Mahoney motors Cadets to season opening win

UNIONDALE, NY- Knowing that he is going into his senior season with the Cadets, Albany Academy guard August Mahoney '19 admits that he isn't focused or worried about stats or any sort of personal glory as for him this season is all about bringing home one more trophy for the school he loves.

He left last season with a terrible taste in his mouth and is bound and determined to go out in his final year as a champion. Saturday's opener was at the Upstate/Downstate Challenge on Long Island against fellow Class A power Amityville, and even though it may have been a tougher second half than Albany Academy would've like, Mahoney would will his Cadets team to a 62-54 victory.

Losing to The Park School at the buzzer in last season's NYS Federation Tournament of Champions Class A title game is a moment that sticks with Mahoney, and one that he says still gives him bad feelings nearly every day.

"Every waking moment I still think about that and it still makes me want to throw up that's how hard that game was for me," Mahoney said.

That is his motivation though and his push to make sure that they get back to the top of the mountain in Class A, but in Saturday's first game another team who was in the Federation TOC in Class A in Amityville, the defending NYSPHSAA winner, was standing in their way of the start that they wanted.

Even though the Warriors lost both Josh Serrano and Jayson Robinson, nearly 80% of their offense from a year ago, to graduation, they were confident heading into this one and were ready to make a statement that they are still a team who will be there at the end, and a team who can compete and thrive against the best New York has to offer.

It was a back and forth contest for most of the opening half, that was until Myles Goddard '21 went to the bench with his second foul late in the opening quarter. His absence inside allowed Albany Academy to push the tempo and get things going toward the rim as Andre Jackson '20 was able to get out in transition and finish above the rim to help push the Cadets to a double-digit lead with 3:25 to go in the half.

Amityville knew that without Goddard things could spiral even more out of control for them so head coach Gordon Thomas put his sophomore star back in, trusting him to not pick up his third. He didn't and while they couldn't get any closer, they didn't let the game get totally out of hand as both Jackson and Mahoney had 10 points apiece in the first half to push Albany Academy to a 38-27 lead.

It was a comfortable lead for the Cadets as they had to feel happy with the position, they were in going into the locker room, but what they didn't know was that the Amityville intensity and pressure was about to be ratcheted up in a major way, making this a game that was far from over.

Even though it was still a 48-37 lead for Albany Academy going to the fourth quarter you could feel the momentum still shifting. Divaahd Lucas '20 was getting better looks from behind the arc, and Goddard was finding more room to operate inside and doing a strong job on the offensive glass. The Cadets shots weren't falling the way they were early either as the Amityville zone was quick and not allowing of good looks.

Lucas would drain a pair of threes’ early in the final stanza, and with Goddard dominating on the glass the Academy lead was just 50-47 with 4:46 to go, but while other teams may have caved at this point, Jackson said with Mahoney on their side none of the Cadets stayed rattled for long.

"We started to split up a little bit there because we are a young group but we have August on our side and he made sure we came back together," Jackson explained.

With his perimeter shot not falling the way it normally does, Mahoney made sure he attacked and attacked often. He fought his way to the rim and was able to time and time again get himself to the charity stripe where in the final 3:22 of the game he went 8-8 to make sure his team knew he was there for them.

Others in Mahoney's spot may have fallen to the pressure and the fact his shot wasn't falling the way he is used to, but as Albany Academy head coach Brian Fruscio explained, Mahoney continues to prove to be a different breed.

"There are games where his shot just won't fall, but to be relentless on the foul line and make big plays and get big rebounds," Fruscio said. "August never lost his composure, never shook his head, and was the leader we needed him to be."

Closing the game out strong defensively late, Mahoney's FT's ended it as even with a stern challenge from the Warriors it was Mahoney doing enough late to help Albany Academy get win number one of the season by taking down Amityville, 62-54.

Mahoney had 22 points to lead Albany Academy while Jackson had 18 as the two stars came up biggest when their team needed them most.

On the other end for Amityville, Goddard had 20 points with Lucas adding 16 points in the loss, though a loss that Thomas says can be taken as a positive based off how they responded against a top-quality foe with a lot of young players picking up on bigger roles this season.

"I told our guys after the game that they have no reason to hang their heads," Thomas stated. "I would be very upset if we lost by 20 and only gave 50% or 60% but there was a lot of fight in these guys in the second half and of course I wanted to win but we gave it 100% and had our chances to win which definitely made me proud."

