Elmont 52 Jamestown (Sec 6) 38
2024 NYSPHSAA CLASS AA
STATE FINAL FOUR GAME
When you get to the New York State Final Four, you have to be ready to play from the opening tip, and after a Jamestown free throw opened the scoring, Cassius Moore drilled a three pointer from the top and Osagie Ekhator scored from the low post on back to back possessions and it looked like the Spartans were off and running, but the Elmont shooters suddenly went cold and a floater from the right elbow and a left wing three pointer made it 6-5 Jamestown. Elmont continued to misfire and Jamestown added to the lead, going up 10-5 on a running hook shot and a floater, but Gemere Frias-Walsh knocked down a three from behind the left elbow to break the run. The Red and Green resumed their assault with a driving layup from the top and a pull-up jumper from outside the left elbow and it was 14-7 Jamestown and it remained 14-7 at the first quarter buzzer. Jamestown opened the second quarter with a left baseline three pointer for a 10 point lead and you had to wonder where Elmont's defense was, but the Spartans started to settle in and Ebubenna Nwabudu scored on a nice pick and roll play, then again on a drive from the left wing, and Moore kept it going with a coast to coast basket through traffic, cutting the deficit to 4 with 4:42 to play in the half. After a time-out, Khalil Muhammad picked off an outlet pass and scored, but Jamestown answered with a left elbow jumper. A free throw made it a 3 point game, and then with 1:23 to play in the half, Moore's deep three pointer tied it and it was tied at 21 at intermission. The third quarter was tight and low scoring. After a Jamestown free throw, Frias-Walsh got the Spartans on the board with a driving layup, but Jamestown countered with a right wing three, and Moore put back his own miss and it was still tied, now at 25 with 5:30 to play in the quarter. It was tied once again at 28 with 3:30 left, but an Ekhator three point play gave Elmont a 31-30 edge heading into the fourth. The Spartans started to get some breathing room early in the fourth quarter on a fast break basket by Ekhator and a right wing three by Moore, good for a 40-32 lead, but Jamestown had a chance to cut it to 5 and a long three point attempt bounced off the front of the rim and Mohamed drove from the left wing down the left baseline and dropped in a floater to make it a 10 point game. He followed it up with a big steal and basket to make it 44-32 with 3:28 remaining, their largest lead of the game, but a Jamestown three point play with 2:21 remaining brought the margin down to 9 and kept hopes alive. Elmont responded quickly, with Moore driving down the right side of the lane, and when the defense collapsed on him, finding Ekhator, who scored and converted a big three point play with 2:01 left to restore the 12 point advantage. The Red and Green started fouling to get the Spartans to the line and with 1:29 showing, Aryln Brown knocked down two free throws and Moore two more with 1:14 left to give Elmont a commanding 51-35 lead. It was a 52-38 final. The Spartans now move on to the Class AA State Championship game, where they will face a very good West Genesee team for the title.
