Boys varsity go to championship game
Shelter Island boys’ varsity basketball team won a thrilling away playoff game Wednesday night, coming back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Smithtown Christian 53-48.
Add period at end of sentence on the second to last paragraph “look toward the championship game on Saturday”
Believed to be the Island boys first ever post-season basketball victory, the win advances the Island to the county championship game on Saturday, February 15 at Longwood High School for a High Noon showdown against Greenport.
Smithtown Christian and the Blue and Gray met less than a week ago during the regular season with the Knights coming out on top. But with the return of a healthy Nathan Mundy to the line-up and tweaks made on both offense and defense by the coaching team of Mike Mundy and Jim Colligan, the team proved ready for the challenge.
Riley Willumsen hit three huge three pointers in the fourth quarter to help the Island boys fight back late in the game. His third 3-pointer with 1:30 left in the game pulled the Island within one point, 47-48, after team trailed by 10 earlier in the quarter.
Tristan Wissemann made two free throws to give Shelter Island its first lead in the quarter. Smithtown Christian’s foul trouble proved to be their Achilles heel, with free throws by the Island stretching their lead to the final 53-48. tally.
This win was truly a team effort with all the players cheering for each other and important minutes provided by the bench players gave the starters much needed rest in a pressure packed game. Billy Boeklen and Peter Kropf came off the bench and played aggressive defense to help keep Smithtown Christian shooters off balance.
After the game the players and fans savored the victory as they lingered under the still-lit scoreboard and took photos to document the historic win. The players and coaches will be hitting the playbooks and the hardwood as they look toward the championship game on Saturday
Wear your blue and gray and see you courtside on Saturday to cheer the team on when they battle for a Suffolk County Class D Championship.
You will want to say you were there.
