HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PREVIEW / Suffolk Races Wide Open: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
John Boell. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 19 Dec 1999
Which of the following will be the biggest story during the 1999- 2000 Suffolk boys basketball season:
(A) Longwood’s superior frontcourt size; (B) Defending state champ Southampton’s experience and skill; (C) Center Moriches and senior guard Tamien Trent, the top returning scorer in the county; or (D) Greenport’s Sam Carey and Gerald Crenshaw, one of the best inside- outside scoring tandems among small schools?
Tick … tock … tick … tock. Feeling nervous? Want to use one of your lifelines? Regis getting on your nerves?
OK. Is that your final answer? Are you sure now? No one really is, and that’s what makes all four Suffolk class races so intriguing.
The Class A race is wide open. Longwood (12-8) leads the pack and features the twin towers of 6-8 senior forward Will McClurkin and 7- foot junior center George Osadchiy, a transfer from Paramus, N.J., and a immigrant from the Ukraine.
Vernon Alonzo (14 ppg), defensive specialist Vinny Samuels and Da’Jon Holmes form Longwood‘s three-senior-guard set.
Westhampton (18-2), a semifinalist last year, is led by All- County senior guard Bronson Martin, who averaged just over 19 points per game last season and has 1,269 career points.
Senior point guard Jeremy Liggon (11 ppg, 5 assists per game) and junior forward Lance Bullock also will start, but the key might be 6- 5 senior center Anthony Haase, a transfer from England.
HIGH SCHOOLS / Longwood Defeats Friars: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 14 Dec 1999
Dennis Terry watched his team closely during practices and scrimmages. Longwood’s boys basketball coach sensed his players needed to play a game, wanted to play a game and had to play a game, and soon.
“The kids had a lot of energy, they haven’t played in a while,” Terry said, “and they’ve been antsy to get out and play.”
St. Anthony’s, a CHSAA contender, presented the Lions with a solid early-season test.
The Lions passed with flying colors.
Will McClurkin, a 6-8 senior forward, scored a career-high 30 points and added 16 rebounds and 3 blocks, and senior guard Da’Jon Holmes added 17 points as Longwood defeated St. Anthony’s, 84-50, last night in a non-league game.
“This is an early game for us, and there’s a lot of work to be done,” Terry said. “But St. Anthony’s is a good program, and we look at this as a win against a quality team.”
Longwood led 20-12 after the first quarter and would outscore St. Anthony’s 18-8 over the next eight minutes to take a 38-20 halftime lead.
But Terry wasn’t impressed, yet.
“I don’t know if it was first-game jitters,” Terry said, “but in the first half, we weren’t playing Longwood defense and Longwood basketball.
“Once the kids realized what we were saying, they started playing the way we coaching staff expect. We won’t settle for anything less.”
Longwood (1-0) utilized a fullcourt trap to force numerous turnovers at the start of the second half, and stretched the lead to 61-33 after three quarters.
“I was really pleased with the way the kids responded in the second half,” said Terry, whose team went 12-7 last year and lost to Westhampton in the Suffolk Class A quarterfinals. “They played much better. It was a good season-opening effort for us.”
Vinny Samuels had eight points and freshman Shareefe Gilyard added seven for Longwood. Vernon Alonzo added five points and eight assists for the Lions.
John Bucaro, who had 31 points in St. Anthony’s season-opening win over St. Joseph’s Sea (S.I.) 10 days ago, had nine points last night. Dan Weadock added eight points for St. Anthony’s (1-1).
Longwood, 96 -Perry County (Ky.), 95
Third Bank Holiday Classic: Mark Hill sank his only basket of the game with two seconds remaining to lift Longwood over Perry County (Ky.), 96-95, in a first-round game of the Third Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington, Ky. D’Jon Holmes’ 27 points and six rebounds; Vernon Alonzo’s 26 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists; and Will McClurkin’s 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 blocked shots led Longwood. -L: Alonzo 9-7-26, Holmes 10-5-27, Samuels 3-0-6, Osadchiy 0-2-2, Hill 1-0-2, Miller 3-1-8, McClurkin 10-5-25. Totals: 36-20-96. PC: Willis 1-0-2, B. Neace 9-2-24, McIntyre 1-2-4, Fugate 6-1-14, Bowling 9-4-25, T. Neace 2-13-17, Adams 3-3-9. Totals: 31-25-95. Three-point goals: L 4 (Holmes 2, Alonzo, Miller); PC 8 (B. Neace 4, Bowling 3, Fugate) Dec. 28
THIRD BANK CLASSIC: Vernon Alonzo had 23 points and Will McClurkin added 13 points for Longwood, which lost to Arch Bishop Alter (Ohio), 87-76, in the third round of the 5th annual Third Bank Kentucky Classic in Lexington, Kentucky. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 30 Dec 1999
Longwood 89, Ward Melville 45
LEAGUE I: Will McClurkin had 31 points and Vernon Alonzo 12 to lead Longwood to an 89-45 win over Ward Melville.
