up the talk, which Burress did following his remarkable Super Bowl XLII prediction of 17-14, which left Brady speechless before a down had been played. It’s about mental fortitude. Who wants it more?

The Pats haven’t won in a while and are looking to cement their legacy. This is their seventh Super Bowl appearance. If they lose, it’s two crushing defeats in a row at the hands of the same team and a 3-4 record. But if they prevail, that would be four rings for Brady and Belichick, making them two of the greatest champions in football history. If the Giants prevail, it’d be pretty significant for Coughlin, who could rise to Canton status along with Eli, who would join an exclusive list of Hall Of Fame QBs who won at least two Lombardis. That he has to beat winner of three Brady again is a great storyline. Much of the focus will be on them along with the two coaches who once worked together for Bill Parcells. Pretty crazy.

It’s what makes this such a special game. So, what we think? I see another closely contested game with more points scored by both offenses. It could very well come down to who has the ball last. Are the Giants about to make history as the only 9-7 division winner to win the Super Bowl or will the Pats deal a harsh reality?

Everything points to the Giants with the offenses being even, except that both Cruz and Nicks are healthy while nobody knows what Gronkowski’s impact will be. Maybe Brady finds tight end Aaron Hernandez more. It’s a tough one to call. If the Giants get to Brady, it could be a long day. But what if Belichick takes away the deep ball and blitzes like San Fran. Granted. New England’s perssonel isn’t as good. You never know considering how calm he’s been this week. Almost like he’s enjoying it more. If his team wins, does he ride off to sunset? I don’t see him as the retiring type.

It just may depend on Brady’s will to win. He was embarrassed last time even though it was close. He has something to prove. That’s why I’m going against who I want to win.

SUPER BOWL XLVI PREDICTION:

GIANTS 27 PATRIOTS 31

MVP: Tom Brady, New England

Paller’s 17 paced the Lady Lions, who after a sloppy start took control the last three quarters to pull away from UNIS for an important victory. After a tough January that included a recent loss to Dwight on Spirit Day, perhaps the change of the calendar was all they needed. Especially with it the final month of the season.

A turnover plagued first quarter saw first-year coach Sydney Blumstein use an early timeout to help her team regroup. They didn’t respond until the second period thanks to some timely hooping from Paller, who netted half her leading output on an array of driving lay-ups and a long range bomb that got the bench up. Showing more confidence offensively, the sophomore shooting guard made wise decisions, also getting teammates involved.

While Paller paced the Lady Lions in scoring, she also was part of sturdy defense led by lone senior Olivia Wilson, who wreaked havoc against UNIS. Wilson outhustled the Eastern Manhattan school to loose balls with reckless abandon. She had a few steals and rebounded, which allowed Paller to hurt United Nations in transition. Paller also had a couple of thefts and easy finishes that helped extend a five-point lead to double digits at the half.

Junior Margo Miller also hit the offensive glass with a nice putback along with some extra possessions through effort. It was contagious as Blumstein played everyone, which could bode well down the stretch. In fact, almost every player made the stat sheet, including Becca Bender, who showed improvement defensively.

The Lady Lions built a 15-point margin during a big third, limiting UNIS to only one bucket from the field. Olivia Saleh contributed with five while Mia Kellman (3) and Wilson (5) also got involved.

It was their best effort in a while. They’re right back at it tomorrow with a visit to Nightingale-Bamford.

Lions visit Packer: Meanwhile, the Berkeley Carroll Lions paid a visit to nemesis Packer this afternoon. They were trying to avenge a blowout defeat last December that saw senior Joe Longo reinjure his ankle. Longo has been back and the Lions were healthier for the Brooklyn rematch. We’ll try to update later who won. … The JV also were in action at Packer as part of the double.

I’ve always been a huge tennis fan. Grew up playing it and idolizing Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. A classic 80′s kid who always rooted against Ivan Lendl. To my kid eyes, he was the bad guy who wrecked more U.S. Opens for Connors and McEnroe. Back then, that’s just how it was. Sports were different. More patriotic. Good versus evil. Now, almost all athletes are embraced unless you turn your back on a city like LeBron James, fitting the classic bad guy role to a tee in Miami. The kind of story big media companies like ESPN need for ratings. Milk it for all its worth. All week, we’ll hear about Eli Manning and Tom Brady. Can Brady exact revenge four years later or will Eli etch his name in stone among great quarterbacks by winning a second Super Bowl, joining the likes of Starr, Bradshaw, Montana and Elway to rattle off a few. Only Brady and Ben Roethlisberger are active QBs that’ve won at least two Super Bowls.

