Elmont captures Malverne tourney

Senior Dillon Williams scored 21 points, dished out eight assists, and pulled down nine rebounds to lead Elmont to a convincing 66-44 victory over host Malverne in the championship game of the annual Hank Williams Memorial Tournament at Malverne High School on Dec. 30.

Williams scored 13 points in the opening half as the Spartans ran out to a 29-4 lead and never looked back. Malverne got nine points from both Cory Alexander and Anthony Moultre.

Elmont, which improved to 3-2, has been battling illness and injuries in the early part of the season. Coach George Holub hopes the Spartans are beginning to become a cohesive unit. “People are feeling better,” Holub said. “I hope we’re beginning to jell. We’re not there yet. There are a few things we still have to work on. But the intensity is always there and I like that about us.”

Elmont advanced to the final with a 51-45 win over John Adams. As they did in the final, the Spartans opened up a huge lead, but the win didn’t come easy. After senior point guard Robert Chambers (14 points, four assists) hit a three-pointer to give Elmont a 41-24 lead early in the third quarter, the Spartans lost their rhythm on offense and missed a slew of bunnies. John Adams went on a 17-2 run to get within a bucket at 43-41 with 3:06 remaining in the contest.

John Adams would get no closer. With just 14 seconds remaining in the game, Williams nailed a three-pointer from 25 feet out as the shot clock expired to give Elmont an insurmountable lead at 50-45. John Adams got a game-high 18 points from guard Joshua Nazario. Junior center Greg Senat added 12 points for the Spartans.

The title game was all Elmont. With Williams leading the way, the Spartans jumped out to a quick 21-2 first quarter lead. Senat added six points in the opening quarter. Elmont was impenetrable on the defensive end. Malverne struggled to get things going on offense as the Spartans seemingly gave the Mules a different look each time down the floor. 

Malverne, which advanced to the finals with a 76-69 win over West Hempstead, didn’t convert a field goal until Alexander hit a lay up a minute into the second quarter. Alexander entered the game averaging 24.5 points per game. The Mules went on a brief 8-1 run late in the second quarter, but Elmont held a 35-16 lead as the teams went to the locker rooms.

Any hopes of a comeback by Malverne vanished quickly. The Spartans went on a 13-2 run to open up a commanding 48-20 lead midway through the third quarter. A thunderous two-handed dunk by Williams following a rebound put the finishing touch on the rout. Senat finished with 13 points and eight boards. Senior Tyler DeChalus had a solid tournament for Elmont.

Elmont hosts Valley Stream Central in a Conference AA-III match up on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.