D.J. Holmes, who had 12 points, was taken to SUNY-Stony Brook hospital. Late in the second quarter, Holmes was going up for a basket, but bumped into another player and hit his head on the court.
Assistant coach Art Miller said Holmes was unconsious for a couple of minutes, but was able to speak before he left for the hospital. “He asked me two things,” Miller said. “‘Did the shot go in and how many points do I have?’ I knew then that he was OK.”
Reached at the hospital, Holmes sounded upbeat. “I just wanted to know if we won,” said Holmes, who received six stitches above his right eyebrow.
He added that he was given a CAT scan, but the results were not available.
LEAGUE I
Ward Melville…….201087–45
Longwood…………….17282222–89
WM: A. Lutzer 5-2-12, Maguffin 6-4-16, Rubinstein 1-0-2, Weigel 1- 0-2, Barrett 1-0-2, B. Lutzer 1-0-2, VonBargen 3-1-9. Totals: 18-7- 45. L: Alonzo 4-3-12, McClurkin 13-5-31, Samuels 4-0-8, Osadchiy 1-2- 4, Holmes 4-1-11, Hill 1-0-2, Torres 2-0-4, Quartuccio 1-0-2, Kellman 2-0-4, Terry 1-0-2, Garcia 3-0-7, Gilyard 1-0-2. Totals: 37-11-89. Three-point goals: WM 2 (VonBargen 2); L 4 (Alonzo, Holmes 2, Garcia). Jan. 5
Longwood………………………….22262218 – 88 Smithtown……………………………6182114 -59 L: Alonzo 9-0- 18, McClurkin 10-7-27, Samuels 7-0-16, Osadchly 3-0-6, Holmes 5-3- 14, Miller 1-0-3, Torres 1-0-2, Kuartuccio 1-0-2. Totals: 37-10-88. S: Campo 1-0-2, Cannava 1-1-3, Gambeski 4-2-10, Massa 3-0-7, Pinero 2- 0-4, Schartner 4-5-13, Terebetski 1-1-3, Wenzel 8-3-17. Totals: 22- 12-59. Three-point goals: L 4 (Samuels 2, Holmes, Miller); S (Wenzel 2, Masso). Jan. 14
Tuesday
Longwood……………………………20321819 – 89 Sachem……………………………….11161714 -58 L: Alonzo 9- 3-21, McClurkin 7-9-23, Samuels 4-1-9, Osadchiy 7-5-19, Hill 4-2-10, Miller 2-0-6, Kellman 0-1-1. Totals: 33-21-89. S: Crane 5-0-12, DeLauro 0-2-2, Edwards 2-2-6, Hannigan 1-0-2, Messina 6-3-15, Narcisso 1-2-4, Schnall 2-1-5, Traola 3-3-11, Valentin 0-1-1. Totals: 20-14-58. Three-point goals: L 2 (Miller 2); S 4 (Krane 2, Traola 2). Jan. 14
LEAGUE I: Vernon Alonzo had 22 points and nine assists and Will McClurkin 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead Longwood (4-0) past Patchogue-Medford, 96-83. Corey Gaskin scored 22 points for Patchogue (1-4)…Ricky Edwards came off the bench in the second quarter and scored six points to give Sachem a 13-point halftime lead in its 48- 30 win over Smithtown (1-4). James Traola led Sachem (3-1) with 16 points.
LEAGUE I
Longwood…………………………………30212520 – 96 Patchogue-Medford…………………….8281928 -83
L: Alonzo 9-4-22, McClurkin 8-4-20, Samuels 6-2-15, Osadchiy 3-2- 8, Holmes 7-0-17, Hill 2-0-4, Miller 2-0-5, Terry 0-2-2, Gilyard 1-0- 3. Totals: 38-14-96. PM: Trava 3-1-9, Smith 2-2-6, Gaskin 9-2-22, Cruz 6-2-17, Holland 1-4-6, Herrmann 3-4-10, DeJesus 3-0-9, Britt 1- 2-4. Totals: 28-17-83. Three-point goals: L 6 (Holmes 3, Samuels, Miller, Gilyard); PM 10 (Cruz 3, DeJesus 3, Trava 2, Gaskin 2).
Longwood Topples Floyd: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Jason Molinet. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 22 Jan 2000
A 10-mile stretch of the William Floyd Parkway is all that separates Longwood from Floyd. But the Longwood boys basketball team showed that the gulf between the two League I rivals is much greater on the court.
Behind aggressive guard play and the overbearing front line of 7- footer George Osadchiy and 6-9 Will McClurkin, Longwooddowned Floyd, 87-54, Friday night before a crowd of 1,500 in the Lions’ den.
“I think we’re not as good as we can be right now,” said McClurkin, who signed early with Maryland-Baltimore County. “We have a lot of kinks to work out between now and the playoffs.”