While the debate will go all the way up to game time, we’ll devote this space to a new tennis rivalry born following an epic match played between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. In the longest played grand slam final in the Open Era, Djokovic repeated as champion by prevailing in five grueling sets over Nadal, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5, capturing his second consecutive Australian Open (third down under). A match that featured twists and turns along with death defying rallies which even left us breathless lasted a ridiculous five hours and fifty-three minutes. To put that into perspective, most hockey and basketball games take at most two and a half hours. The only thing that compares is an epic NHL playoff game that goes four overtimes, keeping fans up into early hours.

The difference is neither Djokovic or Nadal had an extended period off. Aside from a brief rain delay before they closed the roof at Melbourne Park, the two combatants only used changeovers to replenish energy burnt. Some games take forever to complete due to the ferocity of the points. It’s those that go to multiple deuces and see groundstroke for groundstroke matched along with running fit for a marathon that mesmerize tennis fans. Beside the physical toll it takes, there’s also the mental battle as well which see both players go through peaks and valleys. For two straight sets, the defending champion from Serbia had the No.2 ranked Spaniard on the ropes, pinning him six feet behind the baseline with heavy forehands and backhands struck with such force and precision that it was a miracle Nadal got most back. Having beaten Rafa in six straight finals, Nole had the mental edge. Serve big and go for broke, often to Nadal’s backhand where the errors have come. If not, then a short reply allowed Djoker to pounce as he did with a thumping forehand up the line to clinch an easy third set.

Would Nadal wilt under all the pressure? He’d lost to Djokovic at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open after defeating Roger Federer at the French. Federer did him a huge favor last year, ending Djokovic’s 43-match win streak with a tremendous semifinal triumph to reach the final at Roland Garros. Speaking of Federer, he hasn’t won a slam since the 2010 Australian Open- meaning that either Nadal (2 Frenches, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) or Djokovic (2 Australians, Wimbledon and U.S. Open) have shared the last eight. Rafa beat his top rival in four sets by again outbattling Federer, who blew a set and break lead. Another chink in the armor of the all-time winningest grand slam champion who still holds the record with 16. As Roger hits his 30′s, the question lingers whether he can add one more with Djokovic No.1 in the world while Nadal chases much like he did with Federer. Toss Andy Murray into the mix, who only took Djokovic five sets before falling in another crazy semifinal, and that’s three younger players who all pose a threat to the Maestro.

Sometimes, when you’re back’s against the wall, you let go. Djokovic was able to do that against Federer down match point at their memorable U.S. Open semifinal last Fall. The sound of that return winner crosscourt still can be heard along with a wild eruption from a mostly pro-Federer Arthur Ashe swayed by Novak to lend him support. Federer was never the same in body language and mind, allowing the more determined player to pull off the comeback. It’s what Nole does best. If he’s not overpowering opponents with unbelievable shots off full out sprints, Djoker is causing chaos with the best return in the game, constantly applying pressure. Andre Agassi was the standard when it came to returning with only Connors better. Djokovic might already be better than Andre. He’ll turn 25 later this year and now has gone from one major to five in a year. Amazing how things change. The confidence with which he plays with allows him to believe he can pull out any match no matter the pressure. Even if his legs start to weaken as was the case Sunday night, Nole is able to find that extra gear. 

In the previous six losses, Nadal was unable to push back against Djokovic. He never put him in a vulnerable position. However, his focus was incredible during a tight fourth set where he needed to hold serve every time. While Novak held much easier, Rafa’s games were a struggle but never more so than when he was love-40 with basically three match points for Djokovic. One foul up and it was curtains as ESPN team Chris Fowler, Patrick McEnroe and Brad Gilbert concluded. Instead of giving in, there was Rafa fighting with that warrior’s spirit that makes him such a crowd pleaser. Running down shots and then ripping an inside out forehand just out of Djokovic’s reach to ward off a second break chance, followed by a surprising backhand down the line that wrong footed the defending champ. Nadal saved all four break points by elevating his game. He served bigger and went for his shots. Something that hadn’t happened enough against the man we call Djoker. Only there’s nothing to joke about following one of the greatest seasons in tennis history.

