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Sports

Tigers Set for County Center Final Four Showdown

Top-seeded Tuckahoe to face No. 4 Keio in boys basketball tournament.

Tuckahoe’s dominating 101-51 victory over Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls in the Class C quarterfinal on Feb. 24 lifted the Tigers into the Section 1 Class C Final Four at the Westchester County Center.

The top-seeded Tigers (16-3) will face No. 4 Keio in a Monday, Feb. 28 semifinal set to tip off at 8:15 p.m. The game follows the other semifinal between No. 3 Lincoln Hall and No. 2 Haldane to be played at 6:30 p.m.

Expectations are high for the Tigers, who, like the school’s football team are favored to win a Section 1 title. Tuckahoe has rebounded from last year’s dismal 3-16 record to become an elite Class C contender.

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The football Tigers did not disappoint, rolling to the school’s second New York State Class C title in the last five years, losing only once all season to the neighboring Bronxville Broncos who won the Class C title.

And there are some familiar faces on the basketball bench who know something about winning—Jonathan Jubliee, Jason Feuer, Shyheim Nixon, Alex Melendez and Kevin Garabitos were all integral parts of the state champion football team.

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“Playing in the playoffs is crucial,” Jubilee said. “It’s either we go out there and win games or we rack up the balls for the season. It’s going to take hard work, commitment, and our work ethic during practice. We win the game in practice. Our main goal is defense. If we can turn our defense into our offense we can do great things in the playoffs.”

Coach Al Visconti has more than 15 years experience with Section 1 championship teams, as an assistant coach with the perennial favorite powerhouse Mount Vernon boys’ basketball team and now with the Tigers.

The Tigers’ offensive leader is Sky Williams, who led the team with 21 points per game. Feuer has been a strong all-around player, scoring in double digits, rebounding and finding teammates with good passing while playing good defense. Williams scored 27 in the quarterfinal victory.

The 8-10 Unicorns should not be a problem for the Tigers under most circumstances, but the County Center floor has been known to swallow favorites and embrace an underdog or two. Tuckahoe must not underestimate Keio or the moment.

Takayasu Kato leads the Unicorns offense with 12 points per game—the team averages 43.2 compared to Tuckahoe’s prolific squad that scores in the 70s and 80s.

The other Tuckahoe players are Justin Nolan, DeShawn Arthur, Ryan Mitchell, Kevin Garabitos, Tyler Freire, Brian O’Toole, Nick Reisman, Mark Raymond.        

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