BEDFORD, N.Y. - It didn’t end the way Fox Lane boys’ basketball Coach Mike Tomassi and the eighth-seeded Foxes had hoped.
Given its rich playoff history, including five Section 1 championships (1970–72-85-2004-16), Fox Lane expected to advance beyond the opening round of the Class AA tournament in 2025.
However, expectations are only hopes until they are realized, and the Foxes (13-8) ran into a buzzsaw in visiting No.9 Harrison, which utilized its superb physicality to hang a stunning 54-32 season-ending defeat on the Foxes, doing so behind its trademark defense, plus a game-high 22 points from guard Matt McCoy.
The Foxes trailed 22-11 going into the third period and then 26-11 just seconds in before junior G Arthur Shevick’s 3 made it 26-14. There were far too many easy layups for the Huskies, who carried a 39-22 lead into the fourth, the Foxes having played, perhaps, their poorest offensive game of the season.
“Harrison is a strong team, and we knew it would be a tough game,” said Coach Tomassi, a member of the 2004 Section 1 champion Foxes. “Credit to them for how they played. They were physical and made it difficult for us offensively. We also struggled with our shooting, which was a tough combination to overcome.”
Foxes Shevick (9 points, 4 boards), Evan Mayers (4 points, 4 rebounds), Mac Keller (5 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds), Janak Bain (4 points, 4 rebounds) and Eli Daglio (10 points, 1 assist, 2 rebounds) all contributed but never seemed to find their rhythm. That didn’t stop the coach from calling the season a success, which given the tough schedule Fox Lane played, wasn’t a stretch.
“The boys had a fantastic year,” Tomassi said. “With many new faces and players stepping into new roles, winning 13 games and competing for a home playoff game was a great accomplishment. We also dealt with some significant injuries, but the team stayed together and put together a successful season. Overall, I was very happy with how the season went.”
The season goes nowhere without Shevick, an All-Section choice who averaged 22.4 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 3 APG with yet another year to refine his skills, which Tomassi is thrilled to build around.
All-League senior guard Eli Daglio (8 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3APG) was a Swiss-army knife for the Foxes. All-League senior Evan Mayers (9 PPG, 3 RPG, 3 APG) did a little bit of everything well. SUNY Cortland-bound senior Logan Mammola (7 PPG, 6 RPG, 2 APG), a legit baseball player by trade, provided a strong paint presence before getting injured.
“This senior class was special, a great group of kids who worked hard and were committed to winning for Fox Lane,” Tomassi said. “They will be missed, as they played a big role in our program’s success. I've known this group since they were in 6th/7th grade, so we have a special bond that I will remember forever, but we’re excited about our future, too.”
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