NCN SPORTS BLOG

Pat Cooney’s free throw with 6.2 seconds (above) left in the fourth quarter lifted the Tigers to a 68-67 win at Lincoln Hall on Jan. 24

Ryan Sawyer led the Tigers with a game-high 22 points.

Jamol Johnney scored a team-high 19 points for Lincoln Hall.

Notes on the game:

I am going to try and keep this brief.

* First off, this was my first time getting to Lincoln Hall this season — one of my favorite places to watch a game. It is a gym / program that must be enjoyed in this exact setting: close game, packed house and plenty of screaming. It is a shame that they don’t play Kennedy anymore, because that would be a game for the ages. Kennedy and Lincoln Hall, in my opinion, have the loudest and proudest fans out there.

* Croton seems to have found itself after losing leading scorer Alex Judge with a season-ending knee injury back on Jan. 8 against Byram Hills. The senior leadership — which Coach Thom was yearning for — has been on display over the Tigers current three game winning-streak. Ryan Sawyer and Frank Dimaggio are playing with a previously unseen passion.

* Sawyer has switched to the point guard position, while Dimaggio has taken over the shooting guard slot. This arrangement allows Dimaggio — a true slashing guard — to create out on the wings and in the flow of the offense. Now, he is able to find seams within the defense and attack the basket, utilizing his uncanny ability to adjust his body in mid-air and get a shot off. Sawyer, on the other hand, said he just feels much more comfortable at the point. He has a good enough handle and seem looks to be able to find his shot much more frequently. Also, the emergence of Brandon Sileck (21 points) cannot be understated. This kid can really do it all: shoot from the outside, handle the ball, run the floor and bang inside. When Sileck is on, it gives Sawyer more time to find his shot out on the perimeter.

* According to the squad, Coach Thom has been pushing them in practice — friendly term for lots of suicide-style running — and has beefed up the film study. The results, as of now, can’t be argued with.

* It is really quite amazing how quick a turnaround the Tigers have made. After losing ugly to Briarcliff, the Tigers were at 3-6, virtually outside of the playoff picture. Coming off a solid win over Lincoln Hall AT Lincoln Hall, which makes it even more impressive, the Tigers look dangerous. Clearly, the credit has to go to Coach Thom. His flexibility within the system and the trust of his players has really shone through these past couple of games.

* Lincoln Hall, however, has been the polar opposite of the Tigers over their past two games.The United’s losing streak stands at two — both of which came at home. Sir Aaron Taylor was in foul trouble early and often, effectively limiting his ability to be aggressive around the rim. In fact, this might have been the first time I haven’t seen him record double-digit rebounds. He picked up his fourth foul about 6:30 into the third quarter and wasn’t able to do much down the stretch. Clearly, the United need his services to be the team that they are capable of. Coach Taylor even admitted this after the game.

* A bright spot was point guard Darren Brown. Standing at only 5-6, Brown gives Lincoln Hall a true point guard, which they haven’t had in the absence of Jeff Valloy. Brown showed the ability to take his man off the dribble and get to the rim, exhibited by his 13-point performance. What is even more impressive is that this was only Brown’s second game of the season. According to Taylor, he wasn’t able to play earlier because of non-basketball related issues. Brown’s addition also takes some of the ball handling duties away from the sharpshooting Jamol Johnney. Johnney’s ability as a scorer are much better suited as number 2.

These rankings are as of Tuesday, Jan. 22 @ 12 p.m.

1) Peekskill (14-0) — Since Mookie Jones’ eight-point performance against White Plains in the finals of the Slam Dunk on Dec. 29, he has been on fire, averaging 20 ppg over the last seven. His 23-point performance in a win over Albany Academy on Jan. 20 typified the torrid stretch. With all the talent on the Peekskill roster, the points can come from several players, but Jones, as he has proved lately, is still the Michael Jordan of the Red Devils.

