All season, Christian Brothers Academy had its sights set on a return trip to the Glens Falls Civic Center and an opportunity to defend its second consecutive New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA boys’ basketball championship.
While it may have seemed like a long journey beginning back in November, the Brothers wasted little time in securing the victory they needed in the regional final Saturday at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
CBA scored the first 15 points of the game and was never challenged in knocking off Section III champion Henninger 69-37.
We shot the ball well and our defense stepped it up right out of the shoot, CBA coach Dave Doemel said. `That gave us confidence and a bit of a comfort zone when they made a run at us.`
Henninger’s first three attempts at the basket were quickly denied.
CBA’s Taylor Mulvey stuffed the Black Knights first two shots of the game and Galal Cancer stole an inside pass under the basket in the first 21 seconds of play.
Tommy Spinner’s three-pointer was Henninger’s first points of the game and didn’t come until the 4:10 mark.
The Black Knights finished the opening quarter with a 7-2 run to trim the CBA lead 17-10.
`It’s always good to see our friends in the North Country,` Doemel said of his team’s game in Glens Falls scheduled for Saturday at noon. `I hope we can give them something good to watch. Playing so tough on both ends of the floor today keyed our victory.`
The CBA defense forced Henninger to turn the ball over on the inbounds pass to begin the second quarter. Despite being pressured the Black Knights got within five points of the lead with 6:07 left in the half.
CBA quickly slammed the door on any possibility on allowing Henninger back in the game.
CBA took a 33-20 advantage into the locker room at half and then picked up right where it left off after the intermission. Stifling the Black Knights’ offense, while pouring on a heaping dose of offense at the other end of the court CBA cruised over the final two periods. In the third quarter, the Brothers held Henninger to just three field goals while opening up a 52-29 lead.
There was much praise amongst the CBA players and their veteran coach after the lopsided victory.
`Coach (Doemel) developed a great game plan for us and we just came out and executed it,” said the Cornell-bound 6-foot-2 Cancer. `Taylor doesn’t look to score. His rebounding and his blocking really frustrated them (Henninger) today.`
Cancer finished with 25 points, including two three-pointers and a 5-for-6 performance from the free-throw line. Joe Krong finished with 18 points, with four three-pointers.
`Galal is indeed special,` Doemel said. `He the most focused individual I have ever met. He’s fun to be watch but doesn’t make a show of it. And Taylor [Mulvey] really saw the fruits of his labor pay off today. I rode him as hard as anybody last week in practice. He never got upset with me.`
It would be hard to get angry with a coach who has built such a winning tradition.
Last season, Doemel led the Brother’s to its first-ever basketball state championship. This is the third straight year CBA has been the Section II champion.
Doemel compares his teams to his family.
`I have five kids and they are all different,” Doemel said. `I can try to compare five teams and they would all be different. But I love them all the same.”
Henninger was led by Spinner’s 10 points ` the only Black Knight to score in double figures.
CBA got to the regional round after beating Bishop Maginn 69-46 in last Tuesday’s Section II Class AA championship game at the Times Union Center. The Brothers built a 44-32 lead through the first three quarters before sealing Maginn’s fate with a 25-14 fourth quarter.
Cancer led CBA with 20 points and was named the Section tournament’s most valuable player. Nate Robinson contributed 11 points off the bench, and Krong added 10 points.
Cammeron Womack-Buish netted 12 points, and Antoine Jordan chipped in with 11 points for Maginn.“