The thing that made you love Rafa’s fight was his spirit, pumping his fists after every big point won, which brought the crowd into it. It would’ve been easier to just cave into Novak’s pressure. Nobody plays a more aggressive and electrifying style. The shots he pulls off border on insanity. If one had caught any of his five set epic against the equally shot making Murray, you would’ve been tired just watching. The angles both men found were jaw dropping. Nadal is the same way, able to run down would be winners and rip that forehand for his own like he again did to Federer at crucial moments. Djokovic kept pounding the ball to each side, forcing Rafa to scramble the entire fourth set only to see them returned with incredible pace. In the tiebreak, Novak had a 5-3 minibreak lead and was two points away from avoiding the climatic final set. But a resilient Rafa wasn’t ready to die, coming back to win the last four points, including a wild miss from Djokovic that was forced due to all the hustle.

When you watch these two play, there really isn’t much that separates them. Both do an awful lot of running to hit the extra shot. But Djokovic is more consistent at continuing to up the ante. Nadal flattened out his backhand more down the stretch but any time he left that slice backhand short, it was punished. Still, there was Rafa in position to finally beat Novak. He finally had gotten into a fifth set. Unchartered territory when they played. When Nadal broke Djokovic for 4-2, the crowd went wild thinking the obvious. It looked like Rafa would finally prevail. And really, it was his match to win or lose at that point. Djokovic had been broken and looked the worse for wear.

Only an amazing thing happened. A miscue from Nadal proved critical. Leading 30-15 in the seventh game with a chance to consolidate the break, Rafa missed a routine backhand wide with Djokovic toast. Nole had hustled to get one more shot over the net for Nadal and sometimes, that kinda yeoman effort pays off. We saw it on a Novak errant overhead moments later. However, it was Nadal who had an open court and missed the backhand down the line. With the crowd not realizing it, the correct call was made. Even if a desperate Rafa challenged. Replays confirmed a rarity. That a linesman got it right with the ball three inches wide. The point allowed Djokovic to breathe. He used the momentum to take the next two points and break back. Something which was a common theme in his win in New York City last September. Nadal never put him away. If he makes that shot, who knows. It really might’ve been a different outcome.

Given new life, Djokovic held easily for four all and then Nadal replied with his own hold for 5-4. But with the pressure squarely on his shoulders, Novak did his part to again level it five apiece. That’s when he turned up the heat one last time to break Rafa for 6-5. No matter how out of it he looks, you can never count out Djokovic. He pulled the same act against Federer. The man has an incredible hunger to win. He wants to prove he’s the best. If ever there was a testament to it, it came that final game. Nadal didn’t quit. Instead, he had a break point to once again get back on serve. But Djokovic saved it and then pointed to his chest and said a prayer which probably was, ‘I can do it. Please let me end this.‘ It was amusing. Nadal then got a bad break on a net cord which killed his cross court backhand from staying in, setting up championship point.

One final time, Djokovic dialed up a big serve up the tee that had a short reply from Nadal, allowing Novak to rip one more forehand winner to finally end one of the greatest matches ever. FIVE HOURS FIFTY THREE MINUTES!

A triumphant Djokovic fell flat on his back before ripping his shirt off and running to his cheering section that included long-term girlfriend Jelena Ristic. Some high fives were exchanged with his coach and team that have helped turn around his career from one hit wonder to best in the world. Pretty cool. Even cooler (well not really) was how exhausted both men were while the ceremony was going on. Each using the net to rest their legs with both on the verge of collapsing before the Australian Open team supplied chairs and large Evian water bottles. It really was bizarre. Still, they weren’t about to miss tennis legend Rod Laver, who presented them with their rewards. For Nadal, a runner’s up crown that he could be proud of while for Djokovic, another large trophy to add to his collection.

Despite being weary, both made nice speeches with each paying the other proper respect for the memorable match they had just played. A new rivalry has been born. Even if it’s been all Djokovic lately, this was the kinda day where there were no losers. Only winners, which would make Gene Hackman’s classic Norman Dale Hoosiers character proud. Maybe we’ll finally get Rafa vs Nole at the French. If only it weren’t so far away. For now, every tennis fan can be proud.