2) Briarcliff (12-2) — The Bears snuck out of Kennedy with a win, turning it on in the last three minutes. The commotion and controversy over the clock at the end of the match overshadowed one of the best basketball games of the season. Time was not stopped when Briarcliff asked for a timeout following O’Connell’s basket, so the refs were correct in putting the additional time back on the scoreboard. This argument could be tangled and twisted every which way, but the bottom line is that these teams put on quite the show. Briarcliff will not lose to a Section 1 opponent this season.

3) Kennedy Catholic (8-4) — Kennedy completely outplayed Briarcliff for the first 29 minutes of their heartbreaking, 61-60, loss. Steve Feeney, Vincent Tancora, Edmond O’Connell and Anthony Spinola flexed their muscles against the brawny Briarcliff front line, matching their intensity and strength on the boards and in the paint. In the somewhat rundown Kennedy gym — dim lights and aged floor — the Gaels almost pulled off the upset of the season. Their six-game winning streak was snapped, but they proved that the magic of the storied program is alive and well. Say what you want about the conditions of the gym, it is my favorite place to watch a Saturday night basketball game. It almost feels like being in a rural area of Indiana, ala the movie Hoosiers.

4) Lincoln Hall (8-5) — The United’s disappointing loss to Byram Hills, 51-35, moves Sir Aaron and company out of the top three. My biggest concern with the loss was that it was at home — a place where the United generally thrive. Long scoring droughts will be the death of this squad, exemplified by their zero point output in the second quarter against Byram. Despite the rough game, I predict that the United will go 5-1 over the last six games of the season, securing a top playoff spot and home court advantage.

5) Panas (8-6) — Panas rebounded from the Hen Hud debacle with a solid 63-52 win over Beacon on Jan. 15. Losing by 19 points at Poughkeepsie on Jan. 17 was all but expected. With games against Beacon, Peekskill, Lakeland, Ossining, Our Lady of Lourdes and Hen Hud to close out the season, the Panthers have a shot at going 5-1. It would help if Michael Pagan scored 20-plus points, as the Panthers have yet to lose a game when that happens.

6) Lakeland (8-4) — In a column that ran two weeks ago, titled, “Nickname madness,” I named point guard Lou DeMello, “The Dime.” So when he scored 16 points and was looking for his shot all game against Yorktown last Thursday, I felt a little foolish. Sure, he is still a pass-first point guard. But when challenged to shoot — as Yorktown Coach Steve Veteri explained was the team’s strategy — DeMello proved he is not one dimensional, sinking four 3-pointers against the Huskers. Veteri, ultra impressed, called it a “career performance.” DeMello’s progression into more of a scorer basically mirrors his expanded role into a finisher on the soccer pitch this past season.

7) Yorktown (6-8) — The eight-year losing streak to the Hornets was all but over, but the Huskers fell apart down the stretch and failed to make clutch shots in the waning moments. This, of any loss Yorktown has suffered this season, has to really frustrate Coach Veteri. It was the kind of loss that makes one want to get right back on the floor, erasing any painful memory that may still linger on. Rebounding against Pelham on Jan. 19 with a solid 43-37 win probably helped ease the pain — albeit not very much. Brendan Kurpis needs more touches and shots in order for the Huskers to finish up strong and make the playoffs. His size and touch from 15-feet and in gives ’Town a steady stream of points. Down the stretch of the Lakeland game, going away from Kurpis was the deciding factor in the loss.

Mahopac (7-5) — Since the paltry 24-point effort against Arlington, the Indians have averaged 65 ppg in two wins over Ketcham and Carmel. Seeing that it was a fierce rivalry game against Carmel, I knew it was going to be a physical. But Mario Iacuone’s 13-for-19 performance from the charity stripe was eye popping. Kudos to Iacuone for getting to the line that much. With five games left on its schedule, I guarantee that Mahopac will finish the season with a double-digit win total.

9) Ossining (5-9) — Ossining’s, 49-44, win over Hen Hud was overshadowed by a disappointing loss to Beacon, 56-53. Sadly, this has been the case all season for Coach Drinks’ squad. Only once have they been able to string together two wins in a row.

