Haldane Stands Tall in I-C League-Clinching Win over Put Valley
Panas Seals League I-B Crown, 3rd Title in Row; Somers Fails in Bid for I-D Crown
Besides clinching the League I-C title outright in its 49-43 road win against second-place Putnam Valley last Friday night, Haldane High was busy serving Shoofly Pie to the Tigers as the Blue Devils swatted 16 would-be shots, including six apiece by towering flyswatters Edmund Fitzgerald and Garret Quigley.
State-ranked (No.12) Class C Haldane (14-4) would gladly serve the pie, but sharing the league title with their bordering rivals was not an option, and Haldane’s Peter Hoffmann pulled a huge and-1 three-point play down the stretch to seal the deal. Hoffmann, the versatile swingman who also blocked four shots, finished with a game-high 23 points.
“We knew they were gunning for us after we beat them in a close game the first time,” Hoffman said, noting the Blue Devils’ 58-56 win on Jan. 25. “This was playoff atmosphere, and we did what we wanted to do; we locked up (Ryan) Basso, he’s a great player. We stayed straight and waited for them before we went for the block. We want the sectional championship now and even further.”
Putnam Valley senior G Ryan Basso led the Tigers with 15 points, but had just two at halftime as the Blue Devils dashed out to a 26-15 lead heading into the third. After some halftime adjustments, PV got off the mat to deliver an 18-7 run and tied the score at 33-all going into the fourth.
“We knew this was going to be a war out there,” said Basso, who is 21 points shy of 1,000 and hopes to get that in the Tigers’ first-round matchup against No.12 Valhalla. Basso, despite a box-and-one and a variety of defenses designed to shut him down, was featured prominently and inched closer to becoming the first male in Put Valley history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. “We just didn’t compete the way we needed to toward the end. We want to get back to County Center now and maybe give Woodlands all we can give them.”
Likewise, Fitzgerald says his Blue Devils are primed for the post season.
“It was all energy, I can’t believe it happened,” said Fitzgerald of the 16 blocks. “We didn’t think we’d be able to block that many shots. But I think we’re just getting started. We’re ready for playoffs now.”
Haldane’s defense lapsed in the third quarter but returned to form when it needed to win the Blue Devils their first league title outright in 14 years.
“Just an incredible atmosphere at Putnam Valley, and I’m so proud of our team for staying so poised,” Haldane coach Joe Virgadamo said. “This is the environment you want for every game, this gym was awesome tonight. Give it up for both sets of fans. That was a war against a great team with one of the best players in the section in Basso. We went on a run and then they came out and buried us in the third. But Peter Hoffman is a top 10 player in the section and he gutted it out and got us that and-1 in the end. We did not want to share the league title with these guys, as much as we respect them. Ryan McCollum was on Basso the whole game and did a great job. I wouldn’t box-and-one him if I didn’t respect him, and we respect him. I don’t like giving respect, to be honest with you, but we respect Basso, so hats off to him and I hope Putnam Valley does some serious damage in sectionals.”
Respect was mutual afterward, but the series was played with rivalry-like intensity; something that is good for both programs and Section 1 basketball.
“Offensively, some kids were pushing it too much,” PV boss Mike McDonnell said. “We just didn’t move the ball well. We didn’t execute well enough on the offense end and on the defensive end we fouled too much. That combination hurt us, despite our effort to get back in against a very good team.”
PANAS has really come on strong down the stretch, which is something we’ve been waiting all season to say about the reigning Section 1 Class A champions. Coach Sully’s Panthers (9-8) clinched the League I-B title outright and a share of their third straight league title in a 72-54 win over Beacon. The dynamic duo of Mike Evans (22 points and 10 rebounds) and Brandon Collins (15 points, five rebounds and five assists) have lit the spark for the Panthers, who won the title outright when rival Lakeland bombed Hen Hud, who lost its share of the league title in a 61-37 clunker.
“Brandon and Mike are two of the top guards in the section,” Panther boss Shawn Sullivan said. “Mike leads our team in rebounding, scoring and dunks (3 vs. Beacon alone). Brandon has done a terrific job handling the ball, shooting the 3 and getting everyone involved. If they both play well in February we are going to surprise a lot of people.”
SOMERS blew its shot at the league. The Tuskers had a share of the League I-D title in their grasp and let go of it when they crashed and burned at Horace Greeley Friday in a 46-45 loss to the Quakers.
“Straight up man we couldn’t hit a shot,” Somers hotshot Ryan Grossman said. “Believe me, were (ticked off), expect to see a new team come playoff time cause were not joking around anymore.”