For the Lady Lions, it ended a difficult week with a young Trevor Day squad led by eighth grade sensation Lauren Dynes netting a game high 25 in a close win over the Park Slope hosts. Dynes sliced and diced her way through the paint, doing damage. She scored six of her team’s 10 in an up and down first quarter that saw plenty of inconsistent play. Berkeley Carroll fought their way to an 11-10 lead thanks to senior captain Olivia Wilson, who had two buckets en route to a team best 17.

The Lady Lions turned up the heat in the second stanza thanks to inspired play from sophomore forward Liv Saleh. She came off the bench and provided a lift with four points and a pair of nifty assists, including a nice set up for a Wilson finish. Only the play of Dynes (5 in 2nd) kept her team within striking distance. They trailed 23-19 at the break.

If the game was won or lost, it probably took place in the third where first-year coach Sidney Blumstein saw her club struggle offensively. They didn’t make one field goal with their three points coming from the line on a pair of Wilson free throws and one from Saleh. Compounding it were questionable officiating with 18 fouls called. Remarkably nine fouls for each side after a mistake by one referee on a foul call on the visitors that led to a dispute. Perhaps it impacted the many whistles following that left both sides exasperated.

With it called tightly, it worked against Blumstein’s team due to taking away the aggressiveness of Wilson, who picked up her fourth foul before the third expired. Frustration mounted with starters Sarah Paller and Mia Kellman also plagued with four as well. Both stayed in to try to rally their team down the stretch.

After being outscored 10-3 to trail by three, BC continued to struggle with poor execution offensively. Turnovers were a theme with Trevor Day taking advantage of a full court press that resulted in easy buckets from Dynes, who also was aided by teammates Lexi Velaguer (8) and Malina Schmit (7).  Both came through in crunch time when the Lady Lions made a late charge led by Kellman and Wilson. Consecutive transition hoops including a Wilson steal and hoop cut a nine-point deficit to four.

A Kellman three drew them within one, forcing Trevor Day to call for time. But the visitors remained poised thanks to a timely bucket from Velasguer, who made two critical ones. Schmidt salted it away from the line to help the visitors post a four-point win.

In the second match-up, third-year coach Carmine Giovino’s club fell to an experienced Trevor Day group 62-39. However, the 23-point loss wasn’t really an indication of a hotly contested game that saw his Lions claw back from a nine-point first quarter hole to within 21-18 at the half.

They limited top man Will Kronberger to six in the first two quarters by getting him in foul trouble. Kronberger got all six in a 16-7 first that saw Trevor Day exploit their size edge. Shane Pearley netted five of his team best 14 to keep his team within range.

The Lions turned up the D in a strong second period led by senior guard Cole Kitchen, who was aggressive on both ends. Along with subs Mike Andria, Josiah Murrell and Will Reagen, Kitchen had five points on a trey and driving lay-in that got them back in it. In particular, the physical play of Andria and Murrell limited Trevor Day’s effectiveness in the paint. Forcing them to the perimeter, Berkeley Carroll controlled the tempo- outscoring their opponents 11-5 to get within three at intermission.

A quick start to the third saw the Lions tie it up at 23. However, Trevor Day responded by picking up the tempo. A 19-1 run turned the game into a 42-24 advantage. Off a deadly half-court trap, they forced the Lions into multiple turnovers which were easily converted by Eli Frater, who put in most of his lucky 13 in the second half. Cleo Markman also drained a couple from downtown on his way to a team best 14.

Trevor Day placed six different scorers in the boxscore during the third onslaught. It allowed Kronberger to rest before returning to finish with 13 by posting seven in the final 16 minutes.

The Lions never gave up, continuing to work in an 11-point final quarter. Pearley had a couple of nice putbacks and Reagen contributed with seven. Giovino took most of his regulars out, allowing Reagen and a few others to get experience. Though they fell, the return of Joe Longo from an ankle injury should be cause for optimism. He’s a key part of BC, who still only has one loss in the ACIS league. Longo only had a basket but looked alright. His timing will come back, which can only boost the Lions’ championship aspirations.

They’ll need to maintain a high work ethic and consistency. Something captain Adam Kochman always preaches. With Giovino able to sub in and out thanks to a deep bench that also features sophomore Jasper Kitchen (younger brother of Cole), the Lions should be a tough team come February. It could be a very interesting finish.