McClurkin was a central figure on last season’s Suffolk Class A quarterfinalist. That too was a high-octane team. Which is why McClurkin is a little leary about the Lions’ fast start this time around. After all, Longwood‘s fun-and-gun style was not too effective when the games meant something. “We’ve been here before,” Longwood coach Dennis Terry said.
There are two reasons to believe Longwood (8-2, 5-0) will go much farther in 2000. One is Osadchiy, a Ukraine native who moved during the summer from New Jersey. Not only has his English improved markedly since classes began in September, but so has his game.
The other reason the Lions are a team that scares the rest of Suffolk is their togetherness. “These kids like each other off the court and it really doesn’t matter to them who does the scoring,” Terry said. “They are very unselfish, and that makes you feel good as a coach because that’s all about teamwork.”
Floyd (8-3, 3-2) found out firsthand. The Colonials saw an early 6- 5 lead vanish behind the play of Longwood‘s backcourt. First there was a driving bucket by Vernon Alonzo (17 points, 10 assists), then Vinny Samuels followed up one of two foul shots with a three- pointer. After a score by Da Jon Holmes, McClurkin’s short jumper put the Lions in front 15-6 with 1:52 left in the opening quarter.
Floyd coach Bob Hodgson sat two top players – Marcel Street and J.B. Bennett – for most of the first quarter for unspecified reasons. Despite that, the Colonials, who shot just 34 percent, closed to within 15-11 on a basket by Sean Burke (17 points) and a three- pointer by Nick Beddow with 1:07 to go. Then came the Lions’ roar – a 17-2 run spanning the first and second quarters that buried Floyd. McClurkin (23 points and nine rebounds) and Osadchiy (8 points, 7 boards, 4 blocks) altered shots and generally wreaked havoc during Floyd‘s dry spell.
“When we do press, we have the luxury of having them back there,” Terry said. “On offense, they present a problem. Who do you double?”
THIS WEEK / A LOOK AT THE TOP HIGH SCHOOL GAMES AND PLAYERS: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
REPORTED BY STEVEN D. SIDERATOS. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 25 Jan 2000:
SUFFOLK WINTER SPORTS
BOYS BASKETBALL
Longwood at Brentwood (Today, 6 p.m.): Can anyone in League I -or Long Island -beat Longwood? Sure, the Lions suffered a pair of losses, but they were to teams from out of state. Longwood‘s talent and depth have given everyone fits, but Brentwood has some of its own, including Michael Session, James McGirt, Christian Johnson and Rob Hall. The Lions’ size, with 7-footer George Osadchiy and 6-8 Will McClurkin, and the three-guard set of Vernon Alonzo, Vinny Samuels and Da’Jon Holmes could be too much.
Session Helps Brentwood Top Longwood: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 30 Jan 2000
The play was designed for Brentwood’s Michael Session to get the ball at the top of the key and take it to the basket in an attempt to tie the score. He had other plans. The 6-4 junior center received a pass near midcourt, took a few dribbles and connected on a 35-foot shot with two seconds left to give Brentwood a 71-70 League I victory over previously unbeaten Longwood last night at Brentwood.
After a three-pointer by Brentwood’s James McGirt cut Longwood’s lead to 69-68 with 12 seconds left, Vernon Alonzo was fouled and made one of two free throws to give Longwood (5-1) a two-point lead and set the stage for Session’s theatrics.
“I asked Michael if he had hit a game-winner before, and he said no, but that he had dreamed about it three times last week,” Brentwood coach Marty Riger said.
After Session’s three-pointer, Longwood called timeout and set up a play. Will McClurkin, a 6-9 senior, caught a court-length pass but missed a short jumper. Da’Jon Holmes tipped the ball in but after time expired. Longwood coach Dennis Terry, who contends his team won, said he is protesting the game.
Session finished with 16 points, and McGirt had 26 points, including five three-pointers, for Brentwood (5-1).
McClurkin led Longwood with 30 points, including 18 in the first half. Alonzo added 22 points.
Patchogue-Medford……………..8 81119 – 46 Longwood………………………….18202026 – 84 P: Trava 3-4- 13, Smith 2-5-9, Gaskin 3-1-9, Cruz 1-3-5, Holland 0-1-1, Herrmann 0- 4-4, Roeder 2-0-5. Totals: 11-18-46. L: Alonzo 2-1-5, McClurkin 11-2- 25, Samuels 5-1-11, Osadchiy 3-0-6, Holmes 4-0-10, Hill 1-0-2, Miller 1-0-3, Torres 2-1-5, Quartuccio 3-0-7, Kellman 1-0-2, Flowers 1-0-2, Terry 0-1-1, Garcia 1-0-3, Gilyard 0-2-2. Totals: 35-8-84. Three- point goals: P 6 (Trava 3, Gaskin 2, Roeder); L 6 (Holmes 2, McClurkin, Miller, Quartuccio, Garcia). Feb. 12
Big Crowd Sees Longwood Victory Over Floyd: [SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 16 Feb 2000
Will McClurkin led Longwood with 18 points in a 70-61 League I boys basketball victory over Floyd last night in front of a crowd of 1,800, according to Floyd coach Bob Hodgson.
