Incidents across the state take the attention away from fom the home stretch leading to boys and girls postseason action.
Whether it took place before, during or after the game, a lot happened in the world of New York high school basketball in the last week that didn’t have much to do with setting screens, breaking presses or knocking down pressure-filled free throws.
Here’s what we mean:
* The Before: East (Buffalo, N.Y.) coach Starling Bryant scribbled a whole bunch of unfamiliar names into the scorebook Tuesday prior to the Panthers’ 84-53 loss to McKinley in Yale Cup action. East, ranked sixth in Class A by the New York State Sportswriters Association, was without all five starters and five reserves due to academic issues, and Bryant had to bring up several junior varsity players just to avoid a forfeit.
It’s uncertain if or when any of the players will return to the court.
"It could be one week, it could be two weeks or it could be permanent," Bryant told The Buffalo News after watching McKinley’s Shaquille Holman register 11 points, 14 rebounds and 13 blocked shots. "They didn't do what they were supposed to do academically. They didn't hold up their end of the bargain. At East, it's academics first.”
* The During, Part 1: In suburban Buffalo, Lake Shore (Angola, N.Y.) girls coach Andrea Mungovan took her players off the court with 2:03 to play, resulting in a 2-0 forfeit loss to Lackawanna in a non-league “game.”
"They pulled the girls off the court and said one of our girls did something to try and hurt one of their girls," Lackawanna coach Dave Oliveri told the newspaper. "But no foul was called and there was a referee behind the play and one under the basket, and neither one saw it. They said they wouldn't come back on the court if I let that girl come out."
* The During, Part 2: A melee involving the parents of an opposing player forced the suspension of Bellport's game Monday at Half Hollow Hills West, No. 2 in the state in Class AA.
The fracas broke out with 1:59 left in the third quarter and HHHW leading 52-33, Colts athletic director Joe Pennacchio said parents of one of the players involved in a no-call collision ran onto the court, prompting officials to end the game and award to victory to HHHW.
However, the teams returned to the gym the following day, and HHHW finished off an 84-56 victory as Tobias Harris finished with 36 points and 18 rebounds.
* The After: Three brothers who happen to be the top three scorers on the Schenectady (Schenectady, N.Y.) team are gone in the aftermath of Friday's 70-44 loss to Albany CBA.
Schenectady coach Mark Sausville dismissed leading scorer Derrick Millinghaus following a locker-room argument, and Shadell Millinghaus was also removed from the team. The third brother, Devonte Millinghaus, decided to quit Sunday and did not attend practices at the start of the week.
The trio had accounted for about two-thirds of Schenectady's scoring output during an 8-5 start. Derrick Millinghaus was averaging 20.5 points a game.
Rensselaer two-sport star arrested
Rensselaer football and basketball senior standout Mico De Los Santos faces multiple charges related to an alleged sexual encounter with a 13-year-old girl, The Times Union reported.
De Los Santos, 18 was remanded to the Rensselaer County Jail on $25,000 bail over the weekend after being arraigned on charges of second-degree rape and second-degree criminal sex act, both felonies; and second-degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors, the paper reported.
De Los Santos was selected a first-team defensive back in Class D by the New York State Sportswriters Association last fall. Rensselaer's second-leading scorer was not with the team Saturday during a 55-47 basketball victory over Catskill. The Rams are 14-2 and ranked 14th in Class C.
Police said De Los Santo had sex with the girl in the early morning of Jan. 24 at his grandparents' home.
Showtime comes to Queens
“If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing right.”
You’ve probably heard that more than once from mom and dad or a teacher. The folks at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) took it to heart Sunday for the big boys CHSAA basketball matchup against Rice (New York, N.Y.).
For starters, you know something special is going on when Louisville coach Rick Pitino – perhaps in town for discussions with the New York Nets following the funeral for Knicks legend Dick McGuire? -- and Florida’s Billy Donovan are in attendance.
For good measure, the Knicks City Dancers performed, retired flashy NBA legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier offered some of his colorful commentary alongside Madison Square Garden announcer Mike "Wally" Walczewski over the PA, and Funkmaster Flex and rapper John David Jackson (aka Fabolous) supplied halftime entertainment before 1,800 in attendance at CTK.
Fans for both teams wore school colors and toted matching foam fingers.
And just to finish putting it way over the top, Puppet LeBron and Puppet Kobe appeared on the video screen, attired in Christ the King and Rice T-shirts and delivering pre-game pep talks.
LeBron had the winner, however, as Christ the King broke to an early lead and held off Rice 60-52.
More basketball
* Just nine days after rallying for a home victory against its Section I Class AA rival, No. 1 New Rochelle (New Rochelle, N.Y.) fought from 13 points down in the third quarter and defeated Mt. Vernon (Mt. Vernon, N.Y.) 77-67. The comeback was engineered by seniors Antoine Mason and A.J. Burton (20 points), who put up 19 of their combined 39 points during a 32-9 fourth quarter.
"They don't have blood in their veins — they have ice," New Rochelle coach Bill Murphy told The Journal News. "When it counts, this is what they do. Their character is second to none, whether it's in school or on the court. They're great kids."
* There was a very special ceremony honoring girls basketball coach Dave Powers at Tuxedo (Tuxedo, N.Y.) before a game vs. Fallsburg earlier this month.
Tuxedo AD John Landro introduced the surprise special guest to present Powers with a ball honoring his recent 400th win: Madeline Napolitano, 86, wheelchair-bound for more than three months while rehabbing from a fall.
Napolitano had worked for 48 seasons as the team's scorekeeper before her mishap while waiting for the bus to a JV game.
"It just blew me away," Powers told The Times Herald-Record. "I think tonight reinforces the whole idea that we are a community. We talk as a team about being an extended family. In many ways, we are one big family."
Odds and ends
* The semifinals are set for the unofficial girls state hockey championship at the Skaneateles Community Center outside Syracuse this weekend.
Skaneateles (Skaneateles, N.Y.) traveled to Potsdam (Potsdam, N.Y.) on Saturday to earn a 2-1 victory and a spot in the Frozen Four vs. Oswego (Oswego, N.Y.) at 5 p.m. on Friday. That game will be followed by Chazy (Chazy, N.Y.) vs. Alexandria Central (Alexandria Bay, N.Y.), and the consolation and final begin the following day at noon.
Alexandria Bay needed two overtimes to eliminate Canton 3-2.
* Shenendehowa (Clifton Park, N.Y.) offensive tackle Austin Lane has accepted a partial scholarship to continue his football career at Syracuse. Lane had also received interest from several I-AA programs.
John Schiano, who has written about high school sports in western and central New York for more than 25 years, covers New York for MaxPreps. He may be reached at johnschianosports@gmail.com.