This night was ultimately about Mahoney and all he does for Albany Academy and while it's only game one he says he has a good feeling about this season's team. He wasn't going to let his Cadets lose on Saturday and made that known to his teammates in nearly every huddle in the fourth quarter, and with a must win mindset Mahoney is ready to do whatever necessary to finish out his high school career as a champion.

"I don't care about personal stats, I just want us to be celebrating in March, that's all that matters to me," Mahoney said.

They are still a long way off but with a leader in Mahoney, and a lot of young talent surrounding him there is a lot to like about Albany Academy's chances about getting back to the top of the mountain this year.

Leading for most of the way in this one it looked as if the Friars would hold off a late charge from the Brothers to take the victory in regulation, but CBA guard Jordan King '19 made sure that wouldn't happen hitting a clutch three with under a minute to go to send this one into OT.

It seemed as if King's shot and CBA's fourth quarter rally though was all they had left though as Andre Snoddy '20 and Tristen Correa '20 took over in the extra session to put St. Anthony's over the top for good in what would be a 68-61 overtime win.

After St. Anthony's went up 54-46 after a Louis Stallone '20 bucket and foul with 3:22 to go it looked at that point like the Friars were well on their way to victory, but King had other ideas.

Scoring 6 straight King got the Brothers back in the game, and even when he wasn't scoring, he was finding teammates for good looks as he did off a pass to Drew Signor '19 late as well, but his shot to tie the game was something that got the entire gym off their feet.

At 56-53 with 16.4 seconds to play King knew a big shot was needed, but he had defenders all over him and said it was time for him to improvise and make sure he got his team the three ball they needed.

"Coach drew up a play to go to the right wing and try to get the double screen but my defender was overplaying so I just spun off of him and then I did a step back and then a pump fake and he went by me so I spun again and just hit the shot I had to hit," King said in explaining the made triple.

The Friars did have time for one last chance at the win in regulation but couldn't get off a shot sending the game to OT. It seemed at that point as if the momentum was with Christian Brothers Academy, but that proved to not be the case as St. Anthony's would respond in impressive fashion.

Scoring the first 6 points of the overtime the Friars quickly took control. They were also doing a better job of denying King, and with Luke Rossi '21 coming up strong from the FT line late St. Anthony's were able to hold on and come away with a win in their opener, taking down Christian Brothers Academy of Albany, 68-61.

Snoddy was named Game MVP as the junior finished the game with 20 points, with Rossi adding 11 in his first varsity game.

Finishing with a game high 28 points was King as he did it all to keep CBA in the game for as long as they did, falling just short in their Upstate/Downstate Challenge matchup.

It was a win that made St. Anthony's head coach Sal Lagano extremely proud as he has a very young group this season and knows that a win of this nature against a team like the Brothers can only benefit them as the season goes along.

"These games make you better and they took a players best game in King and still won so I was impressed by that and I really think we grew up tonight so I'm happy to be leaving here with the win," Lagano said.

In what proved to be the most one-sided game of the day it was the Bruins who ran all over the two-time defending Section 9 Class AA champions as it was Christ the King transfer Tavin Pierre-Philippe '19 who had 27 points in a dominating first half to propel Baldwin to the easy and convincing victory.

Having lost near all their key players from last season's team Pine Bush was behind the eight ball in this one and Baldwin took a huge lead after starting the game on a 24-4 run with Pierre-Philippe doing most of the damage.

He never had the chance to be the main go to offensive option while playing in the CHSAA in New York City with the Royals, but on Saturday it was all Pierre-Philippe all the time in the first half as he had 27 points in what would be a 55-20 lead at the break.

It would've been easy for Pierre-Philippe to finish with 40+ points if Baldwin head coach Darius Burton had allowed him to but with the game firmly out of reach the starters came out for good midway through the third quarter. It wasn't just Pierre-Philippe who was having a game to remember, his backcourt mate in Rhyjon Blackwell '19 was controlling the pace of play and having his way in transition.

Even with the bench in Baldwin was still pulling away as they were deeper, stronger, and tougher in just about every way. Pierre-Philippe would only add two more points in the second half to finish with 29, while Blackwell had 14 points in a game where 12 Baldwin players scored in what would be a 95-51 win.