The final days of February were filled with excitement for Storm King Basketball, with the girls AA prep team ending their season strong, the rising boys and girls JV ending their seasons on a positive note, and Boys Varsity Basketball capturing the Hudson Valley Athletic League (HVAL) championship and moving on to the first round of the NEPSAC finals.

Following their 9-game winning streak and an upset by Greens Farms Academy, the boys varsity basketball team gave it their all during their last games of the season. On February 17, the Cougars hosted Marvelwood on Senior Day, where coaches and teams honored seven graduating seniors. As a result, team spirit was high at the tip-off and carried the Cougars to a comfortable win, 82-46, over the Pterodactyls for their final league game. High scorers were Joshua C. ’24 with 26 points, Isiah H. ’24 with 17 points, and Marquise S. ’25 with 18 points.

Next up, the Cougars hosted NYMA for the HVAL semifinal playoff on February 21. Lagging in the first minutes of the game, the Cougars gained momentum quickly, cruising to another victory, 85-46, over the Knights, advancing them to the HVAL championship. “We definitely got off to a slow start. The second half we picked up our intensity and played our style of basketball,” commented Coach Luongo.

For the HVAL championship final, the Cougars hosted the Darrow Ducks on February 23. The tone was set by Storm King early in the 1st half, with the Cougars gaining a 17-point lead by the half and never looking back. Strong defense and excellent play brought the Cougars a resounding victory, 85-55, over the Ducks for the trophy. “I am extremely proud of the effort and dedication each player has shown throughout our season. Our team has worked very hard to get to where we are today,” commented Coach Luongo, who was ecstatic about the win. “Winning the HVAL championship and being invited to the NEPSAC tournament are two huge building blocks for us. We are looking forward to next year and continuing to grow Storm King Basketball.”

Season Record:   12 W, 5 L; 2024 HVAL Champions

According to Coach Hammell, the boys JV basketball team ended their season with high spirits despite their mixed record. For their final two games, the Cougars hosted Marvelwood on February 21 followed by another home game on February 23 versus Northern Academy. Coming off two strong games against Woodhall and NYMA, the Cougars kept up the momentum to overpower their opponents for a resounding win, 77-27. In their final game against Northern Academy, Storm King continued their excellent play and strong defense, managing to keep the score close for most of the game but ultimately falling at the final buzzer, 56-44. “Our young team has progressed well this season. Our ups and downs have made bond as a team. We are like a family. I’m very excited to coach my returning players next season and watch them progress and move on the varsity level,” commented Coach Hammell.

Season Record:   4 W, 6 L

The girls AA prep basketball team and Coach Tian Tang came out roaring when they hosted MacDuffie on Senior Day, February 17. “We beat MacDuffie, 72-43, which was a great way to celebrate our seniors and their careers at Storm King,” explained Coach Tang. “We played with excellent energy and effort from the beginning and took control of the game early, starting on a 18-0 run.” Notable performances were Elizabeth U. ’26 with 18 points 6 rebounds, 2 assists; Isabella S. ’25 with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists; Marisa C. ’24 with 10 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals; Imani P. ’26 with 12 points, 4 rebounds.

In their final game of the season, the Cougars traveled to Sacred Heart Greenwich. According to Coach Tang, “it was one of the best games we played all year, if not the best, despite our 59-62 loss. Sacred Heart was extremely well coached and talented, they finished as the #2 seed in Class A. We battled for 32 minutes and it was a back-and-forth game the whole time. They showed up 5 different defensive schemes and we adapted well the whole game and never panicked or lost hope. We executed well late game and even got a shot off at the buzzer.”  Notable performances were Marisa with 21 points, 10 rebounds; Isabella with 16 points, 2 steals; Elizabeth with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Imani with 9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block.

“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve done this year. We finished 12-11 for the year, winning 4 more games compared to last year, with 3 sophomores in our starting line-up and only 8 active players on the roster. For the first time in the history of SKS competing in NEPSAC AA, we finished #10 and remained eligible for playoffs contention until our last game of the season. We beat 5 NEPSAC AA opponents in a single season which is also the most in 3 years. We’ve hit some rough patches early on, but showed incredible development both as a team and individually for our players, as well. For next year, I’m hoping our returning players keep working hard and developing themselves in the off-season. Next year, I am looking forward to a breakout season in NEPSAC AA, where we look to compete for a playoffs spot and make some noise in NEPSAC AA,” continued Coach Tang.

Season Record: 12 W, 11 L; NEPSAC #10 seed

After a nail-biting game versus Oakwood the previous week, the girls varsity basketball team played two more games to close out their season. On February 15, the JV Cougars traveled to Darrow where they continued to apply their skills and gain experience on the court, ending on the downside of a 21-74 score. The team was on the road again to Marvelwood on February 17 to face the Pterodactyls for their final game of the year. According to Coach Sandstrom, the Cougars held their own and demonstrated some excellent teamwork, passing, and defense against a stronger team. “Unfortunately, we ended the season with a loss, 24-40, to Marvelwood, but the team’s spirit is high. We are all looking forward to next season and to continue to develop our skills.”

Season Record:  1 W, 9 L