Myles Goddard, Elijah Canady lift Amityville boys basketball to win in long-awaited opener
Myles Goddard was doing pushups on the floor of his house and trying to improve his ballhandling by dribbling a basketball anywhere he could.
Elijah Canady was taking countless long-range shots and making sure his endurance was ready to go with the hopes Amityville would have a season.
Coach Gordon Thomas was trying to keep his team optimistic, but he wanted to be realistic with them at the same time.
None of them knew if this work would come to fruition on the varsity level this winter. But they wanted to be ready if the time came. That time was Tuesday.
Amityville defeated host Miller Place, 65-46, in Suffolk League VI boys basketball action on the first day Long Island student-athletes took the floor in game action Tuesday. There were no fans, and student-athletes were spaced apart from one another and wearing masks on the sideline.
The hardest part about trying to stay positive about having a season this winter was the uncertainty.
"I had mixed emotions," said Goddard, a 6-5 forward. "Some days I thought we’d have a season. Other days I thought we wouldn’t. With bigger leagues like the NBA and college playing, I had a little bit of hope. I’m not surprised, but I’m happy."
Goddard had 15 points and 15 rebounds and Canady had 16 points — including four three-pointers — in the win.
Amityville won the Suffolk Class A title last year. But their season ended there, with no Long Island or state champions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team still had championship jackets made up, but couldn’t test themselves against the best in the state. But Amityville's players aren’t concerned with championships this season. They are just thankful to be on the floor.
"This means a lot because we weren’t able to finish last year," Goddard said. "For the seniors, we wanted to have a season this year."
Amityville opened up a 15-4 lead after the first quarter and expanded its advantage to 26-7 midway through the second quarter. Christian Smiley added 12 points, Shawn Fields had eight points and DJ Sinclair had four points in the victory. Matt LoNigro led Miller Place with 13 points.
After months of unknowns about playing varsity basketball, there are still no guarantees each team will be able to complete its month-long season. But for now, playing is better than the alternative.
"This is very satisfying," Canady said. "Even though we don’t have states, we’re just happy to have a season."
"I’m just happy that we are playing," Thomas said. "At least it’s something."