Longwood (10-1) extended its lead to 59-38 at the end of the third quarter. Floyd closed it to 62-50 with four minutes remaining, but couldn’t get any closer. Vernon Alonzo had 11 points and eight assists for Longwood. Marcele Street and Dave Horvath each scored 17 points and J.B. Bennett had 13 points, 14 rebounds and 6 blocks for Floyd (6-5).
LEAGUE I: De’Jon Holmes scored 21 points and Vernon Alonzo added 19 points and 10 assists as Longwood beat Brentwood, 90-56. Will McClurkin finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Longwood (11- 1). Robert Hall had 12 points to lead Brentwood (8-4)-Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 18 Feb 2000:
LEAGUE I: De’Jon Holmes scored 21 points and Vernon Alonzo added 19 points and 10 assists as Longwood beat Brentwood, 90-56. Will McClurkin finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Longwood (11- 1). Robert Hall had 12 points to lead Brentwood (8-4)…James Traola, whose three-pointer with three seconds left brought Sachem within three, nearly tied the game at the buzzer, but his three-point attempt off an inbounds steal hit the rim as Floyd held on for a 54- 51 win. Traola had 19 points for Sachem (8-4). David Horvath had 22 points for Floyd (7-5). Feb. 18
Playoff Preview
Longwood (14-3) is the favorite in the 14-team Class A playoffs because it features a capable guard in Vernon Alonzo and the intimidating front line of 6-9 Will McClurkin and 7-footer George Osadchiy.
Brentwood coach Marty Riger, whose team is the only one in the state to beat Longwood, breaks down the Lions. Brentwood(11-7) – the eighth seed- could meet Longwood in the second round Thursday.
“I guess you have to make a 35-footer at the buzzer. That’s what we did,” Riger said. “First of all, you have to keep the big guys off the boards. You have to keep Alonzo out of the lane. And you have to be able to handle the full-court pressure. You have to make them expend energy on defense and you have to control the tempo.”
No. 2 Whitman (15-3) earned a first-round bye along with Longwood. And like the Lions, Whitman has an impressive front court of 6-7 Damion Fray and 6-3 Bobby Sanders, and smooth guard Devon Betts. Feb. 19
Longwood Turns Back Southampton: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 21 Feb 2000:
Suffolk basketball fans got a sneak peak at a possible county final when the top-seeded schools in Class A and B mixed it up Saturday.
Da’Jon Holmes scored all 18 of his points in the third quarter as Longwood, the No. 1 seed in Class A, opened up a 14-point lead en route to a 90-71 non-league win over Southampton.
Southampton had led 41-39 at the half, but four three-pointers by Holmes and added defensive pressure helped the Lions outscore Southampton 29-13 in the quarter. Longwood‘s Will McClurkin scored a career-high 33 points and Vernon Alonzo recorded his first career triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Darrin Miller led Southampton with 27 points and Courtney Pritchard added 16 points.
Longwood Victorious: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Jason Molinet. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 27 Feb 2000:
Westhampton senior Antony Haase took the inbounds pass near the basket with 3.2 seconds left against top-seeded Longwood in the Suffolk boys basketball Class A semifinal last night and immeditely fired a high, arching shot. The ball cleared the long arms of Longwood‘s 7-foot center, George Osadchiy, and found its target.
First the ball rolled invitingly around the rim only to fall away into the hungry hands of Longwood‘s other big man, 6-9 dominator Will McClurkin, as the buzzer sounded. He then tucked the ball under one arm and dashed excitedly the length of the court with his teammates following.
This was how one of the best games in Suffolk playoff history ended, with the 3,000 fans at the Indoor Athletic Complex at the University at Stony Brook in bedlam and with Longwood running for the locker room, a 61-60 victory neatly tucked away.
“During the [League I] season, games were basically over in the third quarter,” said McClurkin, whose low-post game netted 23 points on 10-for-18 shooting and 10 rebounds. “This was the closest game I’ve ever played in. I’ve never been challenged to the point where someone was in front and back of me at all times.”
That was a fitting analogy of how No. 4 Westhampton (19-2) played, always nipping at the heels of the mighty Lions. No. 2 Whitman awaits Longwood (18-1). The teams will play for the Suffolk Class A title at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the University at Stony Brook.
“We negated their height by trapping and running,” said Westhampton senior Bronson Martin, who finished with 20 points despite two sprained ankles.
Martin, a five-year starter and 1,700-point scorer, had a chance to force overtime when he was fouled by Vinny Samuels with 4.5 seconds left. He cooly hit the first to pull the Hurricanes within 61- 60. But the second attempt failed. Haase and Osadchiy battled for the loose ball. The whistle blew and jump ball was called. The possession arrow favored Westhampton, and apparently so did destiny.
