Health & Fitness
Harvey Boys Play Tough in Tappan Zee Hoops Tourney
Harvey boys made their coaches proud despite coming up short against their large school basketball opponents in the Dan Dinan Basketball Tournament at Tappan Zee High School over the weekend.
(ORANGEBURG) Knowing his team was going up against Class A public schools this weekend in the Tappan Zee Dan Dinan Tournament, Harvey’s boys varsity basketball coach Dom Narcisco called it a “tall order” for his Cavaliers from a small independent school to challenge the three large school teams from Tappan Zee, Briarcliff and Valley Central. Despite his team’s losses in the Friday tip off game 66-55 to Briarcliff and the Saturday consolation game 73-54 to Valley Central, Harvey’s second-year coach thought his players competed and “hung tough” against their opponents. Tappan Zee went on to win the tournament’s championship game, defeating Briarcliff, 56-46.
In the consolation game, all-tourney selection Donovan Murphy scored 21 points to lead the Valley Central Vikings over Harvey. Kenny Gray added 15 points for Valley Central. Harvey junior Ricky Hicks was high man for the Cavaliers, scoring 15 points. He was named to the All- Tournament Team representing Harvey. Freshman Evan Roteman chipped in with 12 points.
Coach Narcisco said he has no regrets about accepting an invitation to play in the weekend tournament. “Playing in the TZ tournament without a doubt better prepared us for the rest of our season,” Narcisco said. “I'm extremely proud of my team for playing hard and never giving up,” he added. He said he plans to enter the Cavaliers into the tournament again next year.
Coach Narcisco had other reasons for wanting to play in the tournament created to honor the memory of a beloved teacher, coach and administrator Dan Dinan. It was a chance for Harvey’s coach to return to the Tappan Zee High School basketball court where he played his high school ball in the 1990s. While his team did not get the chance to play his alma mater, he was reunited with Tappan Zee coach George Gaine, whom Narcisco called “one of my close friends and mentor.” Narcisco also wanted to participate in the tournament because the games helped raise money to go for cancer treatment for his friend and former high school teammate, Johnny Gerosimo.
The Cavaliers, now 3-6 on the season, return to regular season competition Monday, Jan. 6, on the road against the New York School for the Deaf in White Plains.
