It wasn't so much that the suburban girls won for just the second time in the charity all-star game's five-year history, it was the way they won. Conventional wisdom held that the Burbs would have to slow the game to the speed of rush-hour traffic in the Midtown Tunnel, bopping the run-crazy city girls over the head with their overwhelming size advantage - particularly in 6-foot-4 junior Christine Huber and 6-5 super soph Stefanie Dolson. However, Huber spent a great deal of the game in foul trouble and, behind a Nicole Capurso-stoked, 16-2 blitz, the New Yorkers led by six at the half.

At that point, two critical things occurred in the Burbs locker room. Coach Mike Petre decided to eschew the inside route in favor of the kind of tempo that helped him guide North Babylon to consecutive state titles - part of that by starting his own guard, Eugeneia McPherson, along with Prahalis and Walker in the second half. It was just as well. There never is enough time in preparation for all-star games to install the kind of offense that could exploit the kind of inside strength Petre's team held.

Petre wasn't the only one looking for answers. As the coach sorted out his matchups, Prahalis seethed through halftime because of a, well, non-Sammy-like first half.

"I try not to even think about it," Prahalis said. "But I know people come to the game, hoping to see me do something. There just wasn't a lot of opportunities. I was trying not to get down about it, but there were a lot of people in the gym, so, yeah, there is some pressure to do something."

Make no mistake, she did something, getting herself simmering with five points during an 11-zip, momentum-stealing run, then finishing with a kick, earning MVP honors with 17 points, six assists and two steals. She accomplished it in basic fashion - taking what the defense gave her, and getting her teammates involved - and that was the point of the MVP thing. There is that segment of the basketball world, after all, that believes Prahalis is all style and little substance.

Crosby, the heart of the city team, had 16 points and six assists, was the game's most electrifying player and never was stopped when she was able to get a head of steam going. The problem was generating that steam. Long Island threw a merry-go-round of defenders at her, pressured her fullcourt and, by crunch time, she admits, she'd lost some of her legs.

"I was surprised they didn't play us straight up," Crosby, who is No. 24 in the Super Sixty. If they played us straight, we would've killed them. I don't think there's any doubt about that. But they switched a lot of people up on me, threw a lot at me. I was ready for it. I was up for anything and I shouldn't have gotten tired, but I was, at the end."

Crosby, at least, gets another crack at setting the record straight. Then again, she'll have another year of Doherty, McPherson and Walker, and who knows who else might wash up from the Long Island Sound. As even Crosby will admit, the guards out in the suburbs do have some game.

METRO CLASSIC BOX SCORE

New York (87): Nicole Capurso 5-16 18, China Crosby 7-13 16, Jelleah Sidney 4-7 13, Ariel Edwards 4-6 10, Michelle Chashen 2-4 6, Latasia Ward 2-2 5, Jael Pena 2-4 4, Leryncia Miller 2-3 4, Kerri White 1-2 3, Sylvia Davis 1-4 2, Geleisia George 1-6 2, Tahira Johhnson 0-2 2, Shantale Bramble-Donaldson 1-4 2, Amanda Burakoski 0-1 0.
Long Island - Hudson Valley (93): Samantha Prahalis 5-15 17, Eugeneia McPherson 5-15 17, Kristen Dohery 5-13 16, Ieasia Walker 1-4 10, Emily Stallings 4-10 10, Christine Huber 2-10 5, Stefanie Dolson 2-3 5, Bria Hartley 1-1 3, Gabrielle Gibson 1-1 3, Megan Vasquez 1-9 3, Sophia Aleksandravisicus 1-4 2, Terry Green 1-4 2, Dominique Johnson 0-1 0, Caitlynn Moran 0-0 0.

Field Goals: New York 32-74 (43.2%), Long Island 29-90 (32.2%). Three-Point Goals: New York 7-14 (Capurso 3), Long Island 6-22 (Doherty 3). Free Throws: New York 16-27 (59.3%), Long Island 29-48 (60.4%). Rebounds (Total-Offensive): New York 51-35 (Sidney 12), Long Island 52-24 (McPherson 9). Assists: New York 16 (Crosby 6), Long Island 13 (Prahalis 6). Steals: New York 15 (Capurso, Sidney 4), Long Island 18 (Doherty 5). Turnovers: New York 37, Long Island 22. Total Fouls: New York 14, Long Island 17. Points in the Paint: New York 42, Long Island 38. Bench Points: New York 35, Long Island 42

N.Y. 17-29-20-21--87
L.I. 19-21-31-22-93