A game in which the lead changed hands 16 times appropriately went down to the last shot. All McClurkin thought once the ball went airborne? “Oh no!”
Haase’s 10-footer with 2:13 left did tie it at 55. It was a chess match from there. The Lions appeared to pull away with big baskets by Osadchiy (9 points, 7 rebounds, 10 blocks) and McClurkin. Adam Kandell’s steal and layup pulled the Hurricanes within 59-57 with 32 seconds left. Longwood‘s Da’Jon Holmes made it 61-57 by converting both his foul shots with 22 seconds left and Kandell countered by sinking two free throws with 11 seconds to go. McClurkin was sent to the line with 10.4 seconds left, but missed the front end of a one- and-one to set up the final thrilling sequence.
“We kept our composure and did what we needed to do,” Longwood coach Dennis Terry said. “I’m just so happy for the kids.”
This also might have been the final game at Westhampton for coach Rich Wrase, who has a 168-26 mark over nine seasons, including a Class B state Federation title in 1998. “It’s been a great run at Westhampton, but I’m looking for another job,” Wrase said matter-of- factly. He then added with a smile, “Was that a great game or what?”
SUFFOLK CLASS A TOURNAMENT
Semifinal – At University at Stony Brook
Westhampton…………………………….19 14 11 16 – 60
Longwood………………………………….19 15 13 14 – 61
W: Martin 7-4-20, Haase 3-2-8, Liggon 6-3-17, Bullock 2-0-4, Kandell 3-2-9, Kerr 1-0-2. Totals: 22-11-60. L: Alonzo 5-0-10, McClurkin 10-3-23, Osadchiy 4-1-9, Holmes 2-2-6, Samuels 6-0-13. Totals: 27-6-61. Three-point goals: W 5 (Martin 2, Liggon 2, Kandell); L 1 (Samuels).
‘A’ Title First for Longwood / McClurkin leads Lions past Whitman: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
John Boell. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 01 Mar 2000:
When Will McClurkin is in the zone, he’s really in the zone. Longwood‘s 6-9 forward was shocked when he was taken out of last night’s Suffolk Class A championship boys basketball game against Whitman.
“I felt like I was dreaming. I knew I didn’t have four fouls,” McClurkin said. “But I wasn’t sure why coach [Dennis Terry] took me out.”
Terry, who was just trying to get in two more substitutes late in the game, greeted McClurkin with a double high five and ahug.
Then it hit the senior all at once: “We won the championship,” an enthusiastic McClurkin screamed.
And he was one of the big reasons why. McClurkin had 22 points and 13 rebounds and the Lions went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final 42 seconds to seal Longwood‘s first title in school history with a hard-fought 59-51 victory before 4,200 at the University at Stony Brook.
Top-seeded Longwood (18-1) faces Small Schools champ Amityville for the Suffolk Overall Championship at 3 p.m. Saturday at the University at Stony Brook. Class B champ Amityville beat Class C champ Center Moriches, 71-48, in the firstgame of the doubleheader.
“This was huge,” said McClurkin, who will attend the University at Maryland-Baltimore County this fall. “This isn’t our only goal, but we’re happy right now.”
And the Lions were happy when they took their largest lead of the game, 52-44, with 4:41 remaining. But a gritty Whitman team refused to go away and scored the next seven points and got within one, 52- 51, with 2:45 left.
Both teams traded turnovers twice, before Longwood went down low to McClurkin, who hit a turnaround jumper at the 1:42 mark that stretched the lead to three.
After the Wildcats’ third straight turnover, and with just four team fouls, Whitman decided to foul late. Three fouls later and Vernon Alonzo (12 points) was at the line shooting a one-and-one with 42 seconds remaining.
With the Whtiman faithful waving balloons and yelling behind the backboard, the senior guard knocked down two clutch free throws and Longwood was up five.
After a missed Whitman three-pointer, 7-foot George Osadchiy (6 points, 12 rebounds, 7 blocks) hit two more free throws and the lead was seven. Whitman (17-4) missed another three-point attempt, and Longwood‘s Mark Hill, who came off the bench with nine points, hit one of two free throws with 2.6 seconds left as the celebration began for the Lions.
“People underestimated, but we played a tough League II schedule,” Whitman coach Tom Fitzpatrick said. “We thought we took their big guy [Osadchiy] out of the game early, but Longwood is a great team to be able to come back.”
Longwood came back after Whitman scored nine of the first 11 points. The teams would play even until late in the firstquarter. Longwood scored six of the final eight points but Whitman led 19-14.
That lead would be stretched to seven (21-14) on a Peter Ferenz putback just 25 seconds into the second quarter. Longwood then went on a 12-0 run and led 26-21 with 3:08 left in the first half.
But the Wildcats would answer with a 10-4 run to close the half, highlighted by a Damion Fray steal and dunk as the Whitman team stormed off the floor in excitement with a 31-30 lead. Fray finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds, but had just four points in the second half. Bobby Sanders led Whitman with 14 points and Devon Betts added 10.