10) Hen Hud (6-6) — The Sailors came down to earth with a loss to Ossining on Jan. 17. Needless to say, this squad is proving to be a lot tougher than anyone could have ever imagined.

11) Croton-Harmon (5-7) — The Tigers have reeled of two-straight wins, 77-60, over Putnam Valley and, 60-54, over Westlake. Ryan Sawyer, showing the senior leadership Head Coach Bill Thom was craving, averaged 17 ppg in the two wins.

12) John Jay (4-9) — Two straight losses to Kennedy, 59-49, and Fox Lane, 50-39, really hurt the Indians’ chances of making the playoffs.

13) Putnam Valley (2-11) — The good news for the Tigers is that they broke the 30-point plateau against Croton, scoring 60 points for the first time since Jan.7.

14) Somers (1-12) — The Tuskers lost to Greeley, 81-32, back on Dec. 12. Against Greeley on Jan. 15, they only lost by 16 points, 60-44. That’s a marked improvement, fellas.

Just click “play now” and the video screen will pop up.

Enjoy.

These rankings are of Tuesday, Jan. 15 @ 12 p.m.
1) Peekskill (13-0) — Daquan Brickhouse’s Peekskill Red Devils have yet to stumble. My co-worker, Sam Barron, a news guy, was at the Peekskill vs. Hen Hud game on Jan. 9 which the Red Devils won, 55-31. When Peekskill clung to only an 8-point fourth quarter lead, Sam was on the verge of calling me in to witness possibly the biggest upset in the history of Section 1. Yeah, so much for that, Sam: when Peekskill turns it on, they are unbeatable. This game had a pre-game ceremony for Hen Hud and former Peekskill student, Justin Woodward. It was a touching tribute that honored the young man whose life was tragically cut short.

2) Briarcliff (11-2) — After playing three tough games against Byram Hills, Pleasantville and Lincoln Hall, the Bears got back to their blowout ways against Croton on Jan. 14. Alex Gulotta seemed possessed, scoring 3-pointers with such ease that one would have thought they were lay ups. Concentration will be the name of the game for the Bears from here on out. The upset-minded Panthers and their hooligan fans almost shocked them on Jan. 11. Welcome to the elite, Briarcliff: everyone is gunning for that giant bull’s eye on your chest. Expect a momentous effort from the opposition each time out.

3) Lincoln Hall (8-4) — The United followed up a near upset of Briarcliff on Jan. 8 with a thumping of Westlake on Jan. 11. I have watched a few games at Lincoln Hall and knew that the environment would be enough to level the playing field against the Bears. That upset would’ve been something else, eh? But with Taylor and Johnney fouling out early, it was only fiction. The United need to find their #3 guy — like a Larry Johnson-type player on the ’96-’97 Knicks — and Harry Pickney seems to be as good a choice as any.

5) Kennedy Catholic (6-3) — Currently, the Gaels are one of the hottest teams in the NCN region. The Gaels have rattled off four-straight wins to kick off 2008, culminating with their most recent win, 50-45, over a likewise very hot Yorktown team. Coach Tom Nelligan was in the stands scouting the Bears for their Jan. 19 match-up at Briarcliff. Just a hunch, but I say this one goes undecided deep into the fourth quarter. If it was at JFK, maybe, just maybe, the Gaels would have a shot at pulling off the upset. In reality, I think this will be their first loss of 2008. However, the Gaels are the best team in League II-Central. Who could have predicted that?

5) Panas (7-5) — The Panthers are a total enigma. They really make completing these rankings nearly impossible. After beating Kennedy at home, routing Lakeland and going 2-1 over a brutal stretch against Peekskill, Lourdes and Ossining, the Panthers did the unthinkable and lost to Hen Hud, 51-43, on Jan. 11.

