State-Ranked (No.16) Mahopac, No. 17 Yorktown to Clash Today

Surging, State-Ranked (No.16) White Plains set to Battle Ossining, Mount Vernon

By Ray Gallagher, Examiner Sports Editor @Directrays

Today is the day: state-ranked (No.17) YORKTOWN vs. No.16 MAHOPAC. Much of the Class AA hoops circuit will be focused on this prime time thriller with the potential top seed for the upcoming playoffs on the line as Mahopac continued to cruise along unbeaten after cruising past BREWSTER, 56-32, Friday.

The Wolf Pac (11-0) were led by Jalen Jones (12 points) and sophomore Matt Reilly (10 points), who came off the bench to burn the struggling Bears (3-10). Liam Scanlon and Danny Koch added nine points each for Mahopac, which did its best to contain Brewster hotshot Matt Thompson (7 points).

From the #OMG category, Yorktown’s 45-43 win over host BYRAM HILLS is atop of the list after Husker junior Kaden Gonzalez (17 points, 5 rebounds) beat the buzzer from distance for the win. Yorktown senior Brandon Montero (12 points, 13 rebounds) was superb on both ends of the floor.

“It felt great to win two huge road league games,” Gonzalez said, “including a big one against our rival Somers, and to hit the game winner against Byram, but we are not satisfied. Mahopac is undefeated and we hope to end their streak this week and continue our own win streak.”

Yorktown Coach Mark Pavella, a former assistant coach at Mahopac,  is excited to be in this position; his players stepping up time and time again while sitting pretty as the current No.3 seed in Class AA, behind No.1 Mahopac and No. Peekskill.

“Our kids stuck together tonight.  Guys stepped up off the bench to help us.  Byram is well coached and plays very well together, we are happy to come away with the league win tonight.  Kaden made a big play for us down the stretch to win the game.

Byram Hills (7-5) was led by Tyson Repa’s 14 points, and the Bobcats have lost four of their last five against some seriously stiff competition.

Yorktown then went on to defeat SOMERS, 67-61. Montero (20 points, 14 rebounds) mashed on both ends of the court while senior G Billy Feeks (17 points, 4 assists), Gonzalez (12 points, 7 assists) and Justin Price (8 points, 6 assists) all dazzled for the Huskers (11-1)

Somers was led by shifty G Nate Cohen’s 24 points.

“Been a tough go recently,” first-year Somers Coach James Loughran admitted. “We were tested and competed against one of the best in our class and section in Yorktown. Losing by six was tough for us. But I could leave that loss in a great mindset of where we were.”

However, the Tuskers (9-5) were not in a great place Friday night when FOX LANE handed Somers a 48-38 setback.

“Yeah, 38 points won’t win games,” Loughrin said. “That’s on us. Defensively I felt as if we did our job. Chevick was held to two points. We lost focus on New in the second half. New is a tremendously talented player. We just got stale offensively, was brutal for us. I don’t think people really realize everything this group has gone through. We still aren’t full strength, but no excuses. We will continue to work. Being tested I hope pays off for this group, which I still have a ton of faith in what they can do in this second half of the schedule.”

New (25 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists), James Minotti (4 points, 3 assists), Logan Mammola (3 points, 5 boards) , VJ Bomba (6 points) and Eli Daglio (5 points, 2 assists, 3 rebounds) all contributed for the surging Foxes, winners in six of the last seven).

State-ranked (No.29) PEEKSKILL steamrolled to a 71-55 win over a gritty PANAS team. Peekskill was led by AmirThames (22 points), Jaden Chavis (17 points) and Travis Brown (16 points). The Panthers (6-7) were led by Tyler Green (26 points) and  Isaiah Wallace (14 points).

After a Thames dunk at 2:00 mark, Panas responded with a 3 from Wallace to make it 50-38, Peekskill, and Chavis scored off a turnover, 52-38,  before a Chavis put-back with :20 left made it 54-38 at the end of the third. When Thames scored from Chavis to open the fourth, it was essentially over at 56-38. Thames scored again at 5:19 of the third for a 60-43 lead. A nifty Tyler Greene Euro move cut the Panas deficit to 60-45 with 4:12 left, but Thames, who played his finest game of the season, answered, 62-45, before Wallace provided a glimmer of hope for Panas with a 3 at 2:58, 62-48 Peekskill, but the fat lady had already burst out in song. Brown, who you best get on your radar, and Thames went back to back for a 68-52 Red Devil lead with less than 2:00 to play.

Fox Lane also posted a 57-46 win over HORACE GREELEY behind the efforts of New (17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists), Arthur Shevick (18 points, 5 assists), Minotti (9 points, 5 boards and Mammola (10 points, 8 boards). The visiting Quakers fell to 8-5, having lost three of the last four. Quaker junior G Zach Boyriven continues to improve game after game.