Daily Double Denied / Longwood boys fall to Amity in OT: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
David Pierson. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 05 Mar 2000: C28.
When Longwood‘s Eddie Garcia hit a three-pointer to tie the score with two seconds left in the fourth quarter, sending the 2,500 spectators at the University at Stony Brook into pandemonium, Billy Kretz and his Amityville boys basketball teammates didn’t panic. Instead, things started feeling a lot more familiar and comfortable.
“Overtime means the game is ours,” said Kretz, whose Warriors already had won two extra-session contests in the playoffs and beat Nassau Class A champion Hempstead in December in triple overtime. “The fifth quarter is our best quarter, and we were so confident going in.”
The 6-4 senior hit a three-pointer with 1:09 remaining in overtime to break a tie at 65 and Amityville went on to a 70-67 victory yesterday to capture the Suffolk overall championship.
It is the third time Amityville, a Class B school, has defeated a Class A opponent to take the county title. It also won it in1991 and 1996. The Warriors (21-2) will face Nassau champ Westbury (20-3) for the Long Island Class B championship at noon Saturday at Nassau CC. Longwood (18-4) will play Hempstead (21-2) for the Long Island Class A title at 3 p.m Saturday at Nassau CC.
After Longwood‘s Will McClurkin (31 points) scored on a layup with 51 seconds remaining to shrink Amityville’s lead to 68-67, the teams exchanged turnovers before Tristan Smith was fouled and extended the lead with two free throws. Longwoodattempted one last three-pointer with two seconds remaining, but it fell short.
“This is the top game I’ve ever participated in,” said Smith, who had 15 points and made the steal with 19 seconds left that resulted in the foul and the final two points. “It was a dogfight and we have bragging rights in Suffolk now.”
No team held a lead greater than two points after any quarter and Longwood overcame a 53-46 deficit with six minutes toplay in regulation thanks to McClurkin, who scored 10 points in the fourth quarter.
“It was very hard to guard [McClurkin] after our big guy Jason Fraser was fouled out with six [minutes] to go,” Amityville coach Jack Agostino said.
Amityville shot an impressive 22-for-31 from the free-throw line and maintained intense defensive pressure in overtime. “Our main thing is our defense,” Agostino said. “Our offense is often erratic.”
Kretz agreed. “Our defense makes our offense, especially tonight. This was the most intense game I’ve ever been in.”
Kretz led Amityville with 17 points and Smith had nine of his points from the foul line. Vernon Alonzo had 12 points for Longwood.
SUFFOLK COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
At University at Stony Brook
State CHAMPIONSHIPS / INSIDE HIGH SCHOOLS / Driven to Succeed / Terry latest among best from East: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Jason Molinet. STAFF CORRESPONDENT. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 19 Mar 2000
Glens Falls-Five minutes remained as Dennis Terry prowled the sideline and anxiously shot long glances at the overhead scoreboard at the Glens Falls Civic Center. You might have thought the Longwood boys basketball coach was in a dogfight rather than the final stretch of a watershed win.
Longwood will play for its first state Class A public schools championship thanks to yesterday’s 87-51 semifinal win over Rochester Wilson Magnet (Section V), but Terry already is in special company. He is the latest in a succession of black basketball coaches in Eastern Suffolk County whose programs have reached Glens Falls in recent years, joining Southampton’s Herm Lamison and Bridgehampton’s Carl Johnson. Lamison’s team won the Class B state public schools title a year ago, while Johnson won three straight Class D championships from 1996-98.
Terry is one of five black coaches on Long Island who won a county title this season, including Malverne’s Darrol Lopez, whose parents are from Panama. Lopez’ team played for the Class C state crown late last night. Hempstead’s Ted Adams, Westbury’s Dwight Gibson and Bridgehampton’s Johnson are the others. It’s a fraternity with no bylaws. There are no meetings. And the only dues paid come in the form of long hours spent in musty gyms.
“When I started coaching, I watched those programs at Southampton and Bridgehampton and emulated what they were doing,” Terry said. “I’ve gotten to know and respect Herm Lamison and Carl Johnson. We have the same types of players. I begged, borrowed and stole from those programs whatever worked.”
The Lions play Mount Vernon (I) for the title at 3 p.m. today. Rather than gloat on the achievement, Terry sat in the locker room and thought back to his early failures. When Terry took over the Longwood program eight seasons ago, he suffered through a 3-15 campaign and carried the burden of replacing mentor and legend Bob O’Neill, who coached the Lions for 26 seasons. Terry currently has a record of 87-67, and won his first, and school’s first, Suffolk Class A title this season.
“I look back at what we’ve accomplished and it’s for all the others who have passed through this program,” said Terry, who was a 1970 Longwood graduate and played two seasons under O’Neill. “That county title was for them. That was the goal back then. This win is for us.”
