Somers youth basketball hopes to learn from final four defeat

SOMERS, N.Y. - On Saturday March 8, Somers suited up for the semifinals of the Tri County Basketball League at the House of Sports in Ardsley, after earning the berth with a 59-54 victory over New Castle the week before.  

“We were locked in,” said Ryan McDonough, and the turn had the ball moving, the defense syncing and the shots falling down. But Mount Vernon on the Saturday bracket was another matter.

“This game we played scared,” said Dylan Violante, and the 55-30 defeat showed the fear.

So did the size, speed and strength of the Knights. “We’re not used to it,” conceded Ryan McDonough  .

Still, the game began on the level, and Chris Conlon started where he left off in the quarterfinals. Turning a steal in the final minute into a fast break basket that sealed the victory,  the center hit a jumper in the paint, and after Ty Urgo scored a layup, Conlon got inside for a 6-6 game with 3:40 left in the first.

Time out for Mount Vernon, Robert Johnson calmly responded with a triple, but Owen Gannon drew a charge to slow the works for Somers.

Unfortunately, the Tuskers countered with a turnover and Jace Emanuel’s jumper in the paint set Somers up for their last gasp. Conlon received inside from Gannon and the big’s postup made it 11-8.

47 seconds left in the first, Mt Vernon began putting the screws by applying the full court press. “There were big guys all over the court,” lamented Gannon. 

Somers was unable to keep their offense moving, and Mount Vernon showed no mercy with all the ensuing turnovers. The Knights scored the next 18 points, and all the seventh graders could do was look back on the difficulties that the pressure created.

“We really got to move the ball better and have our heads up,” said Gannon.

Nonetheless, the onslaught did not negate the long lead up, according to Coach Chris Violante. “This is the best season we’ve had,” said Violante.

13-2 and the final four in the AA bracket, he credits the kids for leading the coaching staff.  

“They’re competitors. They really want to win. It really makes us - Jason Klatsky, me and Mike Evers - put in our best effort. So we can get them to the next level of success,” asserted Violante.

Of course, the loss was not the ending he and the team wanted, but defeat can still serve as a teacher. “Hopefully, it makes them hungry so they want to come back next year, get back to the final four and win a championship,” Violante concluded.