Baymen End Season with 18 Wins

By Matilde Bechet

     Oyster Bay High School’s Boys Varsity Basketball has much to be proud of this season. Led by Captains Devon Marmorale, Bradley Beck, and Anthony Reilly, the team’s roster also included Khalil Williams, Michael Salvato, Jack Rispoli, Luke Puccio, Gianluca Pavlovic, Edward Kemp, Yahve Jean-Baptiste, Joe Deblasio, Elia Deblasio, Brian Casey, and Andrew Butler. With such a united team, the Baymen were able to finish their season with a record 18 wins and 3 losses. 
​     The Baymen hoped to keep their winning streak alive; however, OB lost a close game to Malverne High School on January 12th with a score of 61-62. OBHS had to sit tight before taking on Malverne a second time during their regular season, and later a third time during the championship game.
​     On January 15th, Oyster Bay played known rival Cold Spring Harbor. While OB went home with a loss, the setback didn’t slow the team’s momentum. After that game, the Baymen went on to achieve 8 consecutive wins.

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     On February 8th, OB went into the second game against Cold Spring Harbor with full force. When Devon Marmorale was asked about his thoughts on the team’s mentality that day, he commented, “It was the senior game, and without a doubt, all six seniors wanted to finish our last home game with a win.”
​     In the end, the Baymen rose to the challenge and overcame previous obstacles with a 62-51 win against Cold Spring Harbor.
​     After such an incredible season, I was able to speak to more team members regarding their overall thoughts on the games as well as future hopes for continuing their stride in future seasons.
​     Yahve Jean-Baptiste, a junior and second-year varsity player, said, “I felt that it was a great season and the team persevered through numerous challenges.” Yahve went on to add that “it was one of the best regular seasons in the history of OBHS.”
​     Luke Puccio, a senior athlete, also expressed positive thoughts about the season. “We had a great group of guys; we’ve been playing together for most of our lives, and I feel that was an important factor that led to our success.”
​     Bradley Beck, another senior on the team, mentioned a few memorable moments from this past season. “As a team we had some really big accomplishments this year such as winning the Tom Robinson Tournament and going undefeated at home.”
​     On February 6th, another opportunity to play Malverne knocked on the Baymen’s door, and the team went home with a win of 66-63. During that same week, OB turned the tables when facing Cold Spring Harbor, and brought home another win.
​     When reaching the championship game, OB was unable to pull off a win. Devon Marmorale stated, “We lost by 5 points, which absolutely crushed us. Although this season didn’t end the way we wanted it to, I wouldn’t have wanted to play with anyone else for my senior year.”
​     Seniors Bradley Beck and Luke Puccio also voiced some advice for next year’s players. “Make sure to cherish every moment and leave everything you have on the court. Once it starts, it's going to fly by, and these memories will be with you forever,” Beck stated.
​     Puccio added, “Don’t take any moment you have on that court with your teammates for granted. It all goes way too fast. Good luck next year."
Head coach Brian Boyle said he was “very proud of the boys and the way they competed all season.” With respect to the graduating seniors, Coach Boyle added, “The six seniors on this basketball team have left a legendary mark on Oyster Bay. They are all leaving the school with multiple conference championships and multiple Nassau B titles. I will never forget all the memories we have shared the past four years. I truly love all these guys!
​     OBHS, get ready for next year’s season because the Baymen aren’t going to let their winning streak fade. As Stephen Curry famously stated, “If you don’t fall, how are you going to know what getting up is like?”