6) Lakeland (6-4) — The loss at Kennedy sent the Hornets into a tailspin. The losing streak stands at three games, following the most recent loss to Greeley, 42-39, on Jan. 11. The game on Jan. 17 against the Huskers is a prime time for the Hornets to turn their season around. Yorktown will be looking for revenge after getting embarrassed, 63-38, by Lakeland on Dec. 18. This is quite possibly the game I am most looking forward to this week.

7) Yorktown (4-5) — Huskers have hit the skids — a two game losing streak with losses to Kennedy and North Rockland — after breaking off five-straight wins. The loss at Kennedy is understandable, but losing to a bad North Rockland (3-10) team is a tough pill to swallow. I will attribute the loss to the fact that it was only a day after the emotional loss to the Gaels.

Hen Hud (6-5) — Perhaps the upset of the season was the Sailors’ shocking win over Panas. Maybe it wasn’t an upset, after all; this team hung with Peekskill — albeit a Brickhouse-less Peekskill — for three quarters. Maybe this team is tough enough to win more games than expected. A win over Our Lady of Lourdes on Jan. 17 would add to the Sailors’ resume.

9) Mahopac (4-4) — Going cold in the Northern Kingdom that is Dutchess County is understandable, but 26 points! The Indians only managed to score three more points than my age against Arlington in a 56-20 loss on Jan. 9. But, hey, 26 points is a boatload in comparison to St. Louis University’s 20-point effort in a loss to Kent State on Jan. 10. ’Pac, however, rebounded with a solid 60-56 road win at Ketcham on Jan. 11.

10) Ossining (4-8) — As Coach Lonnie Drinks explained, Ossining is in almost its entire game but is unable to find a way to put the final nail in the coffin. The game against Lourdes must have been extremely frustrating. I am not a basketball coach, analyst, or anything like that, but I’d consider feeding 6-6 Jeff Ward in post about 10 more times a game down in the post.

11) John Jay (4-7) — Don’t look now, but the Indians have won three-of- four after starting the season 1-6. They have all winnable games down the stretch — outside of North Salem — but have the Indians dug themselves too deep a hole? If Anthony Iacomini and Kevin Drew can continue to score 17+ apiece per game, the Indians have a shot of making their comeback a reality.

12) Croton-Harmon (2-7) — With their leading scorer in Alex Judge lost for the season with a knee injury, the Tigers are going to have to find something—or someone—to drive them to victories. Ryan Sawyer and Frank Dimaggio, both senior guards, will have to be spectacular in order for Croton to stay competitive.

13) Putnam Valley (2-10) — In losses to Byram Hills and Pleasantville, the Tigers are averaging 26 points per game. Don’t look for St. Louis University Head Coach Rick Majerus for answers — that’s for sure.

14) Somers (1-10) — Football ended too quickly and lax can’t come soon enough.

Alex Gulotta scored 19 points — including five 3-pointers — to lead the Bears to a 76-58 victory over the visiting Croton-Harmon Tigers.

Notes on the game:

* Gulotta was on fire from downtown. He looked as “in the zone” as a shooter can be. Remember when Michael Jordan shrugged his shoulders during the NBA finals against the Portland Trailblazers? Yea, it was kinda like that for Gulotta.

* Like they have been able to do to a lot of their opponents this season, the Bears simply out muscled the Tigers in the paint. Muratori (6 points), Lombardi (23 points), and Beechum (11 points) are simply too much for most Class B teams to handle for an entire game. Lincoln Hall is probabyly the only team that can match their strength and inside presence in all of Class B. For this reason, the United have the most realistic shot of knocking off the Bears come playoff time. Will that happen? No, probably not.

* Croton’s Alex Judge, who went down with a season ending knee injury against Byram Hills on Jan. 9, is sorely missed. Judge’s length, shooting touch and ability to run the floor leaves a gaping hole in the Tigers’ offense. Coach Bill Thom was in search of leadership from his seniors after the loss.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS TO COME …

Forgive me for cheesy titles, it’s late.

Joe Lombardi scored 24 points — including 9 in the fourth quarter — to lead the Bears to a 56-50 win over the Pleasantville Panthers.

