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Written by Emmeline Berridge

Published: 12 December 2016

Created: 12 December 2016

Last Updated: 12 December 2016

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Every year, the Maroon and White Kari Pizzitola Basketball Tournament provides an opportunity for Scarsdale's Varsity Basketball teams to begin their seasons and introduce their new rosters. With both the girls and the boys varsity teams graduating six seniors last year, it is especially important for the teams to set a precedent for the rest of their respective seasons. The tournament is two games, with four teams participating in each the girls and the boys brackets. The games played on Thursday determine which schools would head to the championship games on Friday.

The Boy's Varsity team played South Bronx in the first game of the tournament, which was also their home opener. An encouraging beginning to the season, the Raiders defeated South Bronx. The leading scorer of the game, Senior Captain Max Bosco, totaled 34 points. Bosco, who was a main contributor to the team last year, looks to lead the team through his final season. In the first half, he scored six three pointers off of his eight attempts. After the half, he had outscored the entire South Bronx team with 25 points. The Raiders stayed strong throughout the game, able to utilize new players off the bench. The team headed into the championship game against Tappan Zee, with a final score of 82 (Scarsdale) to 49 (South Bronx).

With interesting match ups on both sides of the floor, the championship game was a close one until the final buzzer. The Raiders went into the second quarter down five with a score of 15-10. Tappan Zee stayed tight on Bosco for the first three quarters, bringing the score to 40-31 for Tappan Zee by the end of the third. The Raiders were able to bring the game within two points with one minute left to play, relying on contributions from Sophomore Cole Katan and Junior Will Hoffman. A deep three pointer by Bosco also helped close the gap. After a series of questionable foul calls, and one "no call" when Bosco was knocked to the floor due to a screen by Tappan Zee, the Raiders were still behind with seconds left on the clock. Tappan Zee now had the advantage in the game because they were in the bonus for fouls, meaning that even non shooting fouls gave the team a trip to the foul line for two shots. Final failed shot attempts by Scarsdale led them to lose the game by four, a hard fought battle by the Raiders. With key players missing for Scarsdale, such as Junior Nash Goldman, the team looks forward to competing in the rest of their season.

For the Scarsdale Girl's Varsity Basketball team, the past three years have been anything but ordinary. After playing in the Section 1 Semi Finals at the Westchester County Centerin 2015, the team was determined to make it back to the finals last season. The six veteran senior players were aware of their potential, looking for a chance to go up against the then repeat state champions, Ossining. After falling short of the County Center last season by losing the section quarterfinal game, the most decorated group of players to graduate from the program left large shoes to fill.

Heading into their first game of this season, which not so coincidentally was against the now 3 peat state champs Ossining, there was speculation as to how the new Scarsdale team would handle the pressure. The Raiders fell to the Ossining Pride 108-62 on Wednesday night. Ossining welcomed back their star player Andra Espinosa Hunter, who will play with the reigning national champions at the University Of Connecticut next season. Although a 46 point loss might not sound like an ideal start to a season, the number of open shots against the most formidable opponent in the state was promising for the Raider offense. Also promising were the leading scorers for Scarsdale, Freshman Kayla Maroney and Junior Samantha Mancini. Mancini scored 13, while Maroney totaled 19 points off of her five three pointers.

The day after this loss, the squad entered their first game of the Maroon and White tournament against Fox Lane. After Scarsdale defeated Fox Lane last year to win the tournament, expectations were high for both teams. Fox Lane was eager to snatch a win on Raider territory. The game started out slow, Fox Lane leading with seven points in the first quarter, Scarsdale scoring only two. Fox Lane led 19-9 going into half time. Freshman Kayla Maroney, who marked her first varsity home start, noted that [the game] "started off slow", which made it difficult to come back even when the team found its rhythm at the beginning of the third quarter. Disappointed by their lack of scoring in the first half, the Raiders were aggressive to start the second. With a series of three pointers, scored by Juniors Audrey Shaev and Samantha Mancini, Scarsdale was "fired up". The Raiders used the defensive presence of Senior Captain Emma Coleman to press up the court and force turnovers, putting the team back into the game with 4:30 left. Scarsdale was unable to close the gap in the last few minutes, ultimately losing to Fox Lane by seven with a final score of 48-41. Senior Captain Ashely Barletta, who is back for her final season after being out due to a knee injury, said that "I don't think [the team] played to our full potential". With several shots falling short of the hoop, there were points to be scored that were left out on the floor. Despite the loss, Kayla Maroney was awarded a spot on the All Tournament team.

Going forward, optimism and hark work are the keys to improving for the rest of the season. Barletta mentioned that "throughout the game we improved, and I think all the new players now know what it's like the be under the pressure in a close game, which will help us in the future". This high intensity experience in their first game is invaluable for the new players, providing them with the opportunity to learn how to handle the pressure. Freshman Maroney noted that she "liked the feel of playing at home and the energy that the crowd brought". With a lot more basketball left to play, the girls will continue to work hard in practice and during games, hoping to form into a more cohesive unit. As opposed to the high expectations placed on last years' team, an "underdog" team of sorts might be just the way for Scarsdale girl's basketball to prove their ability. Watch for this improvement during the team's first league game this Thursday 4:15 at New Rochelle.