Third-year coach Carmine Giovino pushed all the right buttons down the stretch, including key defensive sub Mike Andria, who sparked the Lions to a big win. The senior bruiser understands his role and will help the team anyway he can. His impact was felt on the defensive end where he had a steal that proved large with Dwight right on their tails. Andria also blocked out bigger forward Sean Nelson, pushing him away from the basket for a few big rebounds. Without his effort late, the Lions very well could’ve suffered a tough loss to a determined club hell bent on getting that first win in Park Slope.

It was nip and tuck all the way with Dwight coming out strong by scoring the first two buckets. Perhaps that should’ve alerted the Lions, whose only league defeat came a month ago to Packer in familiar surroundings. Nelson scored half his eight in a closely fought opening quarter where two points separated the rivals. Lewis Ruggiero also scored inside. For the Lions, sophomore starter Ian Miller provided most of the offense with seven of their dozen on a pair of treys and a free throw. They led 13-11 after one.

In the second quarter, Berkeley Carroll got off to a good start by pushing the ball to Giovino’s liking. A driving lay-in from Shane Pearley and a conventional three-point play from senior captain Adam Kochman allowed the Lions to go up seven. However, they never could put Dwight away. The pesky opponent chipped away with tenacious defense and timely hooping from leading scorer Teddy Snow, who got nine of his 15 in the quarter. Most of his work came off drives while also stepping out to drain a triple. His steal and uncontested lay-up before the half put Dwight down one and in position to pull the upset.

Up till that point, Lions’ leading man Shane Pearley had been kept quiet with only four points. He turned it around in the second half with nine in a better third for Giovino’s club. A Pearley-led 6-0 spurt that featured a three and three-point play pushed the Lions ahead 35-30. Duncan Hardy also converted off a tough shot inside. The Lions built a nine-point lead with Jasper Kitchen netting a triple. But just when it seemed they’d finally erase any doubt, two late Dwight buckets from Peewee Kirkland off back cuts sliced it to five headed into the fourth. 

The Lions scored the first two hoops of the final stanza, again increasing to nine. However, Ruggiero caught fire with back-to-back trifectas to suddenly cut it to 43-40 with plenty of time left. A quarter earlier, he was hit up with a quick technical foul for disputing a call. Now, Ruggiero’s timely shooting threatened to do in Berkeley Carroll. He followed a Josiah Murrell hoop with another from downtown, pulling Dwight within 45-43.  But a big Pearley finish in transition put the Lions back up four. With time winding down, Dwight was forced to foul. An Andria steal and long toss to Miller put him at the line but he missed the front end of a one-on-one, keeping Dwight alive. They came down and found Ruggiero for a three from the right key to suddenly get within one with 12 seconds left and immediately called for time.

A nerve racking moment for Pearley almost led to a turnover but a wise Kochman yelled for time before Dwight got the turnover they needed with eight ticks left. Ironically, it would be a long toss from Kochman to Miller which put the sophomore guard on the line, where he split a pair. With BC up 48-46, Dwight came down with the rebound but threw the ball away with two seconds left. Two free throws from Pearley finally sealed it. The Lions had escaped.

JV edges Dwight: In a preview, first-year coach Terrence Caufield’s JV had similar problems with pesky Dwight, who they couldn’t quite finish off. Despite turning a five-point halftime lead which featured some sloppy ball into a 15-point cushion after three, the younger Lions nearly learned a valuable lesson. Never underestimate your opponent. Especially when you think you got it won.

All day, BC had a balanced attack with as many as seven different scorers, including Matteo Heilbrun, who came off the bench for four in a strong third that saw the Lions outscore Dwight 21-11. Kyle Graber converted twice inside and a nice passing play between twin brothers Chris Colon and David Colon, allowed for an easy finish off a break. They combined for 17 while Izzy David did most of his work when the Lions needed it most. He scored half his 14 in a final stanza that saw Dwight pull within 42-36 before a David left circle trey and four free throws put it out of reach.

It allowed Caufield to breathe easier following strong fourth quarters from Alex Yaraghi (6 of 14 in 4th) and Harrison Pergament (8 of 14 in 4th) had them thinking upset. But it wasn’t to be as the JV continued its dominance by posting a 50-40 home win. Chris Harper also contributed nine and Zach Llewlyn added two.

Lady Lions fall again to Luther: In Thursday’s rematch at Queens, the Lady Lions fell again to Martin Luther, who put the clamps down holding Berkeley Carroll to 22 points in a 42-22 win. Sarah Paller paced BC with 12.