In the bleached walls of the locker room, it’s impossible to miss Terry‘s gray pinstriped suit and flashy tie with matching hankerchief. He dresses for success and insists his players do the same. Longwood players wear ties on game days. It is just one of the many reasons why Terry is not your typical high school coach.
His mother, Mary Terry, was the influence behind his dress code for players. The coach was the seventh of 12 children who grew up in Eastern Suffolk. And even though he is now 47, and his mother passed away 21 years ago, Terry recites what she told him as the gospel. “The first impression is a lasting one,” he said. “I get that from my mother. She said, ‘Make sure it’s clean and make sure it’s ironed.’ “
Terry has taught social studies at Longwood for 26 years after earning a degree at Albany State. He is particularly proud of one of the classes he instructs: “Racial Identity.” The subjects are taboo in many households, but Terry‘s class delves into many contemporary issues such as sexism, racism and sexuality in today’s society.
It may explain his outlook on the topic of black basketball coaches. While he’s flattered to be compared with the likes of Lamison and Johnson, he’d rather the element of race not be part of the equation. He is simply the latest in a succession of esteemed Eastern Suffolk coaches. Period.
“You judge a person by the character of a person,” Terry said. “Not by the color of their skin.”
In that respect, count Terry among the best. “I knew about the work ethic he brought,” Longwood athletic director Don Webster said. “But the way he treats his kids is unique. He’s concerned about them growing personally as well as with the program.”
Terry‘s values also are evident in what he promised his team as they walked into the Civic Center for the first time. “We lose the game and it’s McDonald’s for dinner,” he repeated. “We win and we’re going to a steakhouse.”
So after the semifinal win, Terry‘s assistants were busy trying to make reservations for 22 at a local restaurant. Time to eat like champions.
HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS / Bitter Loss for Longwood: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Jason Molinet. STAFF CORRESPONDENT. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 20 Mar 2000
Glens Falls – Television cameras at yesterday’s Class A state public schools championship game between boys basketball behemoths Longwood and Mount Vernon recorded the final frantic seconds of regulation.
History will note that Mount Vernon forced overtime with a buzzer- beating tip-in before securing a 76-69 victory and the title.
Replays on a small courtside monitor revealed the sorry truth: Longwood was robbed.
Here’s what the cameras caught: Mount Vernon junior guard Ben Gordon cut through the lane and hoisted a shot. The ball hit the back of the rim and bounced straight toward the rafters of the Glens Falls Civic Center.
Longwood senior center Will McClurkin, who had the best view among the crowd of 2,400, watched in disbelief from under the basket.
“I would have grabbed the ball, and I could have grabbed it, but I felt it was over the cylinder,” he said. Basketball rules forbid interference with the ball while on or above the rim. “I heard the buzzer as I was waiting. Then somebody came over the top and over my back and tipped it in.”
The final buzzer sounded and then came the hand of 6-8 senior Greg Jenkins, replays showed, who tipped the ball into the basket after time had expired. Nassau official Tom Casey Jr. was trailing the play and had the best view to make the call. In one forceful motion he signaled the basket was good.
Unbeaten Mount Vernon (Section I) remained alive. It all unfolded so fast, only the unforgiving eye of the camera could see the truth.
“I’m just mad it went to overtime,” Gordon said after scoring 30 points to earn MVP honors. “It shouldn’t gotten to that point. If the referee had called it the other way, we lose and Longwood is the state champion.”
Longwood (20-5) became the first Suffolk team to reach the Class A final since North Babylon won it all in 1983. And with seven seconds left in regulation, it appeared the Lions would be crowned champions to end the drought.
Junior Mark Hill, a reserve guard who transferred to Longwood from St. Raymond’s in the Bronx, made perhaps the steal of the season when he knocked the ball away from Knights sophomore guard Jomo Belfor and dived on it just past midcourt. Belfor landed on top of Hill and was called for the foul.
Hill went to the foul line with two chances to turn a tie at 61 into a Longwood lead. Hill’s first try rattled around and dropped in. His second was a textbook attempt, and Longwood led 63-61.
“I really thought we were going to win the state championship once I hit those free throws,” Hill said.
But Mount Vernon (27-0) forced overtime and then outscored the deflated Lions 13-6 in the extra session.
After playing so valiantly through four quarters, McClurkin was not a factor in overtime. The 6-9 center, bound for Maryland- Baltimore County, finished with 27 points, shot 10-for-18 from the field and had 10 rebounds.
“I played my heart out,” said McClurkin, who was named to the All- Tournament team with fellow senior Da’Jon Holmes. “That’s how I was able to walk off the court. Otherwise, I’d still be sitting out there.”
CLASS A STATE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT
Final – At Glens Falls Civic Center
| Longwood…………………….10 15 19 19 6 – |
| 69 |
| Mount Vernon……………….13 16 14 20 13 – 76 |
Leaving Very Little to Chance / Longwood’s McClurkin rides routine, father’s help to Suffolk honor: [NASSAU AND SUFFOLK Edition]
Jason Molinet. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 24 Apr 2000
The ritual called for two slices of cheese pizza, one garlic knot, a bottle of ginseng tea-and lots of introspection. Once WillMcClurkin gathered the ingredients, he sat at the same swivel stool at a pizzeria facing the traffic whizzing along Middle Country Road in Middle Island.
