Garden City girls basketball's Grace Brantuk leads comeback win over Syosset
Grace Brantuk of Garden City takes a shot between Syosset defenders during a Nassau non-league girls basketball game in Syosset on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
For the first three quarters, the Garden City girls basketball team couldn’t seem to find a way ahead of Syosset.
The Trojans trailed by two points heading into the final quarter. Then, out of the huddle, they found their groove. Garden City defeated host Syosset, 50-43, in a non-league matchup Wednesday night. The Trojans outscored Syosset, 14-5, in the fourth quarter.
“We had to lock in and play Garden City basketball,” said coach Steve Bilello. “I’m super proud of the team’s effort, hard work and resilience. They locked in and they wanted that win.”
Junior Grace Brantuk led the Trojans with 23 points.
“They have some amazing players that we just needed to lock up on,” Brantuk said. “That defensive effort is really what flipped the switch for us. Defense turns into good offense.”
Syosset senior Sam Schneider led all scorers with 25 points including four three-pointers. While Syosset (4-6) was hot from beyond the arc, Garden City (9-4) capitalized on ball movement to put up gritty points in the paint. Brantuk had 13 points from under the basket in the second half to help push the Trojans ahead.
Bilello said that, on top of strong defense, he emphasizes an efficient passing game and trust as his core values.
“Our game plan is to work the ball around and distribute it,” Bilello said. “It’s a really unselfish team. They all love playing with each other and they love distributing the ball to each other. They all know we want to get that inside game going the best we can.”
Senior Marisa Patrissi recorded three assists on top of her 13 points. She said her team’s selfless nature plays an important role in its success, especially against stronger opponents like Syosset, the reigning Class AAA Long Island champion.
“I know the extra pass will get us a better look,” Patrissi said. “We know Syosset is a good team, so instead of forcing up a shot I’ll trust my teammates if they’re in a better spot. We all work very well with each other and it just shows what great team chemistry we have.”
Starting with Brantuk and Patrissi, Bilello said the Trojans have strong leadership that he and his team will rely on as the postseason approaches.
“Grace and Marisa are both tremendous players,” Bilello said. “They’re leaders. They’re vocal on the floor, they’re vocal at practice and they’re hungry for the basketball. They want to get involved and they want those touches in the paint — they bring such an amazing presence to the offense.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