A seesaw contest unfolded at the BC Athletic Center between two good teams. Martin Luther came out strong by scoring eight of the game’s first 10 points. Trailing 10-4, first-year coach Sydney Blumstein took an early 30-second timeout to regroup her club. It seemed to work with the Lady Lions responding with an 8-4 run to close the quarter. They were led by Morga Miller’s three steals and two baskets, including a nice score off a swipe that also drew a foul. She was unable to complete the three-point play.

Berkeley Carroll picked up the intensity in an improved second period. Their aggressive D forced Martin Luther into mistakes and some undisciplined shots. Senior captain Olivia Wilson scored half a dozen as the Lady Lions outscored their Queens opponent 14-8. They got solid D from Sarah Paller, whose steals and two buckets  helkped put her team in front 24-22 at intermission. Sophomore Olivia Saleh scored in transition and also made a nice pass for an easy Wilson finish.

However, Martin Luther turned it around with a 16-8 third that featured a 12-4 run to start. They were led by Octavia Campbell, who paced everyone with 20. She did most of her damage in the second half, getting 19 after intermission. Campbell was outstanding, taking advantage of sloppy BC mistakes for easy buckets while also hitting a trey from the right key. Her inspired play turned the game around. She scored more than half her team’s points, pacing them with nine in a strong third that saw Martin Luther take a six-point lead into the final stanza.

Two baskets from Wilson and a nice roll off a long two from Becca Bender kept Berkeley Carroll within striking distance as the third ended.

Early in the fourth, it looked like Martin Luther would pull away. They continued to get contributions from Campbell (10 in quarter) and teammate Lauren Nieves, who finished with 12. However, the Lady Lions weren’t done. Even with Wilson fouling out with still four and a half minutes left and BC on the ropes, Blumstein’s club fought valiantly.

Junior Mia Kellman caught fire from the outside. Having already sunk one three, she converted consecutive trifectas to pull the Lady Lions within 48-47. She scored nine of her 11 in the quarter- springing the bench to life as Martin Luther called for time.

Kellman also got help from Paller, who hit some timely hoops to keep BC alive. She finished with a team high 14, including eight in the fourth. However, a mistake on a critical possession didn’t help the Lady Lion’s chances. Trailing 52-50, Paller received a pass on an in bounds but wasn’t prepared for the pressure, turning the ball over.  Martin Luther cashed in with a lay-up to extend to 54-50.

Berkeley Carroll never came any closer. Five big points from Vanessa Richards salted it away. Martin Luther drew first blood with the rematch on their home court tomorrow at 4. It should be interesting.

Notes: Following the second meeting over four days with Martin Luther, the Lady Lions play host to Trevor Day as part of a double featuring the Varsity Men on Friday.

In fact, Berkeley Carroll fell behind 9-6 before turning the first quarter around thanks to an 11-0 run. Top scorer Izzy David netted 10 of the Lions’ 17 on some strong drives and free throws en route to a game high 15. After one, they led 17-9.

However, a sloppy second produced only two buckets and a slew of turnovers much to Caufield’s disgust. To Leman’s credit, they played superb defense, limiting David’s effectiveness while forcing him into a few miscues. Berkeley Carroll struggled with the pressure, throwing balls away while letting their opponent back in it. Not surprisingly, Leman controlled a low scoring stanza by outscoring BC 10-4 to trail by four at intermission. Only a late Chris Harper trey gave them some breathing space.

For much of the opening 16 minutes, the Lions’ shorthanded foe outhustled them to loose balls. That changed in the second half with the Lions paying more attention to detail. They also executed better thanks to outstanding efforts from David Colon and twin brother Andrew Colon. Both were instrumental in a quick 7-0 run that extended BC’s lead to 28-19. Each did most of the damage with David scoring 10 of his 11 after the break while Andrew had nearly an identical line, netting nine of 10 in the second half.

A high scoring third quarter saw Berkeley Carroll get back on track by outscoring Leman 21-13, extending from four to a 12-point lead (42-30). The Colon brothers got help from Zach Llewlyn, who scored eight in transition.

Caufield also used his bench, subbing in and out to keep players fresh. The strategy paid dividends with Joey Shapiro hitting a bucket while Matteo Heilbrun distributed the ball and played solid D.  For most of the contest, Leman hung around thanks to Byrne, who used his size and explosiveness to beat the Lions down the floor for easy lay-ins. He had help from Jordan Wright (8) and Daniel Blatto (5).

