Somers basketball starts strong with wins over Croton and John Jay

SOMERS, N.Y. - After a tough 3-win season last year, the Somers boys basketball team is hoping to start fresh in 2024-25, and early results suggest progress. Led by Coach James Loughran, the Tuskers are relying on a mix of returning talent and new leadership to improve on last year’s record.

“What this offseason proved was a lot of guys became motivated off a three-win season,” Loughran said. “It’s propelled us and we’ve found a lot of leadership.”

At the guard positions, Nico Quinones and Leo Keimig return, while Julian Rosa, Arman Rao, and James Brinn rotate between the front and backcourt. With sharpshooter Phil Santore no longer in the lineup, Loughran hopes Keimig’s expanded shot will help fill the void.

“He’s worked hard in the offseason to improve his outside game,” Loughran said.

In the middle, undersized but physical Chris Decker anchors the post, and James Brinn brings intensity from his soccer background.

“He’s our go-to motivator,” Loughran said. “His energy sets the tone for everyone.”

Defensively, Somers is mixing man-to-man, traps, and full-court pressure, focusing on day-to-day improvement. “We’ve been telling the guys, just do better than yesterday,” Loughran said.

The Tuskers opened the season with a win over Croton-Harmon and traveled to John Jay on Saturday, Dec. 6, aiming to erase memories of last year’s tough loss. “They beat us up pretty bad last year,” said Keimig. But this year, Somers jumped out to an 18-point lead midway through the third quarter. When John Jay cut the lead to ten, Keimig stepped up. “They’re coming back on their home court, and he delivered when we needed it,” Loughran said.

The game began with tight back-and-forth action, with Alex Palacio and corner threes from Quinones and Ben O’Brien giving Somers an early edge. Arman Rao’s corner triple late in the first quarter gave the Tuskers a lead they would not relinquish. Strong inside play from Decker, Rossi, and O’Brien, along with contributions from David Hauser and Nate Summer, helped Somers build a 19-point halftime cushion at 39-22.

John Jay made a run in the third, cutting the lead to ten, but clutch baskets from Rossi and Summer, along with key free throws from Rao, sealed the win. “They open up things for the rest of us,” said Keimig of the big men after his clutch long ball. Loughran also praised Rossi’s effort: “He did some really good stuff for us tonight, that’s why he saw a lot of minutes.”

With leadership emerging and early victories boosting confidence, the Tuskers are off to a promising start.

“We just want to keep improving every day,” Loughran said. Fans will be watching to see if the team can sustain its intensity and take a big step forward this season.