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KINGSTON — When Drew Kozak hit that 3-pointer with 41 seconds left, resuscitating their chances and enlivening the crowd, few people who have followed this team were surprised.
That was another "But of course..." moment from a group that has created so many of them in recent years.
And when that shot from the corner found the net, Kozak said, "I'm telling myself, 'We're winning this game!' We believe in each other and have confidence that we're gonna find a way to make it happen."
Those points pulled Our Lady of Lourdes within four and a comeback still was unlikely, given the time remaining and the Warriors’ reliance then on missed free throws even to have a chance. But in that instant, even their most pragmatic fan wouldn't have ruled it out.
Overcoming: 'Inspired' Lourdes holds off Washingtonville to repeat as section champ
High rollers: Cassidy, Ortega lead Arlington to first state championship
Because this team, throughout a difficult season, kept finding ways to find a way. They overcame injuries and adversity, the graduation of stars, and the challenges of seeing their coach clinging to life in the hospital, and all the changes that followed.
"After one of our games this season, Andrew came into the locker room with blood on his jersey," boys basketball coach Jim Santoro said of Kozak, who had a blood-stained jersey during the fourth quarter of this game as well. "That was the descriptive image of our season. We were bloodied, but we fought until the end."
Lourdes was overmatched against Section 4's Binghamton on Saturday, battered in a figurative sense when it seemed to the score was out of reach, but they fought until the final buzzer of a 70-63 loss in the Class AA regional final.
The Patriots advance to face Section 1's Tappan Zee in a state semifinal on Thursday 2:30 p.m. at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.
"It's sad," Kozak said, "but we're a family and we support each other and think of the positives. We won the section, and we battled today. We should be proud of ourselves."
As the players exited the locker room at Kingston High School, greeted by their parents and schoolmates with applause, it was clear that they made a lot of people proud. In the last two seasons, this core has delivered to the program two Section 9 championships and a regional title last year.
Zach Hart had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Lourdes (16-6). Kozak had three steals and scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, leading the late rally. Bleck Ngon added 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of," said Santoro, who narrowly survived a sepsis infection last fall and has a major surgery upcoming this month. "A team can't get this far unless they're good, they've gotten lucky, and they've worked their butt off. All three of those things happened for us."
Kozak, a football player committed to Sacred Heart, described Santoro as "the toughest person I know." He said the team drew inspiration from its coach battling illness, and "we wanted to win for him."
But the Warriors, playing without injured standout Tommy Simpson, didn't have enough to keep up with Binghamton. The Patriots led 20-12 after the first quarter and extended to a 14-point lead in the third.
Zubayr Griffin's free throws put them up 61-48 with 3:12 remaining before Lourdes charged back, sparked by Kozak's steal and three-point play. The senior then hit two 3-pointers in the last 90 seconds, the second of which came on Hart's pass from the post that pulled them within 66-62.
"Give (Lourdes) a lot of credit, because they never let up," Griffin said. "They did a good job with transition threes. I think we were faster and we took advantage by being aggressive, and we took it to them. But every time you looked, they were fighting back and keeping it close."
Griffin scored 26 and Derek Abu added 19 points for the Patriots (18-3). Binghamton last year fell in the subregional, losing by a point to Peekskill, which Lourdes then beat on Simpson's dramatic three en route to the state semifinals.
But the Warriors, after losing stars Patrick Faughnan and Matt Apenteng to graduation and having Hart limited by an ankle injury this season, still found a way to find their way to the state quarterfinals.
"All we can do is look forward, and the focus shifts to the kids coming back," Kozak said. "It's like, 'Get the team back to where we were this year and give yourselves another chance.'"
Stephen Haynes: [email protected]; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boys basketball: Lourdes falls to Binghamton in Class AA regional final
Continue reading...
That was another "But of course..." moment from a group that has created so many of them in recent years.
And when that shot from the corner found the net, Kozak said, "I'm telling myself, 'We're winning this game!' We believe in each other and have confidence that we're gonna find a way to make it happen."
You must be registered for see images attach
Those points pulled Our Lady of Lourdes within four and a comeback still was unlikely, given the time remaining and the Warriors’ reliance then on missed free throws even to have a chance. But in that instant, even their most pragmatic fan wouldn't have ruled it out.
Overcoming: 'Inspired' Lourdes holds off Washingtonville to repeat as section champ
High rollers: Cassidy, Ortega lead Arlington to first state championship
Because this team, throughout a difficult season, kept finding ways to find a way. They overcame injuries and adversity, the graduation of stars, and the challenges of seeing their coach clinging to life in the hospital, and all the changes that followed.
"After one of our games this season, Andrew came into the locker room with blood on his jersey," boys basketball coach Jim Santoro said of Kozak, who had a blood-stained jersey during the fourth quarter of this game as well. "That was the descriptive image of our season. We were bloodied, but we fought until the end."
You must be registered for see images attach
Lourdes was overmatched against Section 4's Binghamton on Saturday, battered in a figurative sense when it seemed to the score was out of reach, but they fought until the final buzzer of a 70-63 loss in the Class AA regional final.
The Patriots advance to face Section 1's Tappan Zee in a state semifinal on Thursday 2:30 p.m. at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.
"It's sad," Kozak said, "but we're a family and we support each other and think of the positives. We won the section, and we battled today. We should be proud of ourselves."
You must be registered for see images attach
As the players exited the locker room at Kingston High School, greeted by their parents and schoolmates with applause, it was clear that they made a lot of people proud. In the last two seasons, this core has delivered to the program two Section 9 championships and a regional title last year.
Zach Hart had 22 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for Lourdes (16-6). Kozak had three steals and scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, leading the late rally. Bleck Ngon added 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of," said Santoro, who narrowly survived a sepsis infection last fall and has a major surgery upcoming this month. "A team can't get this far unless they're good, they've gotten lucky, and they've worked their butt off. All three of those things happened for us."
You must be registered for see images attach
Kozak, a football player committed to Sacred Heart, described Santoro as "the toughest person I know." He said the team drew inspiration from its coach battling illness, and "we wanted to win for him."
But the Warriors, playing without injured standout Tommy Simpson, didn't have enough to keep up with Binghamton. The Patriots led 20-12 after the first quarter and extended to a 14-point lead in the third.
Zubayr Griffin's free throws put them up 61-48 with 3:12 remaining before Lourdes charged back, sparked by Kozak's steal and three-point play. The senior then hit two 3-pointers in the last 90 seconds, the second of which came on Hart's pass from the post that pulled them within 66-62.
You must be registered for see images attach
"Give (Lourdes) a lot of credit, because they never let up," Griffin said. "They did a good job with transition threes. I think we were faster and we took advantage by being aggressive, and we took it to them. But every time you looked, they were fighting back and keeping it close."
Griffin scored 26 and Derek Abu added 19 points for the Patriots (18-3). Binghamton last year fell in the subregional, losing by a point to Peekskill, which Lourdes then beat on Simpson's dramatic three en route to the state semifinals.
But the Warriors, after losing stars Patrick Faughnan and Matt Apenteng to graduation and having Hart limited by an ankle injury this season, still found a way to find their way to the state quarterfinals.
"All we can do is look forward, and the focus shifts to the kids coming back," Kozak said. "It's like, 'Get the team back to where we were this year and give yourselves another chance.'"
Stephen Haynes: [email protected]; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boys basketball: Lourdes falls to Binghamton in Class AA regional final
Continue reading...