Leman finally wore down in the final quarter. Limited to just five, they couldn’t maintain BC’s fast pace. With both Colons scoring off steals and Kyle Graber scoring inside, Berkeley Carroll pulled away for another win.

Notes: The JV hosts Dwight tomorrow at 4 followed by the Varsity in a big clash at 5:30.

Early on, it looked a bit too easy for Berkeley Carroll, who used a 9-0 run to go ahead by seven. A big part of the afternoon was sophomore guard Ian Miller, who caught fire from the outside- netting a pair of treys in a seesaw first quarter en route to a game high 21 points. It was a strong response to a foul plagued game in a three-point win Wednesday over Staten Island Academy. Miller passed the six he had in the game’s first few minutes.

However, Brooklyn Friends turned it around following a timeout with a 9-0 run of their own to go in front by two in what amounted to a high scoring first quarter. The Brooklyn rivals combined for 38 total points with each playing at a frenetic pace. To say defense was non-existant would be an understatement. Friends was led by lanky big man Jared Long, who terrorized the Park Slope hosts under the basket by converting second and third chances. He scored 10 of his team best 16 in the opening half while crashing the boards for a double/double.

Berkeley Carroll also got help from junior forward Dondre Benson, who hit for all eight in the first half on an array of floaters. With leading scorer Shane Pearley held in check, the Lions needed a balanced attack to turn back Brooklyn Friends. Pearley finished with 11 but took his lumps against the bigger Long, whose hard foul forced the sophomore from the game. In his place, Jasper Kitchen stepped up and sank a pair of free throws while providing a lift.

The second stanza was predictably sloppy with neither team able to match the early intensity. It led to plenty of turnovers and wild action, which couldn’t have pleased third-year Lions’ coach Carmine Giovino. After a Miller long jumper in the final minute helped keep his team ahead 28-25 at the half, he and his assistant Reed discussed strategy, Berkeley Carroll came out and executed the game plan.

Giovino changed tactics by shifting to a zone to offset Long’s effectiveness. In particular, strong defensive work from starter Duncan Hardy and senior Mike Andria helped turn the tide. Both played with ferocity, pushing Long away from the bucket and rebounding with poise. Along with Kochman, they forced Long into some wild shots, frustrating the junior into fouls. With Brooklyn Friends unable to capitalize from the perimeter, they struggled mightily from the field.

It helped explain a 14-4 third quarter in favor of the Lions, who increased their lead to 42-29. Giovino inserted Will Reagen, who didn’t disappoint. Playing with the kind of energy necessary, his hustle and defensive work led to steals. Reagen also chipped in with a couple of timely baskets off strong drives. Kochman also sprung to life with a corner three that got the bench up.

Another key contributor was Josiah Murrell, whose size and hustle made life difficult on Long. Giovino’s strategy paid off with everyone getting involved. Leading by 13, the Lions never let Brooklyn Friends get close. Some timely hooping by Miller and Pearley along with three Kochman free throws allowed Berkeley Carroll to breathe easy.

Combined with a successful tournament win at Loyola during the break, the Lions have won five in a row since senior Joe Longo’s ankle injury. Longo hinted that he might return by next Friday for Trevor Day. That would only be a boost for a team that’s worked itself into contention. A big test comes next Thursday versus Dwight.

JV rolls past Brooklyn Friends: It was another good day for first-year coach Terrence Caufield’s Boys JV, who were too much for Brooklyn Friends to handle- winning handily 63-23. Izzy David paced the Lions with 14 while starters Chris Harper and David C contributed seven and six respectively.

Danny McCormick came off the bench for 13 and Matteo Heilbrun added 10 as the JV improved to 4-0 in league play. They’ll host Claremont Prep Monday followed by the Varsity Ladies, who aim for their second straight following a blowout win at Evangel Christian.

Even with outside threat Ian Miller (a pair of treys in first half) saddled with four fouls on the bench, Berkeley Carroll turned it around following a dismal third quarter that saw them fall behind by as much as six. It was a team effort with only leading scorer Shane Pearley hitting double figures with a game high 20 while the rest of his teammates chipped in for an important league win.

While Pearley did his part inside and out, sophomore shooting guard Jasper Kitchen provided the spark with strong defense and timely scoring. His two three’s were part of a 9-0 run to open the fourth quarter. Super sub Adam Kochman also made a nifty backdoor feed for a Duncan Hardy lay-in as Coach Giovino watched his team compose themselves down the stretch. Kitchen got all eight in the second half and older brother Cole Kitchen had some big steals and rebounds to go with two buckets.