Here’s a glimpse at a tournament projection-inspired poll that means diddly-squat.
Putnam/NWE Fab Five Hoops Poll
No.1 SOMERS – Coach DiCintio’s Class A Tuskers (15-3), ranked No.21 in NYS, are staring down the barrel of a potential dream matchup with No.15 Panas, which would be a dreamy playdate between @Tusker_Nation vs. @PanasSports. While defending sectional champion Panas does possess serious upset potential, the Tuskers are just too deep for them and should beat them on the boards.
No.2 YORKTOWN – Coach Downes’ Class A Huskers (11-7) are looking at a road game as a No.9 seed against No.8 Sleepy Hollow should they win their outbracket against No.24 Gorton. Put Valley went down to Sleepy and won, so we suspect the Mason Dyslin’s Huskers can take care of business and reach the quarters where they would need to bring their A-game to No.1 Spring Valley, which means the County Center might be a pipe dream.
No.3 HALDANE – Coach Virgadamo’s defending Section 1 Class C champion Blue Devils (14-4) are a matchup nightmare for anybody in the Class C field, so we suspect the top-seeded Blue Devils will win back-to-back sectional titles for the first time ever and represent at states. In fact, I’m booking a room in Glens Falls this week just in case.
No.4 PUTNAM VALLEY – Coach McDonnell’s Class B Tigers (12-6) are looking at a No.5 seed and a potential matchup with No.12 Valhalla, and they are going to need their juniors to give a lot more than they did against Haldane if the Tigers are going to get back to County Center for an unprecedented third-straight year, but the road will run through Woodlands in the semis should they be so lucky to survive Valhalla and No.4 Blind Brook.
No.5 PANAS – Coach Sully’s reigning Section 1 Class A champion Panthers (10-8) will see No. 18 Yonkers at No. 15 Panas in the opening round before a potential hookup with No.2 Somers. The Panthers may have a slight backcourt edge in Evans and Collins, but Somers has the frontcourt locked down and that’s where the game would be won.
HM CROTON – Coach Thom’s Class B Tigers (12-6) blew a chance for the League III-A title and now enter the tournament as No.7 seed against No.10 Dobbs Ferry. A win there and they’ll see No.2 Briarcliff in a Round 3 matchup (they split) both clubs want badly to decide who gets to County Center.
HM HEN HUD – Coach Hirsch’s Class A Sailors (12-6) drew the 11-seed and would do well to win their outbracket game against either Peekskill or Brewster.
HM LAKELAND – Coach Weltman’s Class A 16th-seeded Hornets (9-9) are a vexing bunch who will host No.17 Nyack in an effort to crack the 16-team field. In doing so, the athletic Hornets would see No.1 Spring Valley in the opening round, which would then likely become the swan song game in the career of Coach Weltman, who gave Lakeland everything he had for two decades. Veteran and longtime girls Coach Steve Fallo will take over next year.
HM MAHOPAC – Coach Harter Class AA 14th-seeded Indians (6-12) pose as potentially serious bracket-busters as they take on No.3 Saunders in the opening round of the tournament, should they win their outbracket against White Plains. Kind of pulling for this unit to rise from within and show the section just how mentally tough kids from Mahopac are, but Saunders’ style will be tough for them.
HM BREWSTER – Coach Nelly’s Class A Bears (6-12) have some upset potential based on superb coaching and having played a tough I-D schedule, so don’t be surprised to see them crack field of 16 and bust up a bracket.
HM CARMEL –Coach Venditto’s Class AA Rams (5-13) drew the No.16 seed and would see No.1 Arlington for a third time this season should the win their outbracket against either RCK or Clarkstown North. The undefeated Admirals are going to be a nightmare in that gym of theirs with half the town in attendance.
HM PEEKSKILL – Coach Turner’s Class A Red Devils (6-12) might see Hen Hud in their outbracket game, which would give them a halfway decent shot at cracking the field of 16 where they might see either Lourdes or Eastchester.
LOCAL ALL-SECTION HONOREES – Ryan Basso, Put Valley; Mason Dyslin, Yorktown; Mike Evans, Panas; Matt Maloney, Somers; Peter Hoffmann, Haldane; Teejay Searight, Croton
Ray has 33 years experience covering and photographing local sports in Westchester and Putnam counties, including everything from Little League/Travel Baseball to varsity high school prep sports and collegiate coverage. He has been a sports editor at Examiner Media since its inception in 2007.
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