Notes on the game:

* My ears might still be ringing from this one. It was a great atmosphere in Pleasantville this evening, but somebody better tell the Panthers faithful football season is already an afterthought. The constant taunts of “28-0!” were amusing, but kind of far fetched in January. Whatever makes you feel good, I guess.

* Pleasantville was running on the fuel of its home crowd and played a real solid game. However, the emotion might have made the Panthers play a tad bit over their heads. Don’t get me wrong, because this team is as fundamental and competitive as they come, but Briarcliff just looked a little off. They missed a bunch of easy shots around the basket and were out of synch against the anti-Phoenix Suns style that the Panthers play. As Joe Lombardi said, if ‘Cliff makes a couple more shots from in close, the game is a 15-point win instead. Needless to say, hats off to the youthful Panthers, they are going to be on the winning side of that rivalry in the near future.

* Joe Lombardi carried the team this evening. If there ever was an MVP, Lombardi was it. Down the stretch — when he poured in nine tough points — is when he looked the strongest. His power inside and ability to follow up his second-chance opportunities was too much for the worn down Panthers. Still can’t believe he isn’t going to college straight for round ball. I gotta see this kid play baseball.

* Briarcliff is in the think of its league schedule, which is actually tougher than most would imagine. Byram, Lincoln Hall, Pleasantville and Croton won’t lay down and have the ability to upset the Bears. I don’t foresee it actually happening, but the point is that the league is solid competition.

* Gulotta had a quiet 14 points, but his presence on the court is an intangible force. He had “no doubt” that the Bears were going to pull out the seemingly close game. When Pleasantville’s Matt Nicolai nailed a 3-pointer to kick off the fourth quarter and tie it at 37-37, I thought there might be a chance at a wild upset. Nah, Gulotta was pretty much right.

* Improvements on defense and coming together as a team equals a good chance to win every game from here on out, according to Lombardi.

* Favorite chants from the hooligans in the bleachers? Post them.

Ossining fell to Lourdes, 61-59, in a hotly contested game throughout.

Down 58-57 with 25 seconds left, Tyler Davidov’s 3-point attempt clanked off the iron.N

Notes on the game: 

* In my opinion, Jeff Ward needs to get more touches. Ward has averaged 20 ppg in the four games that Ossining has won. The big fella has a solid skill set and a nose for the ball around the basket. Like the Knicks tried to do with Eddy Curry — feeding him non-stop inside — Ossining should do with Ward. He is their best player and also the most likely to carry the team on his back to a victory. Feeding him down low on the blocks — in theory — should open up more space on the perimeter for Tyler Davidov. When given time and not rushed, Davidov is pure from outside (especially from in the corner). But he really needs that added space to connect and be successful.

* Myles Thomas is a terrific athlete, however, he probably should have just gone for lay-ups on his two missed dunk attempts. Henry Crosby was there to clean one up in the second half, but his one in the first half ricocheted off the rim and out of bounds. I feel like a crotchety old man saying this, but every single point counts.

* Head Coach Lonnie Drinks has had a tough season. The team lost a lot of talent last season, headlined by Kenny Horton. Without these star studded seniors, Ossining is wihtout a go-to-guy down the stretch. Ward probabyly should be that buy, but Ossining doesn’t seem to have a pure point guard to dish it down low.

* Jesse Drinks made a play in the latter stages of the game that made me yearn for football season. Following a deep Lourdes baseball-like inbound pass to a wide open man on the far end of the court, Drinks made a cornerback-esque move and broke up the pass right before it reached the intended player. I will have something on Drinks / Thomas defensive back connection in the next issue.

These rankings are based on games through Tuesday, January 8 at 12 p.m. 

