Elmont captures state crown

Spartans pull away from Troy, 57-43

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In a historic season defined by tenacious defense and preparation, Elmont captured its first-ever state boys’ basketball championship with a 57-43 victory over Troy in the Class A title game at Glens Falls Civic Center last Sunday afternoon.

The Spartans forced 23 turnovers and had three double-digit scorers, including senior Jalen Burgess, the tournament MVP, with 19 points. It was their 13th consecutive win and team-record 23rd overall. Senior Travis Robinson-Morgan had 15 points and sophomore KC Ndefo added 10 points and 13 rebounds for Elmont, which sweated out a 50-48 win over Byram Hills in last Saturday’s semifinals.

“If you stick to the game plan, you can accomplish anything,” Spartans head coach George Holub said. “We had all week to prepare for Byram Hills, but only 24 hours to get ready for Troy. At dinner Saturday night, we talked about what we needed to do to be successful. We wanted to get hands in the passing lanes, attack the boards and be patient on offense.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” he added. “It’s probably not going to sink in for a few days.”

Elmont, which became just the second program in school history to win a state crown, joining boys’ lacrosse in 1977 and ’87, has more basketball ahead. The journey continues at this weekend’s Federation Tournament at the Times Union Center in Albany.

“There’s a first time for everything,” said Burgess, a 6-foot-3 forward who scored 11 points in the first half to help the Spartans build a 29-24 lead. “It feels great.”

Staying close early with Troy, which routed Williamsville South, 78-39, in the semis behind 6-11 center Jack McLaren’s 16 points and 10 rebounds, was important, Holub said. “They tried their best to intimidate us,” he said. “But our kids were all business. We got our jitters out in the semifinals.”

Robinson-Morgan had an uneasy feeling in his stomach at halftime on Sunday, but not because of nerves. A few too many pancakes at breakfast came back to haunt him, and he was unable to start the third quarter. Fellow senior Yasir Lawrence and sophomore Victor Olawoye patrolled the backcourt until Robinson-Morgan returned.

“Travis was in foul trouble against Byram Hills,” Holub explained. “We know we can call on Victor and he’ll give us quality minutes.”

After Troy inched to within 39-35 late in the third, Ndefo’s one-handed slam dunk and Lawrence’s buzzer-beater allowed the Spartans to breathe easier and take a 6-point lead into the fourth. “We felt like we answered their run,” Lawrence said.

McLaren, held in check by Elmont’s Darius Celestin, and Daniel Buie had 13 points apiece to lead the Flying Horses. “Darius did a great job defending their big man and had some baskets too,” said Robinson-Morgan, who netted 6 straight points down the stretch to help Elmont pull away. “He took that assignment personally.”

Saddled with four fouls a day earlier, Robinson-Morgan (12 points) watched more of the semifinal victory from the bench than he would’ve preferred. He was back on the court in crunch time after Byram Hills cut a 15-point deficit to 44-42 with just over two minutes remaining. “We all have each other’s back,” he said.

The Spartans, who hit eight of nine free throws in the fourth quarter, led 50-47 when Skylar Sinon stepped to the line for the Bobcats with 8.1 seconds left. He sank the first free throw and purposely missed the next, and Elmont apparently gained possession as the ball went out of bounds off an opponent. However, an inadvertent whistle resulted in another chance for Byram Hills, which was awarded the ball because it had the possession arrow.

“There was nothing to argue,” Holub said. “We just had to defend and pray.”

The in-bounds pass with 3.8 seconds left went to Sinon, who launched a long 3-pointer from the corner that grazed the rim. Celestin secured the game-ending rebound. 

“It was a little scary,” Holub said. 

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