Carle Place boys basketball team wins its first Long Island title since 2005 with Class B victory over Mattituck

As the final minutes of the Long Island Class B boys basketball championship game ticked down and timeouts were called, Flo Rida’s “Right Round,” Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” and Macklemore’s “Can’t Hold Us” echoed through Farmingdale State’s Nold Athletic Complex.

Carle Place’s players likely heard all three over the radio growing up, perhaps at practice or on their way home from school. But none of those songs had been released the last time the Frogs won a Long Island title, a fact that changed Sunday morning.

Carle Place defeated Mattituck, 53-36, to claim its first Long Island title since 2005. Junior Ryan Leary dominated on both sides of the floor with 20 points, eight rebounds, six assists, five blocks and four steals for the Frogs.

“We just play relentless defense, and that’s all we got to do,” he said. “Play defense and the offense works itself out.”

The Frogs opened the game with a 12-2 run, a sign of things to come as Carle Place outscored Mattituck in all four quarters.

“Three years in a row, [Leary] and I came up short in the county finals,” senior guard Colin Driscoll said. “We knew we had it this year, and we turned it on.”

The team’s defensive game plan all but erased Mattituck’s offense. Tuckers star Owen Searl had averaged 24.3 points in his previous four games but was held to a single three-pointer.

“We just knew exactly what hand he was going to dribble off,” coach John Cantwell said. “Usually we fight over screens, but we literally just switched.”

Carle Place seniors Driscoll, Matt Babino and Greg Koutsogiannis formed a shifting wall in front of Searl. Cantwell, Driscoll and Leary all pointed to a focus on film and preparation in practice, led by assistant coaches Jimmy Galarza and James McKeough, who are Carle Place alumni.

“The practices are so much harder than the games,” Leary said. “In practice, all we do is defense. So when we’re out there playing the game, we’re not tired . . . We cut off and knew all their plays.”

“These are off days for us,” Driscoll added.

The Frogs haven’t lost since Feb. 7, a home game against Cold Spring Harbor that Cantwell said spurred the team’s current form. “I’ve had other teams with talent,” Cantwell said, “but this team, they just don’t want to lose.”

Mario D’Alessandro had nine points and 12 rebounds, four off the offensive glass. Cantwell praised the sophomore for how far he’s come since meeting his future center in sixth grade at a basketball camp.

“He has such a body, and he gets so positioned that he’s hard to stop,” Cantwell said. “He’s fun to coach . . . I’m just so proud of this group and what they’ve done.”

Freshman Antonio Sparacio led Mattituck (9-10) with 14 points.

Carle Place (15-8) will face Section I’s Woodlands on Saturday in Binghamton in the state semifinals.

“I always tell them every athlete should have a story when they finish their career,” Cantwell said. “These guys got a hell of a story for their kids and further on.”