THE 2015 UPSTATE/DOWNSTATE CHALLENGE
GAME 1
Elmont vs Red Hook
10th ranked Elmont continues to impress. Red Hook, coming off a 17-3 season and a spot in the Section 9 Class A Championship Game, took an early lead, but the Class A Spartans rallied to tie it at the half and then pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Red Raiders 67-55 in the first game of the 2015 Upstate - Downstate Challenge. Travis Robinson-Morgan led the way with 17 points and 10 assists, Yasir Lawrence recorded a game high 19 points, and Jalen Burgess racked up 17 points and 10 rebounds. Beau Smith’s fast break basket gave Red Hook an early 13-4 lead in Game 1, but a left elbow jumper by Elmont’s Travis Robinson-Morgan cut it to 13-10 as the quarter wound down. A Nick Michitsch baseline jumper made it 15-10 Raiders at the first quarter buzzer, and Connor Christiansen’s basket from underneath and Dennis Hare’s scoop shot gave Red Hook an 8 point lead early in the second quarter, but Yasir Lawrence countered with a three pointer from the left wing, and then his baseline drive and three point play cut it to 19-17. Hare answered with a nice hesitation drive and looping shot, but Robinson-Morgan drilled a three pointer from behind the left elbow to make it a 1 point game, and a baseline drive by Jalen Burgess put the Spartans on top 22-21 with 4 minutes to go in the half. Red Hook retook the lead on a three pointer by Austin Cole from the left wing, and they led 27-23 after a three by Michitsch from the deep left wing, but two free throws by Elmont’s KC Ndefo and a fast break basket by Lawrence and it was 27 all at the break. The action was fast paced and back and forth in the third quarter, with Red Hook building a 36-30 lead on a three pointer by Hare from behind the left elbow, and Elmont retaking the lead on a three by Robinson-Morgan, a fast break basket by Darius Celestin, and a weaving drive by Burgess with 3:35 remaining. Michitsch’s elbow jumper and a driving hook shot by Hare and it was 40-37 Red Hook, but a putback by Burgess, a left wing three by Lawrence, and an aggresive drive by Burgess tied it at 42, and then Robison-Morgan’s runner and another putback by Burgess and the Spartans were up by 4 with 40 seconds to go in the quarter. Michitsch closed out the quarter with two free throws, cutting the Elmont lead to 46-44 at the buzzer. A three pointer by Lawrence put the Spartans up by 6 early in the fourth quarter, and his back to back baskets gave them a 54-47 lead at the 4:40 mark, but a baseline three by Smith brought the Raiders within 4 with 3:20 remaining. Four clutch free throws by Ndefo and Burgess made it 60-53 Elmont, and then a turn-around jumper by Burgess from the high post and Red Hook was in trouble, trailing 62-53 with 2:19 to play. A putback by Colin Bemis kept them alive, but a reverse layup by Victor Olawoye and an alley-oop dunk by Ndefo and it was a 67-55 final.
GAME 5
Uniondale vs Middletown
The host Knights took on Section 9 defending Class AA Champion Middletown, and had a 2 point lead at the half, but the Middies took the lead for good in the third quarter and went on to a 61-48 victory. Middletown’s Bright Afful scored from underneath to kick off the nightcap of the 2015 Upstate - Downstate Challenge, but it was Uniondale that took an early lead, going up 9-4 on back to back three pointers by Kyle Harding. Kyle Brown’s three pointer from the right wing tied it at 12 forb the Middies, but Kevon Green answered him with a three from the left baseline to give the Knights a 3 point lead at the first quarter buzzer. Jairus Wynder penetrated, pulled up and hit a fade away jumper from the foul line to make it 17-12 Uniondale as the second quarter got underway, and a baseline jumper by Craig Brown gave the Knights a 7 point lead with 5:43 left in the half, but a right wing drive by Kenneth Middleton and a fast break basket and free throw by Brown brought Middletown back within 2, and it remained a 2 point game at the half. Jordan Bryan’s baseline drive tied it at 27 with 1:30 gone in the third quarter, but Uniondale regained the lead on a short drive and bank shot by Chris Goodwin. Middletown responded with a game changing 12 point run, getting fast break opportunities on missed shots and turnovers to build a 39-29 lead, and the lead grew to 44-32 after a three pointer by Middleton from behind the right elbow - the score with three quarters in the books. Justice Towsend opened the fourth quarter with two free throws, but the teams traded baskets and free throws until a jumper by Rashad Campbell from the lane bumped Middletown's lead to 14 with 4 minutes left to play. Uniondale made one last run, with Danny Ashley’s fast break basket cutting it to 51-39 and Goodwin’s putback making it a 10 point game, and after Harding’s baseline drive, the Knights trailed 51-43, but time was not on their side. A running scoop shot by Jose Gonzalez made it a 10 point game again with just 2 minutes showing, and although Towsend answered with two more free throws, the Middies Bryan, shooting 1 and 1, made both, and then Brown’s three pointer from the baseline and Middleton’s two free throws made it 60-46 Middletown with 50 seconds remaining and the Knights were done. Middleton led all scorers with 24 points, Brown had 15, and Bryan 11 for the Middies, while Harding led Uniondale with 15 points and Ashley had 10.
