Tigers Boys Advance to AA Semifinals for First Time in Nine Years

The White Plains Boys Varsity Basketball Team has a lot to be proud of this season, while advancing to the Section 1 AA Semifinals for the first time since 2007. The Tigers are going back to the Westchester County Center, after beating two favorites on the road to advance to the Section 1 AA Semifinals, for the first time in nine years.

“It feels good to get back! We have had some tough match-ups in the second round (in past years) trying to get back and it feels real good for the team to get this experience,” said Tigers Head Coach Spencer Mayfield.

White Plains is ranked the number 11 seed in the AA Playoff Bracket. Regardless, they stepped-up their game to conquer sixth seeded North Rockland High School, 70-61 and the highly touted number three seeded Spring Valley High School, 85-78, while beating both opponents on their home-courts across the Tappan Zee Bridge.

On Wednesday, Feb. 17, the Tigers held-off a fourth quarter comeback by North Rockland to beat the Raiders, 70-61, in the First Round. The Tigers were leading by as much as 23 points to start the fourth quarter, 51-28. But the Raiders put forth a gallant effort, while scoring 19 straight points to close the gap to within three points with just minutes left in the game.

“We regained our composure and I am proud of my team because this is the type of game that we would have thrown away last year. But this year we found the toughness and grittiness to finish the game and get the win,” commented Mayfield.

Luis Cartagena paced the Tigers with 28 points and guard C.J. Layne added 17 points to hold off the charging Raiders. Nonetheless, it was the overall defensive contributions of senior forward Spencer Lodes that put the Tigers over the top.

“We got great defense out of Spencer. He was helping everybody, very energetic, active on the boards and going after rebounds out of his zone. This was probably his best overall game,” complimented Mayfield. Lodes also eight points in the game.

With the win over North Rockland, the local Tigers advanced to the Quarterfinals to play the highly favored number three seeded Spring Valley Tigers, in Spring Valley, on Saturday. Once again, it was Layne and Cartagena who carried the scoring for White Plains, with 34 points and 28 points respectively to beat Spring Valley, 85-75.

Remarkably with White Plains leading, 38-30 at halftime; Layne and Cartagena carried the first half, while combining for 34 points of the Tigers total 38 points in the first half. But the Tigers scoring leaders got help from guard Lamar Noel, who scored 13 second half points.

Nevertheless, it was Cartagena’s free throw shooting that propelled the Tigers to the win over Spring Valley. Cartagena made 17-of-18 free throws in the game. The Tigers guard converted on 12-of-12 free throws in second half, while making four-of-four foul shots in final minutes of the game to hold off the Spring Valley.

“Luis was very poised today. He came with a focus that we have not seen all year. He was totally focused for 32 minutes and did not get distracted. He kept his composure, I was very proud of him,” said Mayfield.

The Tigers will play the number two seeded Fox Lane High School that trounced number seven seeded New Rochelle, 78-45, in the Quarterfinals. “Fox Lane is a good ballclub, we have do our homework, as they are going to be a big challenge,” projected Mayfield.

White Plains and Fox Lane will match-up in the Section 1 AA Semifinals, on Friday, Feb. 26, at 5 p.m. at the Westchester County Center. The winner will play either the number one seeded Mt Vernon High School or the number four seeded Saunders High School in the Section 1 AA Championship, which will be held at the County Center, on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 12 p.m.