Intensity. Execution. Focus. Tenacity. These are words that come to mind when thinking about the 2021-22 Tappan Zee girls basketball team.
They had the precision and efficiency of a college team as they marched through the Section One playoffs. I wondered what scheme they would cook up in the title game against the speedy young guards of Walter Panas and the answer was old school, roll-up-your-sleeves man-to-man. Get up in your face and make you uncomfortable man-to-man. The elasticity of their defense was very impressive—whether playing quick guards who like to jitterbug, or trees in the paint, the D was tough and disruptive.
Tappan Zee made it to the brink of the NYSPHSAA state championship in Troy, where the Lady Dutchmen slugged it out with a very strong squad from Averill Park. I say “slugged it out” not because the game lacked grace, but because the players from both sides seemed to squeeze every last ounce of performance from their selves. And also because there was a back-and-forth nature to the game, (which is available for viewing on NFHS), like two heavyweights trading body blows.
Coach Riley Chevrier had her team very well-prepared. The game could have gone either way. And Chevrier made great choices, like putting 5’5” Kellie Linehan on 6’2” Amelia Wood. Wood is not merely tall; she’s very talented and starting for D1 Sacred Heart University this season. She was like Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons, on the court, and Linehan, who came up to her shoulders, was all up in her business, battling for real estate in the paint. A heroic defensive effort, bodying up the bigger player close to the rim. Wood was kept in check most of the night, coming alive more in the second half, though two late offensive rebounds off errant free throws for easy putbacks hurt.
Averill Park played man-to-man defense, with a slight variation. They had four girls play a very tight man-to-man: on the two Phelan sisters (Dana and Kristen), Kupi, and Linehan, and then had a second 6’ tall girl sag off the 5th TZ player and set-up shop in the paint, in a permanent state of help, challenging any player bold enough to drive. What a luxury that must be for a high school team: I’ll use my 6’2” to play straight-up man, and park my other six-footer in the paint to challenge any drives. Tappan Zee had opportunities, but ultimately was not able to make Averill Park pay for this scheme.
Freshman Kristen Phelan led the charge early. D2 bound Ariana Kupi was tough throughout. (There was a bit of confusion in the third quarter when the referees inadvertently attributed a foul to Kupi, who was nowhere near the play, and resulted in Kupi coming out for a spell.) Kupi’s ability to shoot from the outside and slash to the rim really shined through.
But it was star senior Dana Phelan (now in the rotation for D2 College of Staten Island), who really heated up in the fourth quarter, after Tappan Zee fell behind by double digits in the third. Dana Phelan went to work, unleashing a torrent of threes that evened things up. One of the most clutch quarters you will see.
That’s what impressed me so much about Tappan Zee. How they could take a knockout punch and bounce up off the canvas and keep on swinging. Their defense was so locked-in and in sync. No, they didn’t win the state title. But every player on the roster will be able to look in the mirror for the rest of their lives and say: I gave everything I had on the biggest stage in New York. A truly incredible run.
It will be interesting to see what happens in 2022-23. Yes, Tappan Zee graduated a LOT. But they return starters Kupi and Kristen Phelan, and some rotation players. And they have a great coach in Gina Maher protégé, Chevrier. No doubt they will get stronger as the season progresses. No doubt their defense will be ferocious. Run-through-a-brick-wall defense. No doubt they will be a very tough out in mid-February.
Class A is going to be very interesting. Harrison, Panas, and Tappan Zee look like front runners. But Rye, who also have a very good coach, just knocked off Harrison. Should be a very compelling battle for the Gold Ball.
Whoever emerges from Section One will have to go through Wallkill (Section Nine), who return a lot of firepower. Tappan Zee dispatched of Wallkill last year by twenty. But one gets the feeling the Section One vs Nine battle will be a lot tighter this time around.
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Tappan Zee Girls Hoops 2021-22: Fantastic Run
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Intensity. Execution. Focus. Tenacity. These are words that come to mind when thinking about the 2021-22 Tappan Zee girls basketball team. They had the precision and efficiency of a college team as they marched through the Section One playoffs. I wondered what scheme they would cook up in the title game against the speedy young guards of Walter Panas and the answer was old school, roll-up-your-sleeves man-to-man. Get up in your face and make you uncomfortable man-to-man. The elasticity of their defense was very impressive—whether playing quick guards who like to jitterbug, or trees in the paint, the D was tough and disruptive. Tappan Zee made it to the brink of the NYSPHSAA state championship in Troy, where the Lady Dutchmen slugged it out with a very strong squad from Averill Park. I say “slugged it out” not because the game lacked grace, but because the players from both sides seemed to squeeze every last ounce of performance from their selves. And also because there was a back-and-forth nature to the game, (which is available for viewing on NFHS), like two heavyweights trading body blows. Coach Riley Chevrier had her team very well-prepared. The game could have gone either way. And Chevrier made great choices, like putting 5’5” Kellie Linehan on 6’2” Amelia Wood. Wood is not merely tall; she’s very talented and starting for D1 Sacred Heart University this season. She was like Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons, on the court, and Linehan, who came up to her shoulders, was all up in her business, battling for real estate in the paint. A heroic defensive effort, bodying up the bigger player close to the rim. Wood was kept in check most of the night, coming alive more in the second half, though two late offensive rebounds off errant free throws for easy putbacks hurt. Averill Park played man-to-man defense, with a slight variation. They had four girls play a very tight man-to-man: on the two Phelan sisters (Dana and Kristen), Kupi, and Linehan, and then had a second 6’ tall girl sag off the 5th TZ player and set-up shop in the paint, in a permanent state of help, challenging any player bold enough to drive. What a luxury that must be for a high school team: I’ll use my 6’2” to play straight-up man, and park my other six-footer in the paint to challenge any drives. Tappan Zee had opportunities, but ultimately was not able to make Averill Park pay for this scheme. Freshman Kristen Phelan led the charge early. D2 bound Ariana Kupi was tough throughout. (There was a bit of confusion in the third quarter when the referees inadvertently attributed a foul to Kupi, who was nowhere near the play, and resulted in Kupi coming out for a spell.) Kupi’s ability to shoot from the outside and slash to the rim really shined through. But it was star senior Dana Phelan (now in the rotation for D2 College of Staten Island), who really heated up in the fourth quarter, after Tappan Zee fell behind by double digits in the third. Dana Phelan went to work, unleashing a torrent of threes that evened things up. One of the most clutch quarters you will see. That’s what impressed me so much about Tappan Zee. How they could take a knockout punch and bounce up off the canvas and keep on swinging. Their defense was so locked-in and in sync. No, they didn’t win the state title. But every player on the roster will be able to look in the mirror for the rest of their lives and say: I gave everything I had on the biggest stage in New York. A truly incredible run. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2022-23. Yes, Tappan Zee graduated a LOT. But they return starters Kupi and Kristen Phelan, and some rotation players. And they have a great coach in Gina Maher protégé, Chevrier. No doubt they will get stronger as the season progresses. No doubt their defense will be ferocious. Run-through-a-brick-wall defense. No doubt they will be a very tough out in mid-February. Class A is going to be very interesting. Harrison, Panas, and Tappan Zee look like front runners. But Rye, who also have a very good coach, just knocked off Harrison. Should be a very compelling battle for the Gold Ball. Whoever emerges from Section One will have to go through Wallkill (Section Nine), who return a lot of firepower. Tappan Zee dispatched of Wallkill last year by twenty. But one gets the feeling the Section One vs Nine battle will be a lot tighter this time around.