Elmont 51 West Genesee (Section 3) 44
2024 NYSPHSAA CLASS AA
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
The Spartans captured their second and Long Island's 37th NYSPHSAA State Championship, and they won it in the great Elmont tradition - with lock-down defense, holding the 23-2 Syracuse area champions, who were were on a 20 game winning streak, 27 points below their season average. It was the programs first State Championship since 2013.
Elmont got off to a better start than they did in their semifinal, but still trailed by 2 as the first quarter came to a close. Their defense clamped down hard in the second quarter, holding the Section 3 champs to just 4 points and they took a 23 -17 lead into the halftime locker room.
Cassius Moore kept it going in the second half, cutting to the basket and scoring for an 8 point lead, but Genesee kept in close, answering with a driving layup from the top. Moore drew a foul on the next possession, sending one of Genesee's best players to the bench with 4 fouls. He knocked down both free throws and then a three from the top to make it 30-19 at the 5:08 mark. West Genesee countered with a nice step-through, but Gemere Frias-Walsh answered with a jumper from outside the right elbow and Moore rattled in a deep three from the top and it was 36-21 with 2:35 to play in the quarter - the biggest lead of the game. Genesee shaved a few point off of it, but Aryln Brown closed out the quarter with a right wing three in transition and it was 39-24 Elmont with three quarters complete. West Genesee had just 7 points in the quarter
Genesee reinserted the player in foul trouble as the 4th quarter got underway, sensing the game was getting away from them, but it quickly backfired when he tried to draw a charging call on a fast break and fouled out with 7:10 remaining in the game. Genesee was undeterred, running off 6 quick points to cut the margin to 9 with 5:46 remaining, and they added two free throws to cut the deficit to 7, but Nassir Edwards stepped up, scoring on a drive down the left baseline through traffic. Both teams came up empty several times with time running down, but a coast to coast basket by Genesee ended the draught and made it a 5 point game with 1:24 to play. The Spartans struggled to get the ball up the court against intense pressure, almost turning it over, but they got it across and ran the clock down to the 58 seconds, compelling WG to foul. Frias - Walsh came up big, knocking down both pressure packed free throws to make it a three possession game, and Moore did too, added two more for a 9 point lead with 35 seconds left. GAME OVER! Congratulations to Elmont on an unforgettable season! You made us all very proud!
GO LONG ISLAND!
