TROY It’s only fitting that the best player in school history lead Ossining on a remarkable campaign that now includes its first basketball state title.
In a 86-69 win over Section 5’s Gates Chili, Ossining (22-4) captured the first basketball state championship in school history behind 34 points, six assists and four steals from UConn-bound Saniya Chong.
“We came out here, we had determination and we came and got it,” Chong said.
The Pride have an automatic bye into the Federation Tournament final and will face the winner of PSAL champion Murry Bergtraum and CHSAA champion Bishop Ford March 23 at 6:45 p.m. at Albany’s Times Union Center.
That game is Chong’s final chance to add to her point total, which sits at 2,962 and places her fourth on the state’s all-time girls basketball scoring list.
Chong entered the game 25 points behind Caryn Schoff’s state single season scoring record of 892 points and broke it on a drive that left a defender on the floor from a wicked stutter step in the third quarter.
This week, Chong was named the Gatorade New York State Player of the Year and will play in the WBCA All-America game April 6 in New Orleans.
“(Saniya) is the best, she’s not a cocky kid,” Ossining coach Dan Ricci said. “She just brushes it off. It’s not about her, it’s about the team.”
Giving a glimpse into the post-Chong era, contributions from the Pride’s underclass were needed early on when freshman forward Shadeen Samuels picked three fouls in the first quarter.
As Samuels sat, Sophomores Abby Squirrell and Madison Strippoli were brought on for frontcourt relief in the first half.
“It’s not the amount of time that you get in,” Strippoli said. “It’s the moment, the second that you get in, that’s the chance to show your (skill).”
On its first three possessions of its 28-point second quarter, Alex Cristello and Andra Espinoza-Hunter 3-pointers sandwiched a magnificent defensive play where sophomore center Jalay Knowles stripped the ball above the key and raced the length of the floor for a layup.
Knowles and Espinoza-Hunter, an eighth grader, finished with 14 points apiece.
“We’re never going to be this good again because you lose the best player around,” Ricci said. “We’re still going to really good and our goal is to be back here next year.”
A year after losing in the Class AA semifinals, Ossining edged a stout Sachem East Friday and blitzing Gates Chili with a 8-0 run to open the game.
Photo credit/John Meore – The Journal News
16 Comments
A very special night for two very special teams. And to Ms. Maher, although you have experienced this before, congratulations upon further building your coaching legacy. As for Coach Ricci, your long uphill climb results in your first view from the top of Everest. If determination and hard work are required criteria you deserve to be there.
CONGRATS,A JOB WELL DONE.
MISS CHONG,I SALUTE YOU
Dan Ricci, congratulations man on another great season. Well earned and well done.
Congrats to Dan, his staff and the team on a fantastic season!
When’s the parade?
Congratulations Ossining from Section 9! That is quite an achievement.
Congrats to both OSSINING and to IRVINGTON for a job well done!!! The pinicle of Ossining season will come next weekend, when they can lay claim to being the “True # 1 Team in New York State” when the most likely match up will come up between Ossining and Murray Bergtraum (who will definately beat Bishop Ford) in the STATE FEDERATION CHAMPIONSHIP. As much as Coach Ricci and Saniya Chong have said that capturing the NYSPHSAA State Championship was very important, the reality in their minds (and others) that capturing the STATE FEDERATION CHAMPIONSHP would be the “Ultimate Goal and Objective” of this team.
I see a fantastic game between Ossining and Murray Bergtraum next weekend. I suspect it will be a similiar game as the one that Ossining played in New Jersey earlier this year, that went into triple overtime. However, OSSINING will definately prevail. It is destiny that this year’s Ossining Team and Saniya Chong win it all. This year’s Lady Pride team will be the team, in Class AA, that people in Section 1 will be talking about for the next 50 years. Just like people will talk about the teams that made up the Irvington Bulldogs squads that captured 4 straight State Titles, just like people continue to talk about the string of teams that made up the Our Lady of Lourdes Teams coached by the legendary Coach Brian Giorgis, who also capture 4 straight State Titles.
Apples to apples! State federation title isn’t as important to Ossining as the public school championship! I expect coach will have the team ready to play! A catholic school that recruits from a broad area vs a 3 square mile town has an unfair advantage. I doubt that the fan base even cares and will stay home.
@ Apples, I think your comments are spot on. Will they want to win? Absolutely. Will a loss put a damper on their season? In my opinion, absolutely not. Same goes for the Bulldogs and, by the way, what a terrific performance by Hamilton without arguably their best player. I take nothing away from Corselli when I say this as she carried the team on her back during the entire post season. What another great year for Section One Girls Hoops!!!
Stanner, I agree!
As one of the dedicated Ossining fans I disagree with Apples to Apples saying that the “Ossining fan base doesn’t care about the Federation game and will stay home”. He or she was correct that the game itself is not that important but as a fan I would go just to withness this amazing team play together one last time.
bballfan3, i’m going, i don’t think you’re going to get the same crowed you did at the final!
I agree with Hallee and bballfan3,
Ossining fans will be out in full force as they have been every single game this season. Ossining always travels extremely well, especially in tournament games like sectionals/states/etc. Ossining fans are passionate and dedicated to the program win/lose.
They want to be able to prove that they truly are the #1 team in the state based on their play by winning the federation title and not just in rankings. If they lose, they can still hang their heads mighty high since they achieved a state championship title but it will still sting and to say the federation title isn’t as important is incorrect.
Saniya Chong needs 38 points for 3,000 in her career and Coach Ricci really wants her to achieve that as well.
Colonial and bbfan3, You make some very fair points. The O faithful will make the 2 hour drive and cheer like crazy for a Pride victory and a great performance from Chong and the other 7 kids who will be playing their final HS game. I agree that it would be even more special to win a Federation Championship but a loss will not diminish what these and Irvington’s young women have accomplished. Many of us feel that going up against a Bergtraum or a Ford presents an unfair playing field for a suburban public HS champion without any ability to recruit. Despite that I’m hoping to witness both teams winning it all.
Stanner,
there’s no question it causes an unfair advantage but that’s what will continue to motivate this Oss team. They’ve played some of the catholic/private school powerhouses in the city this season but in order to be the best, you have to play the best. 1 of those 2 are the NYC best.
p.s. I just got a call from the Ossining Athletic Booster Club, they’ll be doing a fan bus for Saturday again.
Great season so far…
Now, go beat Bergtram and get that Federation Chip.
As for next year, who will be the go-to player with Saniya leaving for UConn and Andra leaving for Riverdale?
What about irvington? Is their run over?
Ossining is playing Bishop Ford tomorrow night, Let’s Go Pride !