The Tigers had three players in double digits led by James Morisano’s 15. He did most of his damage in the first half, hurting Berkeley Carroll in the paint. Morisano would also get flustered in the final stanza due to the Lions’ aggression, which caused a couple of charges. Morisano had help from guard Alex Morbano, who sliced and diced his way to 13 while Lionel Greene contributed 11, including consecutive fouls on Miller which sidelined him.

Giovino did a solid job using Hardy and Mike Andria to offset Morisano’s inside edge. Both played strong D and hustled. The Lions got eight from Dondre Benson, who hit one runner that answered a Staten Island Academy hoop.

Despite the 9-zip run, BC still had to hold off SIA, who got two three’s to make things interesting. But they got enough free throws including one from Benson to pull it out.

JV romp: In JV action, the Lions soared past SIA 54-19. They were led by Izzy David’s 13, all coming in the first half. Chris Harper added 12 and Danny McCormick had eight.

Second-year coach Carmine Giovino was pleased with a superb team effort over the defending ACIS champs, who showed some growing pains after a quick start. Minus starter Joe Longo, Giovino inserted senior captain Adam Kochman into the lineup. He didn’t disappoint finishing with eight, including four big free throws down the stretch that helped put away Friends Sem.

“I stepped up and hit my free throws. This was the best game we’ve played,” the always loquacious Kochman said afterwards of his team’s effort.

Leading scorer Shane Pearley netted more than half his club best 23 following intermission. The super sophomore hurt Friends Seminary with an array of shots inside and out, including a nice steal and finish that allowed the Park Slope hosts to build a double digit lead in response to a nice surge from the mid-Manhattan school during the first part of the third quarter.

The Lions had taken control late in the first half and led 27-19 at intermission. They got solid contributions from Josiah Murrell , who replaced foul plagued starter Dondre Benson, and played huge minutes in the middle portion. Murrell did a sound defensive job on Friends Sem’s big man Joe Pucci, who scored his team’s first 13.  The versatile junior sliced and diced his way to a game high 26. However, Murrell and teammates made life difficult on him in the second half by taking away time and space.

“The defense won us the game. We really got after it and rebounded well,” Pearley pointed out. “It was the best defense we played all year.“

Giovino saw his team outwork their opponents by getting to loose balls and closing out against Friends’ other perimeter threats. They also were aggressive offensively, getting the second option in foul trouble, which limited his effectiveness. The attention to detail wasn’t lost on Pearley, who exploded for 11 in the final half of the third following a 10-2 Friends run that tied it at 29.

“We know that every team’s gonna make a run. We came out ready to play. We made some mistakes. We played some strong defense to get some rebounds to get out of it,” the Lions’ high man added.

BC’s response showed poise as they finished the quarter with a 16-4 run to maintain a 45-33 lead enterting the final stanza. Senior guard Cole Kitchen immediately replied with a trey from the left wing that put his team ahead for good. Kitchen, who has battled injuries and fought hard to come back- had his best game. He contributed timely hoops en route to nine point and stellar D, including a few steals that aided the Lions’ cause. Coming off a frustrating outing versus Packer, it had to be satisfying.

Friends Seminary didn’t go away in the fourth, getting a long three off a double screen to crawl within eight. However, it just wasn’t enough due to Berkeley Carroll’s attention to detail. Aside from great D, they made life difficult on their opponent by rebounding well and holding them to one possession. In contrast, the Lions hit the glass and got to loose balls for key resets. It was the kind of basketball that wins.

Sophomore Ian Miller finished strong with 10 of his 14 in the final eight, including six-for-six at the charity stripe. Everyone got involved, including Duncan Hardy, who gave Giovino a solid effort on the glass with Benson on the bench.  Murrell also had a sweet theft and lay-in off BC’s press.

It all translated to Berkeley Carroll’s best win of the season. Exactly what the doctor ordered for Giovino with his team now off until the Loyola Tournament. They don’t return home until Wednesday, January 4, 2012 for a meeting with nemesis Staten Island Academy. All part of a hectic month.

Note: Giovino inserted freshman Richie Palacios into the game late so he could get his first Varsity point. It came on a free throw, prompting a nice reaction.