This was how Longwood’s 6-9 senior center prepared for game days this season, with pizza and meditation. “I’m not really superstitious,” said McClurkin, who noted he ordered the same meal and sat in the same spot each time, “but I don’t want anything to happen.”
Growing up in a home in which both parents are Suffolk County sheriffs, you learn to leave nothing to chance. His father, Willie McClurkin, having seen what happens when teenagers take the wheel of a vehicle, banned his son from riding with friends until this year.
“When I was 16, that was a tough age,” McClurkin said. “I wasn’t allowed to get into cars with friends. My dad sees kids my age going to jail every day. That’s why he’d clamp down on me.”
Leave nothing to chance.
Whether it was his ceremonial pregame meal, the way he played on the court or even his selection of colleges, McClurkin didn’t leave anything to chance. Because he wanted the decision behind him, and because he was so sure of the choice, McClurkin signed with Maryland- Baltimore County in November. Then he set Suffolk County on fire, powering Longwood to a 20-5 season and the state public schools Class A title game in the most memorable postseason run in school history.
“When I was working hard over the summer, I knew things would come together for my senior year,” McClurkin said.
He not only was the most improved player around, but a panel of coaches, officials and sportswriters thought he was the best. McClurkin is this year’s winner of Newsday’s Richard Sandler Award, given to Suffolk’s top player.
McClurkin did it by dominating the inside. He scored at will, rebounded with ferocity and swatted shots with authority. But what really made McClurkin, who averaged 22.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, dangerous was his ability to run and to consistently hit the jump shot. Just ask Hempstead, which saw McClurkin nail a pair of three-pointers as the Lions emerged with a 68-57 win in the Long Island Class A championship game.
“He was our go-to guy,” Longwood coach Dennis Terry said. “Every game you could count on him. That’s saying a lot on the high school level.”
Even on the play that ultimately cost Longwood the state title, McClurkin did the right thing; it just didn’t work out for him. With Longwood ahead 63-61, McClurkin had inside position on the desperation shot put up by Mount Vernon guard Ben Gordon just before time expired in the fourth quarter. But before McClurkin could reach for the rebound, Mount Vernon’s 6-8 center, Greg Jenkins, went over McClurkin’s back and tipped in the ball. Video replays showed that the buzzer already had sounded and that the ball was still in the cylinder when Jenkins touched it, a violation. But the basket counted and Mount Vernon (Section I) pulled away in overtime, 76-69.
McClurkin has had to deal with the bitter truth that even when you leave nothing to chance, the unexpected can happen. “I’ve watched the replay over and over again,” McClurkin said. “The ball was over the cylinder and the buzzer sounded. If I would have touched the ball, I think I would have been called for defensive goaltending. The right play was for me to grab the ball once it came off the cylinder.
“But that’s behind me. The next day I started working out to get ready for next year.”
McClurkin wasn’t always the star. His basketball career didn’t kick into high gear until his commitment changed. Even though basketball was a big part of his life-McClurkin played for the Middle Island PAL since he was 8 and was the biggest player on the team even then-he was far from the dominator he has become. “I was probably the worst on the team,” he said. “I was clumsy.”
His father, a deputy for six years and a former Copiague standout, helped his son take his game to the next level. Willie, who stands 6- 6, took an active interest in Will’s development. He also was a prominent and vocal figure at Longwood games.
“When I was in 10th grade, I’d hear all kinds of coaching tips coming from him in the stands like ‘Get the rebound,”‘ McClurkin said of his outspoken dad. “But he couldn’t say much this year.”
When the elder McClurkin suffered a collapsed lung April 14, he landed in St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson. His condition has improved, but McClurkin remains hospitalized. That his dad could not be part of the picture that accompanies this story upset both father and son.
“Will is a little upset,” said his mom, Darlene, a lieutenant in the sheriff’s department. “It’s because of his father that he’s been able to accomplish what he’s done.”
WILL McCLURKIN FILE
School: Longwood
Grade: Senior
Height: 6-9
Position: Center
BY THE NUMBERS
| Year Avg. Reb. Blk. |
| 1998 5.2 5.0 1.3 |
| 1999 11.4 9.6 2.5 |
| 2000 22.8 10.6 1.9 |
| Totals 14.0 8.6 1.9 |
| CAREER HIGHLIGHTS |
McClurkin went from being Longwood’s fourth-leading scorer as a junior-228 points in 20 games-to the highest single-season scorer in program history this season with 571 points in 25 games . . . Named to the state public schools Class A all-tournament team after scoring 48 points and grabbing 20 rebounds in two games at Glens Falls . . . Ran cross country as a freshman . . . Signed before the season with Maryland-Baltimore County.