Elmont, Friends Academy boys basketball teams have eye on returning to state final four

The moment came and it just felt like no other.

The last second ticked off against West Genesee in Glens Falls, and the Elmont Spartans were the Class AA state champs in boys basketball, the program’s first title of that magnitude since 2016. And now nearly nine months later . . . 

“It still feels surreal,” coach Ryan Straub said. “It was a cool experience for our kids. The best part is that our kids earned it. They worked so hard in the offseason, leading into the season. And our guys played together, which is nice. We got the job done.”

The Friends Academy boys also pulled off the achievement of reaching Cool Insuring Arena. They lost their 18-game winning streak, falling to Wayne in the Class A state semis. And yet the feeling of just being there among the final four was special.

“It was something that I’ll probably never forget for the rest of my life and probably be telling my kids or my kids’ kids about it,” said Eyan Valadez, the Quakers’ now-sophomore standout guard.

Neither Friends Academy nor Elmont will be making it back to Glens Falls in March. The state championships have moved to Binghamton. But while both teams have lost four starters, both appear to have the capability to contend in their tough Nassau classes and can at least ponder another run to the final four.

“I have full confidence that we can make another trip up there,” Valadez said.

And the Spartans?

“Our goal is to go back and win it again,” said Aryln Brown, their clutch 6-1 senior guard, one of seven returnees. “. . . I think our talent is really good this year, and I’m really excited about what we’re going to show this regular season, and I think we’re going to do it again.”

Elmont may not be a defending state champ without Brown.

Its Long Island championship game was tied at 51 against Hills East at Farmingdale State. Inbound pass to Brown . . . two dribbles . . . jumper from about 18 feet, above the right elbow, with two guys on him . . . buzzer . . . off glass . . . good . . . mob scene.

“I just felt like I stepped up when my team needed me, and I did what had to be done,” Brown said.

His team needs him to step up as a starter now and share the point guard duty with another reserve-turned-new-starter, 5-10 senior Khalil Muhammad.

The lone returning starter from last season’s 23-4 team is 6-4 senior forward Nassir Edwards. Ebubenna Nwabudu, a 6-6 senior forward who was very good as a sixth man last season when he averaged 8.1 points and 7.8 rebounds, joins him among the starting five.

“We need for Nassir and Ebu to dominate the glass,” Straub said. “They have to protect the rim. They’ve got to score at a high clip. We lost a lot of scoring. So we’re going to rely on them to really dominate inside for us.”

Straub said they’re also going to have rely on Brown and Muhammad “to score the ball a little more.” He said both of them are “pesky defenders.”

The Spartans’ ability to defend could be the biggest factor in trying to defend their titles.

“Of course, defense is our identity,” Straub said. “So if we defend at a high level like we did last year, we don’t see why we can’t be in any game at any point throughout the year.”

A crucial element for Friends Academy will be the 5-10 Valadez at the point. Coach Matt Johnsen feels the third-year starter is “right there with the top guys [among guards] in the county and on Long Island.”

Valadez averaged 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 steals in last season’s 20-5 run.

“If you think I was good last year, I have full confidence that there will be another level and another jump that I’ll take,” Valadez said.

Joining him in the backcourt is Kai Jordan, a 6-2 junior transfer from IMG Academy in Florida who can shoot it from the wing. James Tsunis is another quality wing-type transfer. The 6-3 senior forward played on the Friends JV as a freshman, then attended school and played in Greece. That’s where his father, George Tsunis, has been serving as the U.S. Ambassador.

“Those are two really nice additions for us,” Johnsen said.

The Quakers also have a 6-6 sophomore center among their nine returnees, Chase O’Brien, whose brother, Jackson, was an All-Long Island second-teamer last season as a senior. Johnsen said Chase “can really be a force in the paint offensively and defensively.”

“We’re going to be really young,” Johnsen said. “. . . We’ve just got to get the pieces around [Valadez] together and find our chemistry and find our own identity. I think when we do that, we can compete for the county.

“The path to get up [to the final four] is always daunting, especially with Southampton lurking over in Suffolk. But it’s going to be a fun ride.”