1) Peekskill (11-0) — Coach P. finally gets his due with Peekskill’s decision to emblazon on its hardwood, “Coach Panzanaro’s Court.” Then, not so ceremoniously, Daquan Brickhouse and Elliot Watson then go down with ankle injuries as the Red Devils creamed St. A’s. Brickhouse did his best Willis Reed impression and suited up against Lourdes, while Watson sat it out. The Red Devils probably have a deep enough bench to rest their ailing stars against Hen Hud (1/9) and Beacon (1/11). Home against Poughkeepsie on the 15th will be the next big test. However, in my opinion, it will most likely be like New England’s 24-20 win over the Colts midway through the season. It could be close — but Peekskill won’t lose.

2) Briarcliff (8-2) — Bears are off and running since the Slam Dunk, winning two-straight. The slim margin of victory over Byram Hills, 69-62, was somewhat shocking, but it is a win nonetheless. Who else wants to fast-forward to Briarcliff’s completely meaningless — in the scheme of things — game against Stepinac on February 20?

3) Lincoln Hall (7-3) — Dismantled Putnam Valley after 15-day layoff. United will travel a tough road in the second half with games against ’Cliff, Byram and Westlake.

The good news? They play five-of-nine at home during the stretch. Trust me; Lincoln Hall may be one of the toughest gyms — with the atmosphere and tight quarters — to play in.

4) Panas (6-4) — Rebounded with a solid win over Ossining. Time to start reeling some victories off over next three against: Lourdes (1/9), Beacon (1/11) and Hen Hud (1/15). The Panthers will need all the momentum they can get for a re-match at Poughkeepsie on the Jan. 17. The loss against Huskers is still a head scratcher.

5) Kennedy Catholic (4-3) — O’Connell and company used the break to recharge their batters. The defense was remarkable in a big time win over Lakeland. Watch out for the Gaels, they are coming together as a team. Addition of Mike Mercurio, a stud baseball player, gives team athleticism and strength. This team — minus Briarcliff and Peekskill — will be one of the toughest match-ups in the NCN area come playoff time.

6) Lakeland (6-2) — Four-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Kennedy. To be honest, though, playing in Kennedy’s gym is actually quite a tall order. Those fans can be pretty cruel. I mean, they were taunting Lakeland players based on their physical appearance. It was a low blow. The Hornets can take solace in the fact that Lavor Morris is becoming one of the better players in the NCN region.

7) Yorktown (4-4) — Who are these guys? Can Yorktown football and basketball undergo a renaissance in the same year? Four-straight W’s since the 0-4 start make the ’Huskers one of the hottest teams around. Tom Kelly can flat out play — 18 points in a 24-point blowout win over John Jay.
Croton-Harmon (2-4) — Win over Pleasantville — which I actually predicted — has the potential to turn the Tigers season around. The success of the backcourt duo of Frank Dimaggio and Ryan Sawyer will determine how far Croton can ride this wave of momentum.

9) Mahopac (4-4) — Mahopac really impressed me against Gorton. They were smaller, less athletic and still had a shot pull out the win in the later stages of the game. Mario Iaucone is deceptive, but he can score the basketball with the best of them. Hypothetically speaking: if Mahopac starts the game against Gorton at 7 p.m. — instead of 11 a.m. — and the gym is packed to the gills, I think the home crowd will get in the Wolves’ heads and ’Pac will pull out the win. Good pizza at half time, though.

10) Ossining (3-7) — Battled with Panas but couldn’t pull out the W. Ossining has five winnable games in front of them. If there was ever a time to make a move, it is now.

11) John Jay (2-7) — Solid win over Brewster kicked off 2008 in a perfect fashion. Ugly loss to Yorktown replaces feelings of hope with a New Year’s Day hangover. Lax season creeps closer every week …

12) Hen Hud (5-4) — Battling in the thick of the League II-North, otherwise known as the “league of death,” is not exactly the way I would want to kick off my year. But what doesn’t kill them, will make them stronger…we hope.

13) Putnam Valley (2-8) — Tigers are 1-1 in 2008 with a win over Westlake. When Hugh O’Gorman scores 20, PV is undefeated.

14) Somers (1-8) — Like Buffalo, Somers is clearly a hockey town.