GAME 4
LI Lutheran vs Saunders
Saunders, another Section 1 Class AA contender, coming off a 19-3 season, was also no match for their Long Island opponent - top ranked Long Island Lutheran. The Crusaders rolled to a convincing 87-45 win, with Kansas State head coach Bruce Weber looking on. LuHi’s Devonte Green was unstoppable, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds, including 8 three pointers, and four other Crusaders scored in double figures. One coach observing the game thought it was the best LuHi team he’d seen in many years. Chris Coalman knocked down a three pointer from the right baseline for LuHi to open the scoring, but Nick Nolan quickly answered with a three for Saunders to tie it. Donatas Kupsas, the Lithuanian 10th grader, put the Crusaders back in front with a putback, and Coalman’s right wing drive, Devonte Green’s putback, and then his three pointer from the right wing made it 12-3 with 5 minutes remaining in the first quarter and Saunders called time. Rojaye Campbell’s putback and the LuHi lead was 11, but Anthony Miller’s three pointer at the 1:07 mark of the quarter cut it to 20-13 and neither team scored the rest of the quarter. Green opened the second quarter with a three pointer from the right baseline, Coalman looped one in from the lane off a nice dish by Green, and Brandon Jacobs nailed a three from the top to make it 28- 13 Crusaders. Campbell added to the lead with a putback, and Coalman’s right wing three put LuHi up by 20 points, but 5 straight points by Miller cut the margin to 35-20 with 1:46 to play in the half. LuHi quickly rebuilt the lead on back to back threes by Jacobs to go up by 21, but two free throws by Miller closed out the scoring and made it 43-24 at the half. Miller opened the second half with back to back baskets, and the lead was down to 15 again, but Kupsas put back a missed shot and Green nailed a three from the baseline to make it 48-28. An impressive three straight threes by Green, with defenders draped all over him, made it 57-31 and Saunders was on the ropes, and then his steal and fast break basket and it was LuHi by 28 with 3:25 left in the quarter. Green kept it going with back to back threes to make it it 67-35, and that was the score after three quarters of play. Harrison Warnock kicked off the fourth quarter for LuHi with a bank shot off the glass, giving them an imposing 34 point lead, and Saunders never seriously challenged the rest of the way. Green was high man with 28 points, Jocobs had 13, Coalman 12, and Campbell and Kupsas 10 each. Miller led Saunders with 21.
