Newsday's Long Island All-Decade boys basketball players: The 1990s
Clockwise from top left: Gary Williams, Wally Szczerbiak and Eric Ferguson.
Part 5 in a series
This All-Decade team closed the 20th century with a flourish. The leader was Wally Szczerbiak, who carried a non-basketball power in Cold Spring Harbor to the Nassau and Long Island Class C championships, but he wasn't alone in a decade filled with talent.
There was two-time Suffolk Player of the Year Gary Williams of Bay Shore and Sewanhaka's 6-11 Zendon Hamilton, the best big man of the decade. And it was all about East End basketball, with Bridgehampton's Maurice Manning and Bobby Hopson leading the Killer Bees under the guidance of coach Carl Johnson to three state titles.
The selection committee consisted of two longtime sportswriters, Gregg Sarra and Mike Candel. Sarra has covered high school sports for 40 years. Candel covered high school and college sports from 1976 until his retirement in 2002.
Brian Ehlers. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Brian Ehlers, Bay Shore
Ehlers had an exceptional high school and college career. He was a superb shooter with three-point range who averaged 31.4 points per game as a senior and was named the Suffolk County Player of the Year. He went to Lafayette and became a standout, getting named to the All-Patriot League team three times and twice being named Patriot League Player of the Year. Played several years of international pro ball.
Eric Ferguson, Hempstead
He was the best ballhandler of the decade, an extraordinary dribbler and passer who earned All-Long Island first-team honors as senior and made the second team as a junior. He was the key reason the Tigers won Nassau and Long Island titles. He attended Milford Academy and then had an excellent four-year career for Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference.
Sewanhaka's Zendon Hamilton in 1994. Credit: Newsday/Karen Wiles-Stabile
Zendon Hamilton, Sewanhaka
The best player in school history, the 6-11 center dominated opponents for four years. He was the Newsday Nassau Player of the Year in 1994 and a McDonald’s All-American. He played four years for St. John’s, spent parts of eight years in the NBA and played extensively in Europe.
Floyd's Bobby Hodgson. Credit: Newsday/Bill Davis
Bobby Hodgson, William Floyd
He played six years of varsity ball and averaged 29 points per game as a senior while leading Floyd to a 21-2 record and the school’s first-ever county title. He finished his career with 2,513 points, placing him second in Suffolk boys basketball history, and had a solid career at Rutgers.
Bobby Hopson, Bridgehampton
He was a sensational high school player who was the leading scorer in school history with 1,720 points. He was a two-time All-Long Island first-team selection and a four-year starter for Wagner. He amassed 1,568 career points in college and was inducted into the Bridgehampton and Wagner Hall of Fame.
Sean Kennedy Credit: Newsday/Julia Gaines
Sean Kennedy, St. Dominic
An elite point guard whose eye-popping passes helped St. Dominic win a state title. He was voted Newsday’s top Nassau player as a senior. The two-time All-Long Island first-teamer had an outstanding career for Marist College, getting named to the All-MAAC first team, before playing pro ball in Poland and Turkey.
Maurice Manning, Bridgehampton
An East End legend and three-time All-Long Island first-team selection. He was a two-time Suffolk and State Player of the Year and led the Killer Bees to multiple championships. After a five-year layoff, he went back to Suffolk Community College and led the Clippers to two NJCAA titles and a record 52-game winning streak. He was a junior college All-American.
David Mascia, Lynbrook
A four-year starter and two-time first-team All-Long Island selection. He also was an All-Long Island second-team pick as a sophomore, leading Lynbrook to the Nassau Class B title. He scored 2,077 career points,placing him first all-time among Nassau public high school players. He played college ball for LSU and Fordham.
Wally Szczerbiak, Cold Spring Harbor
He was the player of the decade, a marvelous shooter who averaged 36.0 points and 15.9 rebounds per game as a senior. He was named Newsday Nassau Player of the Year and State Player of the Year after leading the Seahawks to Nassau and Long Island Class C basketball titles. Szczerbiak had a superb college career for Miami of Ohio and was named MAC Player of the Year before enjoying an excellent NBA career, mostly with Minnesota.
Gary Williams, Bay Shore
He was a 6-6 power forward and nearly unstoppable. A two-time Newsday All-Long Island first-teamer and two-time Suffolk Player of the Year. He traveled across the country to play for the University of Southern California.
Bridgehampton coach Carl Johnson in 2017. Credit: Daniel De Mato
Coach: Carl Johnson, Bridgehampton
The Suffolk County coaching legend led the Killer Bees to three state titles in the 1990s. He guided the team to 300 wins, 13 league championships and 11 Suffolk titles. He is unique in state annals, having led Bridgehampton to state championships as both a player and coach.
