Whitehead leads No. 1 Lincoln into PSAL Class AA semifinals

Isaiah Whitehead is well-versed in March disappointment, having lost in the PSAL Class AA finals as a freshman and in the semifinals as a sophomore.

The highly recruited junior guard doesn't plan on reliving that heartbreak this year. Whitehead made sure No. 1 Lincoln's season continued Saturday night with a comfortable 56-40 victory over eighth-seeded Transit Tech in the PSAL Class AA quarterfinals at Carnesecca Arena.

"It's very important," he said of returning glory to the Coney Island school, which has gone three years without a crown after winning four straight and seven in eight years. "Coach [Dwayne "Tiny" Morton] isn't used to losing, the neighborhood isn't used to losing. It's important we bring it back."

The 6-foot-4 standout scored 18 points and sank a few clutch 3-pointers once the Express cut into Lincoln's double-figure deficit. Lincoln (24-5) will face No. 4 Wings Academy in the semifinals next Sunday at CCNY.

Shaquille McFarland added 10 points for Lincoln and Fabian McDonald had 16 for Transit Tech.

Morton, the Lincoln coach, said he wasn't thrilled with his team's performance, but wasn't surprised they came out sluggish after handily beating Transit Tech twice during the regular season.

"From now on, it's no excuses," he said. "Wings is a good team. They beat us the last time in the playoffs — that's motivation in itself."

Lynch, Jefferson prevail: Jaquan Lynch wasn't worried when second-seeded Jefferson fell behind seventh-seeded Cardozo 19-2. The Orange Wave have plenty of experience facing such deficits.

"They came out making everything, we couldn't do anything about it," he said. "Last year, we were a team that was always down and came back and won the game. We got that same feeling today."

True to form, Jefferson rallied from that early deficit for a gritty 64-60 victory in overtime. After struggling mightily from the field much of the way, Lynch found the magic touch. He scored 12 points, including the eventual game-winning basket, a running one-hander from the free-throw line with 40 seconds remaining.

"My coach said, 'you're a senior, you've been here three years making shots, don't stop now,' " Lynch said. "He said that and my jump shot started clicking. I started hitting shots, overtime I started hitting more shots."

Nazai Stokes led Jefferson (25-5) with 20 points, Jermoine Faison had 13 and Lynch 12. Kyle Credle and Omar Williams scored 13 apiece for Cardozo (23-5), which was without suspended coach Ron Naclerio.

After the incredibly slow start, Jefferson pulled within 35-30 early in the third quarter, yet still trailed 50-43 with 2:48 left. Lynch's 3-pointer ignited a 12-3 run. Cardozo's Danny Janel forced overtime with a tip-in.

Huff carries Curtis into final four: Curtis became the first Staten Island school to reach the highest classification of the PSAL boys basketball playoffs in more than 20 years with a 61-55 victory over No. 6 Bayside in the opener of the quadrupleheader.

Senior Jermaine Anthony-Huff led the Warriors (23-4) with 21 points, Tyler Summers added 16 points and Rhode Island-bound forward Hassan Martin had 11 and five blocks for Curtis, which will meet No. 2 Thomas Jefferson in the semifinals next Sunday at CCNY. Brandon King scored 21 points for Bayside (21-4).

Brown sends Wings back to semis: JaeQuan Brown's putback with 20 seconds left proved the difference in fourth-seeded Wings' roller-coaster of a 63-62 victory over No. 5 South Shore. Francisco Infante stripped South Shore's Terence Samuel at the other end and David Tait missed in close at the buzzer. The Wings (27-3), who trailed 27-13 at one point before pulling ahead in the third quarter, return to the semifinals for the fourth straight season, looking to finally get over their Final Four hump against No. 1 Lincoln next Sunday at CCNY.

"We're hungry," said the 6-foot-4 Brown, an uncommitted and under-recruited senior. "We want to be the first Wings team to get to Madison Square Garden, we want to be the first Wings to win the 'AA' championship."

Brown and Infante each scored 15 points and impressive sophomore point guard Desure Buie had 10. Doudmy St. Hilaire paced South Shore (22-7), which has now lost in the quarterfinals three years in a row, with 15 points.

zbraziller@nypost.com

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