This Week's Spotlight: Clarkstown South Boy's Varsity Basketball Team

As basketball fans gear up for March Madness, there is one local team that has made significant strides in its basketball program and looks forward to establishing itself as a team to compete. For Clarkstown South the 2011-2012 season was one for the history books with one of its players exceeding the 1,000-point milestone, the Coach of the Year Award and a trip to the Section playoffs.

Clarkstown South's Boys Varsity Basketball Team led by head coach Matt Backs and assistant coach Chris Meyers made its first trip across the bridge this year to the Westchester County Center to compete in the Section One League Tournament. This was the first time in school history that the Boys Varsity team made it this far.

"Coach Backs did an amazing job turning us into the best defensive team we have had in my 14 years at South," said assistant Coach Chris Meyers. "Coach preached a "We over Me " mentality and that was exemplified by our best player Mike McCahey. Despite being a top five scorer in the history of Rockland County he did it in an unselfish way. He never looked for special treatment and allowed us to hold him to a higher standard than any of his teammates. When your best player is unselfish, works hard, and allows himself to be coached it really sets the tone."

It's Backs third year coaching and living in the area since he moved here from Indiana. He has brought with him fresh ideas and a great attitude. Backs was named for the 2011-2012 season. He has put South Boy's Basketball back on the map amongst the ranks of the elite teams from the county.

"We had underclassman that may not have gotten minutes this year but are greatly improved and will be good for us in the future," said Backs. "We have seniors that started and may not have had stats that stand out on paper but that we could not have won without. We have two seniors that were recognized by local media and coaches as being two of the best in the area.  I was lucky enough to be named Conference IV Coach of the Year by my peers and that would have never happened without each of these types of kids and without the help of Chris Meyers and my staff.  Everyone had success this year and we tried to share of much of it with everyone involved."

Senior Mike McCahey broke 1,000 points during the season and was one of six players named to the Tri-County Team. Usually the games against Clarkstown North and Albertus Magnus are the teams the boys look forward too playing since they know a lot of the players. But for McCahey there was one game that he wanted to win.

"The most exciting game for me this year was the playoff game against Carmel because it was the game that enabled us to advance to the County Center for the first time. It was also the last game the eight seniors will ever play at home at the Clarkstown South gym," said McCahey.

Teammate and senior Clayton Roker, had the same sentiment.

"We were losing the whole game against Carmel and came back to win in the final minutes and the crowd was amazing so I say this was the most exciting game for me," said Roker. "It felt good to be going to the County Center because we had worked hard all off-season preparing for a season like the one we had. People believe this was one of the best team in school history so it definitely feels good to be part of it." 

However, for senior Matt Brenner, the game that will live on in his memory is the final game against Mount Vernon.

"The County Center against Mount Vernon was the most memorable game of the season," said Brenner. "The support from our school was more than we could have asked for which helped give us the confidence we needed to compete. Mikey McCahey and Clayton Roker proved how talented they are, and in my mind out played the projected Division One athletes from Mount Vernon." 

A true testament to the unselfish attitude prophesied by the coach.

South ended its season with a 16-5 record, going undefeated at home, only losing while on the road.

South (4th seed) played in two playoff games, fortunately they had home court advantage for both games. The first was against John Jay East Fishkill (13 seed) and after that win they played Carmel (5 seed). The win against Carmel advanced them to the County Center where they met Mount Vernon (1 seed).

"Being on the first team to make it to the County Center was very exciting.  This has been something that I have wanted to accomplish since I was on the team freshman year and this was my last shot to make the County Center," said McCahey.

Seniors McCahey and Roker were named all-league and all-conference and Kevin Giordano was named all-league. 

Meyers acknowledged that in addition to the stand out players, it was the whole team that played a role in getting them to the Section playoffs.

"We had a senior group who were tough and willing to do the dirty work it takes to win," he said. "They defended, talked, screened, hustled and did all the little things that don't show up in the score book. We had a young group of talented players who pushed our more experienced guys everyday in practice. Several of them including  freshman Conor McGuinness, sophomore Joe Zayer, and junior Tyler Mager made significant contributions on the court. We are very excited about our young core group of players going forward." 

Now that the freshman team has been reinstated in the district the coaches hold a very positive outlook for the future. Working in synergy with Backs and Meyers are Junior Varsity Coach Mike Amatulli and Freshman Coach Jeremy Login. The coaches work together to get all the players in shape whether on the court or in the weight room.

"I think, depending on how you determine success, all of our kids had success in something this year.  We had guys that were seniors that were ninth and tenth on the freshman and JV teams and developed into guys that got playing time and that were the leaders of our program because of the work they put in and their positive attitudes," said Backs.

This proves that hard work combined with passion and discipline can really payoff for individual players as well as the team. Never give up.

Although South will be graduating eight players, the younger talent looks very promising.

"As tough as it will be to lose the group that we have, I really am looking forward to the group we have returning," said Backs. "At every level in our program, our kids experienced some sort of success and all developed.  The expectation of hard work, high standards and team success is there.  Even more encouraging, all the kids in our program put in a lot of time to develop their overall athleticism along with their basketball skill so they genuinely enjoy being around the sport."

Amongst the coaches and the players the sentiment was consistent how tremendous the support from the school, parents, athletic department, and fans were this year.

Backs humbly dismisses the credit for a winning season and points to the kids that he had to work with, as well as his staff and the athletic department, especially Vince Louther, the athletic director.

"I was very lucky to get to be a part of it," said Backs.

Clarkstown South Boy's Basketball 2011-2012 Team:

Head Coach: Matt Backs
Assistant Coach: Chris Meyers
Seniors:

Juniors:

• Blake Sanders
• Tyler Mager
• Thomas Gerlic

Sophomores:

Freshman:

• Conor McGuiness

Congratulations on a spectacular season and we look forward to what next year brings!