Mount Sinai boys basketball puts up valiant fight but falls in Class A state final

BINGHAMTON — Mount Sinai was right there with Glens Falls, this Class A boys basketball powerhouse, the defending champ and winner of an unfathomable 53 straight games at the opening tip for the state championship.

After being up by 12 late in the first half, Glens Falls saw the lead shrink to one. It was clinging to a two-point edge with the clock dribbling down toward 90 seconds left in the third. Then the Black Bears from Section II turned fearsome again. They scored 29 points the rest of the way and yielded only 11.

The Mustangs had achieved so much. But on the last day of the season, they weren’t the last team standing at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.

Glens Falls owned its second straight perfect season, making it a 54-game winning streak by beating Mount Sinai 77-57 on Sunday behind Kellen Driscoll’s 28 points and Bryce McClenning’s 14, all in the second half.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” Mustangs coach Ryan McNeely said. “I mean, to get to this game, to win not only the league championship, which was our second in school history, but now our first county championship ever and first Long Island championship ever and to come here in this venue and win a game (Saturday), it was tremendous.”

This was a team that lost an 11-game winning streak and ended at 23-3.

“Historic season,” said Dom Pennzello, the Drew-bound senior who was OK after being hobbled by an ankle injury that he suffered in the third quarter Saturday and finished with 16 points.

“I’m proud of my guys. I thank God for giving us this opportunity. It sucks, but it was a great season.”

Brock Kolsch added 14 points. The senior took pride in this ride, too.

“I thought it was really cool that we could experience this,” Kolsch said. “Even though we fell short, I didn’t think we were going to be able to make it this far. So I’m happy with what we were able to accomplish.”

Pennzello hit two free throws, cutting the Black Bears’ lead to 48-46. They quickly raised the margin to nine. But Pennzello nailed a three, slicing it to 55-49 heading for the fourth.

Then came domination.

McClenning scored eight in the final quarter, helping Glens Falls outscore Mount Sinai 22-8 en route to its second consecutive 27-0 finish.

“Just crazy to think we could go unblemished in 54 straight games,” coach Rob Girard said.

“You know, that was great team that we played today,” he added. “They didn’t quit. They kept coming back. We threw some haymakers and they threw them back.”

The Mustangs were running uphill from the start, down 11-2. They tied it with an 11-2 run.

They fell behind 31-19, then trailed 33-27 at halftime. Driscoll had 20 at that point.

Glens Falls never trailed.

“Our kids played hard like they did all season long,” McNeely said. “They never give up. Our word this year was ‘grit’ and they showed it again. I think the better team won.”