South Shore sped out to an early lead and never slowed down in its best performance of the season — one that will bring it back to Madison Square Garden.
The top-seeded Vikings, the defending city champions, cruised to a 68–38 victory over No. 4 and rival Grand Street in the Public School Athletic League Class AA girls’ basketball semifinals at City College on March 8. It is the program’s sixth trip in the last eight years.
South Shore got there again by jumping out to a 20–5 lead in the first quarter and never looking back against a Wolves team known for its comeback.
“It was very important, because we know how they get when we get a big lead,” said sophomore guard Destiny Philoxy, who scored 16 points. “They start going crazy. We had to keep the lead.”
The Vikings (22–4) started strong behind junior forward Selena Philoxy — Destiny’s older sister — and Velana Hickerson. The duo combined for 12 of the team’s first 20 points. Grand Street had little answer for Selena Philoxy on both ends of the floor as she scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. She set a tone that South Shore was going to be the aggressor. “I don’t care who is down in that paint, I’m going to box them out and get the boards,” Selena Philoxy said. “That’s one thing I’m good at.”
Grand Street, whose star Kaisah Lucky got into early foul trouble, kept trying to push its way back in the game, but South Shore just wouldn’t let it. Asianae Johnson and Shanice Graves each scored nine points for Grand Street (18–8), which was down just 12 late in the second quarter and 13 late in the third. Vikings coach Anwar Gladden credited the team’s defense.
“We got better as the quarters went on,” he said.
And Destiny Philoxy, who hit a 25-foot trey in the fourth, continues to play beyond her years. She kept turnovers to a minimum to limit Grand Street transition opportunities and continually found teammates for easy hoops after penetrating the paint. It is the type of play Gladden expects from her.
“We love her toughness,” he said. “She is tough as nails, and she refuses to lose.”
Gladden’s club also refuses to end the year with anything less than a city title. It faces No. 2 Francis Lewis at Madison Square Garden at 10 am on Saturday. A win would be the program’s second-straight crown, but this group of players sees it as their first, because key seniors graduated.
“We want this title so bad,” Destiny Philoxy said. “We are not going to stop until that last buzzer ends.”