Via Mike Sabini

Peekskill may have gotten off to a 10-0 start but had yet to play a solid game from start to finish and that is what Coach Lou Panzanaro was craving.

The Red Devils finally got that game in a 82-49 rout against visiting Our Lady of Lourdes Jan. 7.

“This is the game I’ve been waiting for,” Panzanaro said. “It was our best effort of the season.”

More importantly than the effort may have been the fact that star guard, sophomore Daquan Brickhouse, played after injuring his ankle two day earlier against St. Anthony’s.

“If someone has more guts, I don’t know who they are,” Panzanaro said of Brickhouse. “He’s phenomenal. That’s why he’s the leader that he is.”

Mookie Jones led Peekskill with 29 points followed by 18 from Darien Thomas and 12 from Karl Baker.

Elliot Watson, who also injured his ankle against St. Anthony’s, didn’t play against Lourdes. He’s day-to-day according to Panzanaro.

Croton’s Frank Dimaggio soars through the Pleasantville defense.

The Croton-Harmon Tigers (2-4), led by 19 points from senior shooting guard Ryan Sawyer, upset the Pleasantville Panthers (5-4), 58-54, in a League III-A match-up on Friday, January 4.

Down 32-20 at the half, junior guard Alex Judge led a second half surge, scoring 11 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Notes on the game

* I knew that at some point the Tigers would turn this season around — tonight was that point. Playing uninspired in the first half, the veteran Croton seniors fired the team up in the locker room. The result was a fiery brand of basketball, fueled by hustle, defense and transition. Frank Dimaggio and Ryan Sawyer were pesky as mosquitoes at an upstate New York lake house in July, recording a combined seven steals. Their perimeter pressure was too much for the Panthers to handle and ignited the second half turnaround. Pleasantville, without a defined slasher to alleviate the pressure, was forced to settle for awkward shots on the perimeter, resulting in a measly 22 second half points.

* Brandon Sileck and Pat Cooney made their presence known on the inside in the second half. Their determination and hustle was unbridled and resulted in a combined 16 rebounds and countless hustle plays to track down loose balls. At one point, following a scrum on the ground created by a sprawling Cooney, Pleasantville Head Coach Bob DelleBovi screamed to his players, “GET ON THE FLOOR!” It was at this point that it was clear to everyone in the stands: Croton was not losing this game.

* Coming into the game at 1-4, the Tigers were in a pretty dire situation. After losing some tough games to Tuckahoe, Lincoln Hall and Dobbs Ferry in the early portion of the season, the League III-A match-up against Pleasantville had a “must win” kind of feel to it. With nine of their final 12 games against league opponents, the Tigers needed a base from which to build off of.

* Sure, it was a real sold win, but the Tigers almost watched the opportunity fly right by. Pleasantville dominated in the first half, smothering the stagnant Croton offense and picking apart its zone. It wasn’t till Dimaggio started penetrating the lane and pushing the ball with some urgency that Croton came to life. Dimaggio’s seven third quarter points all came as a result of strong moves to the rim.

* Dimaggio’s ability to dissect defenses with speed and quickness allows Sawyer space on the perimeter — where he thrives as a pure shooter. In my opinion, Dimaggio’s emergence was the reason that Sawyer was able to get on track from downtown. Coming into the game, the sharpshooter had only four 3-pointers through five games, roughly an average of 0.8 per game. He connected on 1.8 three pointers per game last year. In my opinion, he needs to be back up at that average for Croton to be successful.

* Sileck has the athletic ability to launch 3-pointers, run the floor and rebound. All this talent is great, but on the relatively undersized Tigers, his size and leaping ability benefit the team most in the paint.

In homage to Croton for playing the MOST classic basketball song ever — David Barrett’s “One Shining Moment” — after the game, I dug up last year’s NCAA tournament “One Shining Moment” video.

It is beyond cheesy, but so perfect at the same time. Can you imagine one of these videos created for all the madness at the County Center? Neither can I.

Relive all the shining moments since 1997.