Murry Bergtraum Wins 14th P.S.A.L. Girls" Title in a Row Overcoming what its coach called "a season-long, emotionally draining situation," Murry Bergtraum of Manhattan won its 14th straight girls" city basketball title on Sunday. The Lady Blazers, still reeling from the death of a teammate before the season began, held off hard-charging McKee/Staten Island Technical High School, 56-48, in the Public Schools Athletic League AA finals at Madison Square Garden. In the boys" championship that followed, Boys and Girls High School won its third straight city title, defeating its Brooklyn rival, Thomas Jefferson, 71-67, before 4,315 boisterous spectators and a large contingent of New York police officers. "I'm very proud of this team," Murry Bergtraum Coach Ed Grezinsky said after the game. Of the 14 titles we have won, this is the sweetest because of all the adversity we have had to overcome. Back in September, the Lady Blazers (18-7) were stunned after one of their star players, Tayshana Murphy, who was known as "Chicken," was shot and killed in a housing complex in Manhattan's Morningside Heights neighborhood. The team, which had an uncharacteristic slow start to its season before rounding into championship form, walked onto the Garden floor Sunday wearing white warm-up shirts with Murphy's picture on the front and the name "Chicken" on the back along with Murphy's uniform number, 15. "Chicken's death has been hard for all of us to deal with, and she has been on our minds, and in our hearts and our souls every single game," Grezinsky said. We have dedicated this season to her, and a lot of her teammates have stepped up in her absence. Led by Shequana Harris (game-high 22 points), Dionne Coe (14 points and 7 rebounds) and Ashanae McLaughlin (11 points and 3 steals), Murry Bergtraum overcame McKee/Staten Island Tech, a team that ran roughshod over most of its opponents this season, amassing a 17-0 record against P.S.A.L. competition and running the table (14-0) against Staten Island opponents. "They are a very good, very disciplined team but we kept our composure today," said Harris, a senior guard who attacked the basket throughout the contest. I knew Chicken was watching our game today. Every time I stepped to the free-throw line, I thought about her. It was at the free-throw line that Harris and her teammates essentially put the game away, making 13 of 15 shots for an outstanding 87 percent. McKee/Staten Island Tech settled its nerves after falling behind by 10 points in the first quarter and rallied to take a 34-32 lead midway through the third quarter. They held their last lead, 39-38, with 7 minutes and 32 seconds left Coach Peter Lamarca said of Murry Bergtraum, "Give them credit for winning their 14th straight, it's amazing." Playing in its first city championship game, McKee/Staten Island Tech (22-3) committed 18 turnovers. The Seagulls were led by Kaitlyn Astel, who finished with 13 points, and Brenna DeRosa, who added 12. But neither of them, nor any of their teammates, had an answer for Harris. "She just keeps coming at you and coming at you," said Lamarca, a sly grin growing on his face. I appreciate watching her play - even though she makes me sick. Boys and Girls (24-6), which defeated archrival Lincoln, 72-63, in the semifinal to get to Saturday's championship, turned aside Thomas Jefferson's dream of winning its first city title since 1954. The Kangaroos, who were sporadic on offense, got a game-high 26 points from the senior guard Rashad Andrews, who shot a perfect 5 for 5 from 3-point range. His teammate Leroy Fludd, a high-flying senior forward, added 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. When Andrews fouled out with 3:32 left in the game and the Kangaroos clinging to a 58-54 lead, their fans began buzzing nervously. But the Orange Wave (25-7) got no closer than 58-56 after Thaddeus Hall made a layup with 2:49 remaining. "We're not a team whose play is predicated on one player," said Ruth Lovelace, the Boys & Girls coach, who walked into the postgame press conference holding the championship trophy. When Rashad fouled out, we just went to other guys, and we stayed aggressive offensively. Thomas Jefferson, which defeated Wings Academy to advance to the final, got a team-high 18 points from Jaquan Lynch, and Hall added 17. With their victories, both Murry Bergtraum and Boys & Girls move on to compete in the Federation AA Championship, which will be held in Albany from March 23-25. "We've got to keep making Chicken proud," said McLaughlin, a freshman guard who has stepped into Murphy's role. I have some big shoes to fill, but I know Chicken is going to see that I get the job done.