PSAL Final 8: Grady, Lincoln, Cardoza, Sheepshead Bay, Lincoln Girls, Bergtraum, Midwood, Francis Lewis.

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Author: Evans, Howie1

Lincoln's Antonio Pena will be among the most sought-after recruits in the country next year. Though he and his teammates have played under the media blitz and shadow of teammate Sebastian Telfair, it was because of Telfair's presence that Pena, the 6'7" junior center, and other teammates were able to slip through the cracks.

But that isn't exactly fair. Because with or without Sebastian, Pena (Tone) is among the top 10 players in the city. He dominated the glass against Boys, grabbing the tough misses in a crowd, jamming the middle, and running the floor like a gazelle. He scored 20 timely points, while Telfair was playing somewhat conservatively, a game he will not get away with against Grady on Saturday.

Tone, unless he grows another three or four inches before he graduates, better spend the summer working on his outside shot. He is only a surprise to those who were watching him operate for the first time in the PSAL quarterfinal game against Boys & Girls, which they won 66-54.

A trip to Madison Square Garden awaits the winners of Saturday's PSAL semifinal games between Grady and Lincoln, Cardoza and Sheepshead Bay. Only Cardozo, 52-50 winners over Banneker, can stop an all-Brooklyn Division A championship game at the Garden on March 17. They'll play Sheepshead Bay, 59-57 overtime winners against Christopher Columbus from the Bronx.

In Girls A Division action at Elmcor, the mighty Murry Bergtraum Blazers continued their march to a record sixth straight PSAL championship with a convincing 84-43 win over Cardozo. Next up is Lincoln, who advanced to the semifinal round with a 50-43 win over Lehman. Francis Lewis moved to their semifinal game against Midwood with a 58-45 win over Frederick Douglas. Midwood was a heartthrobbing one-point winner, 61-60 over John F. Kennedy.

In the Class A CHSAA action, LaSalle and St. John's Prep will travel to Iona College tomorrow night (Friday). LaSalle beat Iona Prep 58-38, while St. John's Prep scored a 46-42 win over Spelman at St. Michaels.

Rice will play Xaverian in the CHSAA Class AA semifinals tonight (Thursday) at Fordham (6 p.m.), while Loughlin and St. Raymond's hook up in the 8 o'clock game. The winners will meet for the championship, Sunday, 4 p.m., at Fordham.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Murry Bergtraum's Shannon Bobbitt put on a show at Elmcor in Bergtraum's quarterfinal 84-43 win over Cardozo.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): The cheerleaders from Sheepshead Bay High School had plenty to be happy about as they helped their team advance to the PSAL semifinals.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): One of the best high school coaches in the city, Ruth Lovelace of Boys & Girls, lost the battle to Coach Dwayne Morton and Lincoln.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): STAR OF THE GAME â€" While all eyes were on Sebastian Telfair, it was the hard-nosed play of Antonio Pena (44) that has Lincoln in the PSAL semifinals on Saturday at St. John's against Grady.

PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): Leah Lipschitz, a senior guard from Cardozo, and Kisha Stokes, a junior from Bergtraum, hit the floor in a battle for the loose ball, which was won by Leah. But Bergtraum won the game at Elmcor.

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By Howie Evans