End Of A Successful Season

Team Photo: Back Row, L-R Coach Larry Steimer, Denis Rice, Roger Mancusi, Matt Emmert, Pat Reeves, Jeff Fell, Rob Finneran, Ken Pape, John Haskoor, Dan Safrin Front Row, L-R Harry Kutner, Mike Mancusi, Ryan Beckstead, Mike Ketigian, Hayden Fries, Owen Ludeman, Matt Montgomery, Greg Koretz, John Muscarella

The Garden City boys varsity basketball team charged into the playoffs by winning five straight games, gaining the postseason for the second year in a row and for the first time under rookie Coach Larry Steimer. As a lower seed, Garden City had to travel to Floral Park on Saturday, February 17th.

The Trojans needed to overcome Floral Park's three point shooting prowess, and did so for three quarters by extending their defense. Despite first quarter missed lay-ups and mediocre foul shooting, Garden City finished the quarter leading 14-8.

The second quarter began with a five point spurt by Floral Park, ended by a spectacular blocked shot by Rob Finneran to preserve the one point lead, which he then followed by a baseline drive, reverse lay-up to stretch the lead to three. However, another Floral Park run offset two Trojan free throws and left Garden City trailing by one at the half, 20-19.

At the end of the third quarter featuring exceptionally tight defenses by both teams, Floral Park led 30-27.

In the fourth quarter, with the season on the line, both teams turned up the tempo. After several Garden City inbounds miscues, and two consecutive three pointers by Floral Park, their lead stretched to the largest of the game, 41-31 with four minutes to go. The Trojans came charging back, with two free throws and a pull-up jumper by Harry Kutner, and the lead was cut to 43-37 with 3:40 remaining. But the pressure and tempo got to the Trojans as they melted down with three consecutive turnovers in their offensive end, and a coup de grace three by Floral Park. The final was 49-43 as Garden City was eliminated.

Finneran finished with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Kutner (10), John Haskoor (7), Owen Ludeman (4) and Ryan Beckstead (3) contributed.

The Trojans finished the season in first place in their conference with a much-improved overall 12-7 record (9-4 conference), up from last year's disappointing and underachieving 9-10, responded well to the intensity and discipline of Coach Steimer, and left with a renewed basketball enthusiasm and nucleus for the future.