High School Basketball Notebook: Faulty wall may cost Van Buren

Last year, the Martin Van Buren girls basketball team forfeited three games because the revolving wall in their gym that is used to separate gym classes during the school day broke down.
Now, with first place in Queens A on the line last Monday afternoon between the 6-0 Vee Bees and 6-0 John Bowne, they may be facing the same fate.
The wall, which moves like a motorized crane, stalled at half court prior to the opening tip. The game was postponed. PSAL girls basketball commissioner Virginia Matthews told Van Buren Coach Michael McClain he might have to accept a forfeit.
“It’s a never-ending story,” McClain said. “It’s an old wall and it’s often broken. It has been like that for years. It is a bad situation. It’s a shame.”
Phone messages to Van Buren principal Marilyn Shevell and athletic director Richard Dellacona were not returned.

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Meanwhile, Mary Louis has rebounded quite nicely from a slow start, winning three straight. Sunday, in the 13th annual Francis Lewis HS Burt Beagle Holiday Classic, the Hilltoppers routed Notre Dame Academy, 72-57, behind 23 points from Amanda Burakoski. Guards Karin Robinson and Kelly Puwalski added 10 points apiece. Mary Louis forced the Gators into 29 turnovers and started the game on a 16-1 run.

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In PSAL AA boys action, Campus Magnet remained undefeated, improving to 6-0 with impressive wins over Bayside and Beach Channel. The surprise team so far, however, is Newtown. Despite graduating four seniors, including their entire frontcourt, off last year’s Queens A-East division winners, the Pioneers are 6-0.
Ironically, they are led so far by a couple of juniors - Isiah Lee and David Joseph - averaging 16.5 and 14.8 points per game respectively.
“We lost a lot; I wasn’t expecting us to do so well,” Newtown Coach Pat Torney said. “The ‘A division is very equal. We are 6-0; we easily could be 3-3. We have won some close games. Our guards have really stepped up their game. Having two good guards that can pass the ball and score makes us very hard to stop. This year’s team is slowly coming along.”