GAME 3
Baldwin vs Fox Lane
Fox Lane is coming off a 14-6 season and is one of the preseason favorites in Section 1 AA, but they were no match for Long Island’s third ranked Bruins, slipping behind right from the start and falling 75-46. Jared Rhoden was on fire for Baldwin, finishing with 7 three pointers and a game high 23 points, and Shane Gatling had a big game too, finishing with 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Sean New got things rolling with a three pointer from the deep left wing to give Fox Lane the early lead, but Jared Rhoden answered with a three from the left wing, Shane Gatling knocked down two free throws, Rhoden drilled another three, and Jabeon Bivens scored on a drive and it was suddenly 10-4 Baldwin and Fox Lane called time. Justin Caldwell’s fast break dunk kept it going for the Bruins and got the crowd rocking, and after Alex Olsen broke the run with two free throws, Rhoden nailed another three to put Baldwin up by 9. Gatling’s athletic steal, basket and free throw added to the lead, and then in an amazing sequence, in less than a minute’s time, he knocked down two free thows, had a fastbreak dunk, and then got his second steal and basket to make it 26-10 Bruins, whipping the paritzan crowd into a frenzy with 2:14 remaing in the opening quarter. Emmett Robin responded with a nice fadeaway jumper to quiet the gym, a runner by New cut the margin to 12, and after Elijah Bovell’s two free throws for Baldwin, Kevin Thompson hit a three pointer at buzzer from just past the halfcourt line, and Fox Lane was back within striking distrance with one quarter complete, trailing 28-17. Rhoden would not allow the Foxes to pick up any momentum from the dramatic three at the first quarter buzzer, however, opening the second quarter with a three from the left baseline, and Taj Thorpe followed him with a three from the left wing for 34-17 Bruin lead. Barry Carmody tried to keep pace for Fox Lane with a three of his own, but a basket by Caldwell off a nice dish from Gatling and then a fade-away baseline jumper by Gatling and the lead was 17 again, and then a baseline jumper by Bovell, a three from the top by Thorpe, and a running hook shot by Derrick Ruffin made it 47-23 at the half. Bivins went coast to coast mid way through the third quarter to make it 54-25 Baldwin, and Fox Lane never seriously challenged the rest of the way. Bovell added 10 points for the Bruins, and New led Fox Lane with 10.
GAME 2
South Side vs New Rochelle
The Class A Cyclones led most of the way, but Section 1’s Class AA New Rochelle Huguenots, coming off a 9-9 season, rallied to take the lead and held on for a 51-49 victory over Long Island’s 14th ranked team. New Rochelle’s Michael Reyes opened the scoring with a putback, but South Side responded with a left wing three pointer by Matt DiLuccio, and DiLuccio followed it with a drive down the right side of the lane to put the Cyclones up 5-2. Jamel Wallace’s three from the top tied it at 7 with 4:21 to play in the opening quarter, but Tim Awosika’s back to back baskets and the South Side lead was 4. Tyeshon Martin’s three pointer from the right wing knotted things up at 12, but South Side went back on top on a runner by Dami Awosika and a dunk by Tim Awosika. Rashon McNeil’s steal and basket cut it to 16-14 with one quarter in the books, and Jake Amiento tied it for the Huguenots with a jumper from the left elbow as the second quarter got underway, but Matthew Boranian responded with a baseline jumper and a fast break basket, Brandon Greyson pulled up for a jumper in the lane, and Alex Sorenson wove through the defense and scored and the South Side lead was 8. McNeil broke the run with another steal and fast break basket, but a three by Ryan Prendergast off an inbound play made it 27-18 Cyclones with 2:52 to play in the half. New Rochelle closed out the half with back to back threes by Wallace, drawing within 3 as the teams headed into the locker rooms. Tim Awosika’s basket from underneath bumped the South Side lead to 5 early in the third quarter, but Wallace was fouled on another three point attempt and knocked down all three free throws to cut it to 33-31, and McNeil’s putback tied it at 38 with three quarters complete. Wallace drilled his fourth three pointer from the top as the fourth quarter got underway to give the Huguenots a 41-39 lead, their first since early in the game, but South Side kept pace, with Sorenson curling around a screen and scoring and Patrick Basile scoring from underneath after a mad scramble for a loose ball to make it Cyclones by 2. Wallace’s fifth three pointer and New Rochelle regained the lead, and Jonathan Garcia followed him with a three from the top to make it 47-43. After two missed free throws by South Side, Wallace scored a fastbreak basket for a 6 point Huguenot lead with 3:31 on the game clock, but Sorenson nailed a big baseline three to keep it close, and then made a beautiful back door cut, scored and drew the foul, converting the three point play to tie it 49 with 1:28 to play. South Side got the ball back with 1:05 showing after a New Rochelle turnover, but came up empty, and after a time out, it was New Rochelle ball with 18 seconds left. Garcia made a beautiful cut to the basket and scored to put the Huguenots up by 2, and South Side called time out in the front court with 3.8 seconds to play, but the Cyclones turned the ball over trying to get it inbounds and time expired. Heartbreaker! Wallace finished with 6 threes and 25 points for New Rochelle and McNeil added 8 points. Sorensen was high man for South Side with 14 and Greyson, DiLuccio, and Tim Awosika all finished with 8.
Sunday, December 6th
@ Uniondale HS, Uniondale, NY
