Kingston High School coach Ron Kelder speaks to his players during a game against Green Tech on Thursday, February 8, 2024 in Kingston. (Tania Barriklo/Daily Freeman)
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — Green Tech has become the Achilles heel for the Kingston High School boys basketball team. The Section 2 champions ended the Tigers' dreams of winning the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) title with a score of 52-45. They won in the semifinals of the State Final Four on Saturday afternoon at Cool Insuring Arena.
Green Tech (19-6) suffered its final loss of the regular season to the Tigers, losing 83-66 on Senior Night on Feb. 8 at Kate Walton Fieldhouse. Kingston (18-5) then went on a five-game winning streak against the Tigers. They advanced to the Final Four for the second time in five years.
Saturday's game was a defensive struggle from the start, with Green Tech leading 11-9 at the end of the first quarter and 23-20 at half.
The Game 2 champions led 35-34 at the end of the third quarter, but Tigers coach Ron Kelder said his team probably should have held the lead going into the final quarter.
“At the end of that quarter, we missed two free throws and missed three 3-pointers,” Kelder said. “At the end of the third quarter, I almost thought we should have won.”
Green Tech started the fourth quarter with a 14-5 spurt to take a 49-39 lead with 2:06 left.
Kingston started its final rally with a 3-pointer from junior guard Marcus Steele, cutting the lead to 49-42 with 1:43 left.
Senior guard Kemonte Tawe hit a 3-pointer to pull the Tigers within 49-45 with 1:04 left.
However, Kingston did not score again as Green Tech persisted. The Eagles shot 9-of-11 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers 17-11 in the final period and advancing to Sunday's state title game against Section 11 favorite Bay Shore.
Long Island Bay Shore will play Green Tech for the Class AAA title on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tigers struggled with poor shooting against Green Tech. He shot 30 percent from the field and was just 15-of-50 from the field. Kingston made 7 of 24 3-point shots.
Kingston led in scoring with Tawe and senior Eli Abrams each scoring 11 points. Steele and senior forward Derek Constance each scored nine points.
“We played solid defensively, but we just couldn't put the ball in the basket,” Kelder said. “The kids played hard and I'm so proud of them. This group was different. They worked and competed. We just lacked firepower offensively today.”
Heishi Maben led Green Tech with 20 points and nine rebounds.
Kelder said he can't praise the senior class of nine players enough.
“They're a proud group,” Kelder said. “They're nine seniors, and I've never had nine seniors on a team in my career. Every time there was adversity, we battled through it. We didn't do well. Some of it wasn't selfish. It was because different players wanted to carry the team. That's what sports are about. You have to step up and be ready for that moment. .”
Kelder also said the fan support the Tigers had throughout the season was great, especially in the Game 9 title game win away at Monroe-Woodbury and in the Mounties at Kate Walton Fieldhouse. – Said the packed crowd's win in the state regional playoffs against Vernon was great.
And again on Saturday, a huge crowd gathered in Kingston to cheer on the Glens Falls Tigers.
“We probably had a bigger crowd than Green Tech,” said Kelder of the Albany-based school. “The community was there. We're so lucky to have a community like Kingston supporting us. Some of them are just as disappointed as me and the kids that we didn't win today. I think there are some.”
