Huskers clinch share of League I-A title

YORKTOWN, N.Y.—One couldn’t have had a better senior night than the Yorktown boys basketball team did when it hosted John Jay-East Fishkill on Feb. 14.

Led by Brian Hansen (14 points), Aidan Flynn (13 points, 11 rebounds), David Marasevic (11 points), Ryan Duffy (11 points, 8 rebounds), Kaden Gonzalez (9 points), Sander Stone (8 points), Colin Worden (6 points), and Phil Harbolic (3 points), Yorktown defeated the Patriots 75-57 to clinch a share of the League I-A title, along with Arlington and Poughkeepsie.

“It just felt great,” Hansen said. “To have an opportunity to share the league with two other great teams like Arlington and Poughkeepsie, with our guys, is just something special.”

Hansen, Flynn, Marasevic, Duffy (captain), Gonzalez (captain), Stone, and Harbolic were the seniors honored before the game. The senior ceremony included a beautiful video tribute that showed each player in their Husker uniforms, along with a picture of when they were younger.

Senior managers Maryssa Carvallo and Kendall Kardon were recognized for their efforts as well.

“I am happy for the seniors,” said Yorktown coach Mark Pavella. “It’s a great group of kids that have been around for the past few years, some three and four years, with Kaden and Duffy, so I’m happy for those guys. They earned it. They worked really hard.”

The win also likely clinched the No. 2 seed, with Tappan Zee being No. 1, in the Section 1 Class AA Tournament, which begins on Thursday, Feb. 20, with out-bracket contests. Yorktown’s first game will be in the opening round at home on Saturday, Feb. 22.

“Our first team goal was to win the league and I’m glad we got a share of that,” Pavella said. “Our next was to have home court for sectionals, and we accomplished that too. We are excited for next week.”

Yorktown (16-4, 9-1) got off to a 12-8 first-quarter lead, with seven of those points coming from Hansen on a 3-pointer and 4-of-4 shooting from the foul line.

“Midseason, I didn’t have the best shooting, but I worked with coach (Tim) Fallo and my confidence built up,” Hansen said. “It allowed me to hit shots. My teammates believed in me. That’s all it is.”

Yorktown used a well-balanced effort to outscore John Jay-EF 19-12 in the second quarter, going up 31-20 at halftime.

“We just had multiple guys step up and make shots,” Pavella said. “We didn’t rely on Kaden just to make all the baskets. We got out in transition, and that was helpful.”

Making those shots for Yorktown in the second quarter were Aidan Flynn (3 field goals), Marasevic (3-pointer, field goal), Stone (3-pointer), Worden (field goal, foul shot), and Gonzalez (field goal).

Gonzalez led Yorktown in the third quarter with 7 points, highlighted by a trey toward the end of it, putting Yorktown up 55-33 before the Patriots finished the third quarter with two hoops and started the fourth quarter with two more.

That prompted Pavella to call a timeout, and off that timeout, Duffy scored to end the Patriots’ 8-0 run, putting Yorktown up 57-41, and it wasn’t threatened from there.

“I just felt like we weren’t defending like we were capable of, so I just wanted to reset our guys and draw up something for them to score,” Pavella said.

Frank Ringel, Jimmy Goff, Ethan Bantug, Sean Davis, Gabe Scavello, and Mike Nardone (assistant coach) also make up the Huskers’ League I-A championship squad.

“We feel great going into the sectionals,” Hansen said. “We definitely have some things to improve on, but defensively, we have been holding teams to under 50, under 40 points, and if we continue to do that, we have a great chance to win the sectional tournament.”

The Huskers started the week with a 63-27 triumph against visiting John Jay-Cross River on Feb. 10, led by Gonzalez (16 points, 6 rebounds), Ringel (9 points, 5 rebounds, 5 blocks), Duffy (8 points, 7 rebounds), and Bantug (6 points).

Yorktown also won at Brewster 69-45 on Feb. 12, paced by Gonzalez (16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Stone (10 points), Worden (8 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds), and Hansen (7 points).