LuHi Wins 1st Federation T.O.C. Class "AA" Chip

GLENS FALLS, NY- For 8 years now the curse as it’s called has been real as ever since Long Island Lutheran moved up to Class AA after winning the NYS Federation Class A Championship in back to back years in 2011 and 2012 the Crusaders had yet to win the title in the highest classification.

During that time Long Island Lutheran's stiffest competition has come from CHSAA power Christ the King, a team that the Crusaders have never beaten in school history.

That's what made Saturday's Class AA Championship Game even more special to Long Island Lutheran as if they wanted to overcome the curse it would have to come against the Royals meaning if everything went there way it would be two curses knocked out in one night.

With Andre Curbelo '20 leading the charge with 23 points it was a Crusader night to remember as they left no doubt late, taking a 6-point lead after three quarters and expanding it down the stretch, to pull away from Christ the King and win the Class AA title for the first time ever, 51-31.

It's not just curses that Long Island Lutheran needed to overcome, it was also the fact that after being wronged last season because of a clerical error that maybe this wasn't meant to be, something Crusaders head coach John Buck admitted came into his mind at times over the past year.

"There was a point in my life where I wondered if I would ever feel this," Buck said about winning a Federation title. "From blowing two double digit leads to these guys to what's happened last year, it really made me question do I even really want to keep doing this."

What got Buck back on the track that he needed to be on, a believing track, was talking to his friend James Brady, a former LuHi teacher and now QB's coach for NFL prospects. He talked to Buck and reminded him that he couldn't coach with doubts about bad things happening to you, something that Buck admitted he had to grow through.

Too many times he felt as if he coached hoping not to lose and hoping to not have bad things happen, and with Brady's words of wisdom his mindset began to change into one of believing that this was possible, and instead of having bad thoughts creeping in it was about knowing that this title was already there's.

Motivated by that belief, Buck's LuHi team didn't disappoint either as they were playing for more than just themselves, but also for a group of 6 seniors from last season's team that didn't get to experience the joy that they should have had, and with veterans like Curbelo and Essam Mostafa '19, they weren't about to have that feeling come into play again.

Defensively it was as crisp a performance as the Crusaders put together all season. Moussa Cisse '21 was held scoreless in the opening half by physical interior play, and the Christ the King shooters never got good looks as the LuHi defense was moving as well as ever.

Even so though Christ the King wouldn't go away down just 31-25 going into the 4th quarter, and while in the past tightness may have come into play with the lack of past success coming into their minds, but Curbelo wasn't having any of that saying that even though they were winning in his mind that wasn't the case.

"We weren't saying we were up there we were saying we were down by 10 because our mentality here was to destroy people," Curbelo explained. "We were like we are down 10 so we have to play hard, the game isn't over and we got that lead and started opening up the game then."

LuHi would open the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run and never looked back from there as Curbelo handled everything from the outside, while Mostafa more than handled his own down low as every demon that was in the Crusaders path was finally exorcised on Saturday as they got 23 points from Curbelo, and 12 from Mostafa to finally get over the hump and defeat their long time nemeses in Christ the King for the Federation Class AA title, 51-31.

The joy and excitement were obvious with the Crusader players running out onto the court as the clock hit zeros with Mostafa saying this was the true fulfillment for him of a season long goal and dream to bring the title to Brookville to Long Island Lutheran.

"My English is bad anyway but now it's worse I can't say any words I'm just so happy," Mostafa said with a laugh. "I wanted this all year and I said I'm not going to leave without it and I'm not."

Leading Christ the King in the loss was Cisse who had 12 points for the Royals, though it was a game where not much was falling from the outside, with a large credit for that having to go to Long Island Lutheran for their ability to really close out on the Royals shooters and force them into tough looks each time to push them to the win.

It's officially Long Island Lutheran's year as they are the Class AA champions, have gotten revenge from last season's disappointment, and knocked off Christ the King for the first time ever. A trifecta of sorts for the Crusaders, and for Buck knowing that they are finally atop the basketball mountain it's every emotion rolled up into one for a coach who can finally say he is the coach of the best team in New York State.

"It's really emotional. Memories from last year were coming back, kind of like ghosts leaving you can say," Buck said. "Never winning an AA, never beating Christ the King, I don't know I guess the monkey is off my back and I guess I will have to live the next couple days to see how it feels but I feel like I'm floating right now."

A great win for a great Long Island Lutheran team that officially has cemented itself as one of the best in New York State history.