PSAL QUARTERFINALS

Banneker lost its best weapon at the worst time – then found another.

Senior Mike Davis, the Warriors’ top inside presence, missed yesterday afternoon’s PSAL quarterfinal game at Hunter College against Wings Academy after spending the morning in the Brooklyn Hospital ER receiving treatment for a throat infection.

But junior guard Jaytorn Wisseh stepped up and turned in a career performance, scoring 38 points, and Banneker advanced to the PSAL semifinals by defeating Wings 78-60.

Wisseh set the tone early with 10 points in the opening stanza as Banneker (7-7 in the Brooklyn II-A Division regular season after forfeiting seven games due to an ineligible player) took a 20-14 lead. He finished the afternoon going 9-for-9 from the foul line (8-for-8 in the fourth quarter).

“Wisseh is my defensive go-to guy,” said Banneker coach Wendell Saunders. “He knew he had to step it up today.”

Senior Anthony Brown (12 points and 12 rebounds) energized Banneker off the bench, getting six points and four rebounds in the quarter as the Warriors took a 35-26 halftime lead.

Senior guard Shawn Hilliard was the most consistent player for Wings (13-1 in the regular season in the Bronx East A Division), finishing with 19 points and battling for boards on both ends of the court.

Davis, who has a non-binding verbal agreement to go to Pittsburgh next year, did make it to the game with 7:19 remaining in the third. Saunders said Davis was given “antibiotics and an IV.”

Saunders also said Davis would be ready tomorrow for the All-Brooklyn semifinal when Banneker takes on the top-seeded Lincoln, which beat Banneker in overtime during the regular season.

“I’m not gonna do a Patrick Ewing, but we’ve got time for him to recover now,” Saunders said confidently.

Lincoln (16-0 in the regular season in the Brooklyn I-A Division) defeated Wadleigh 95-65 in the last of yesterday’s quarterfinals. Senior guard Jamel Jackson had 25 points, including seven 3-pointers, for the Railsplitters.