CLASS A

PUTNAM VALLEY and Class C HALDANE (9-2) went toe-to-toe before the resurgent Tigers held firm for a 48-45 league win. James Apostolico led the Tigers (6-6) with 14 points while Jack Moriarty had 13, and Angel Munoz added 11. Haldane was led by Matt Nachamkin’s game-high 23 points.

Putnam Valley held a 14-11 lead after a tech foul was issued to Haldane, but the Tigers allowed a put-pack at the first-quarter buzzer and went into the second with a 14-13 lead, due in large part to the play of Apostolico.

Nachamkin scored at 2:05 of the second for a 19-17 Haldane lead, which was answered by a Moriarty 3 for 20-19 PV lead. A Nachamkin and-1 bucket just before the half spotted Haldane a 24-20 lead at the break.

Ricky Meister, a defensive menace this season, made a steal and hoop to make it 28-25 Haldane at 6:25 of the third, and Meister scored again to make 28-27. Haldane stroked a corner 3, 31-27, Blue Devils before a timeout at 4:23 of the third quarter.

A Munoz 3 followed by a Meister bucket gave PV a 32-31 before Ross Esposito answered for a 33-32 Haldane lead. Ryan Van Tassel scored for Haldane to make it 35-34 just under a minute in third, and that’s how it ended.

Nachamkin corner three at the final buzzer was off the mark and PV held on.

Put Valley also defeated North Salem, 59-46, behind Apostolico (18 points) and Moriarty (15).

PLEASANTVILLE (6-6) has won five of its last six, including wins over Blind Brook (71-64) and North Salem (65-41). The Panthers were led by Etai Nunberg’s 13 points while Dermot McSpedon and Brian McPhee had 10 apiece.

Against Blind Brook, Nunberg and Aidan Picart scored 15 points each while Declan Bruder added 11, and McPhee had 12 off the bench.

LAKELAND fell to 6-8 after falling to Byram Hills (63-45) and HEN HUD (53-48).

Against the Sailors (7-6), Gino Wamack (17 points, 4 assists), Jeremy Heady (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Conor Prokopiak (13 points, 6 rebounds) were a triple threat for Hen Hud. Lakeland was led by John Bartolotta (14 points) and Grady Leonard (12 points).

CLASS AAA

State-ranked (No.16) WHITE PLAINS improved to 13-1 overall and 5-0 in the league after crushing Port Chester 86-41. Tiger swingman Logan McCormick (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists) continued to look like one of the premier players in the section. Miles Johnson (15 points, 6 assists), Nick Triolo (12 point, 3 assists, 5 steals), Luke Brooks (8 points) and RJ Marcano (6 points) all contributed and will need more of the same this week when the Tigers host Ossining on Tuesday and Mount Vernon on Friday.

“We are led by the strong, consistent play of Logan McCormick,” White Plains Coach Spencer Mayfield said of his star, who is averaging 19.1 PPG and  8 RPG, “and two-way standout Miles Johnson (10.9 PPG).Miles leads by taking the toughest defensive challenge each night and is the team leader and deflections and steals. The team defense is bolstered by the contributions of seniors, Luke Brooks (7.7 PPG) and Daniel Herzner (7.4 PPG) in the starting lineup, and the play of Brendan Locke off the bench. The team defense is allowing 44.7 ppg. The team will be bolstered by the return of Jake Labrosciano, who was out with season long injury and returned to play his first games this week. His 3-point shooting and defense will be a welcomed addition. Rising sophomore point guard Nick Triolo (9.1 PPG) has been a consistent contributor.”

OSSINING  defeated Horace Greeley, 73-55, behind Asher Cort (17 points, 10 boards) Sebastian DaCosta (17 points), Kris Singh (12 points),  Ahlers (11 points, 6 steals) and Santos (7 points, 5 rebounds).

The Pride (8-4) went 2-1 this week defeating two league opponents Horace Greeley and Port Chester, but fell to Pearl River in the Two Counties, One Cause, Children Tumor Foundation fundraiser.

Ossining traveled to Port Chester for a 69-29 thumping of the Rams. Makhi Rotella-White, Acalan Fauntleroy and Sean Frith led the way, all pouring in season highs with 17,12 and 10, respectively.

On Saturday, the Pride traveled to Tappan Zee to play Pearl River (9-1) where Pearl River quickly jumped on Ossining, building a 23-4 lead at the end of the first. After being down 22 in the first half Ossining rallied back to take the lead with three minutes in the game. With 3.1 seconds left and the game tied, Ossining was called for a foul while going for a rebound. Both teams were in the bonus and the Pirates hit one at the stripe to retake the lead. They converted the first and a deep Ossining pass was intercepted at the buzzer.

This week Ossining will travel to White Plains and state-ranked (No.15) New Rochelle: Two big Class AAA tests.

CLASS C

HALDANE defeated GNC, 83-56, behind Nachamkin (18 points), Fallou Faye (17), Esposito (13), Mike Murray (10), Evan Giachinta (9) and Nate Stickle (8).Faye was named MVP of the game for the state-ranked (No.3) Blue Devils.