HIGH SCHOOL BOYS' BASKETBALL: DIVISION TITLE PART OF MAGICAL SEASON FOR ND, WHO OPENS SECTIONALS TONIGHT (2024-02-23)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
SOUTHPORT — When the summer began the Notre Dame boys’ basketball team had high hopes. However, the summer was a little shaky and it caused some players to have questions heading into the season.

However, once the games started for real this winter the Crusaders got back the feeling they had before the summer and it lead them to their first division title in over a decade. Now, the Crusaders are headed to sectionals, hosting Marathon at 6 p.m. tonight.

“It’s huge, I’ve never won anything, or experienced anything like this, it feels great,” senior Jeremiah Parker said.

The summer league experience left a few doubts for Notre Dame players.

“At first we did (expect big things), then we went and played in summer league and that went a little rough for us,” Parker said. “So, safe to say, no we didn’t really think we’d be this good.”

After the struggles in the summer the players just knew they had to get back to work.

“Just means we have to work harder to get better,” junior Gabe Patterson said. “Just means there is a lot we had to work on, there is still a lot we have to work on. Since the summer league didn’t go our way, that just inspired us to keep going.”

One thing that summer league helped the Crusaders players with was adjusting against teams they would play during the regular season.

“Summer league you get a couple guys through the summer just to play, but we are playing a lot of the teams we play during the regular season so we can adjust for the season,” Parker said.

As this season got going that feeling going into the summer started to come back.

“Recently we won 6 of our past 7 (to end the regular season) and through this stretch I really learned when we play together we can do something special.”

All of this comes after a heartbreaking end to last season when the Crusaders were edged on a nearly half-court buzzer beater 69-68 to Union Springs.

“It feels great, coming off the season we had last year and the heartbreaking loss, it feels good to be where we are,” Patterson said. “Just come out and just win (this season). Nothing else. It doesn’t matter how we do it, we just have to get it done.”

A season ago Parker had a breakout year, earning all-league honors and averaging over 20 points a contest. He knows that put more attention on him coming into this year.

“It’s a lot different being face guarded most nights, but my guys they set screens and we get through it,” Parker said.

What last season also did was boost the confidence for the Crusaders star.

“It made me feel like I was the guy for our team,” Parker said. “I feel like I have to play pretty well to win most games.”

What’s been a big difference this year is the post play by the Crusaders, led by Finn Schweizer, and the shooting of players like Patterson.

“A lot of our guys like Finn, Gabe and Vinny (Campanelli) they know what to do on the court,” Parker said. “It’s huge, when we have split scoring through our games (inside and outside) it makes games more competitive and more winnable. We can run more sets through other players and when we have people open it’s amazing.”

Patterson knows that Parker is a great player, and others have to step up around him.

“I think he needs shooters around him, because he’s a great playmaker,” Paterson said. “But, he can’t play make if he doesn’t have shooters around him, so that’s important. It’s very easy to play off him and play off the bigs as well.”

And, when players are king shots it makes everything easier.

“It takes pressure off guys like Jeremiah and it allows other players to score as well,” Patterson said.

The division title came for Notre Dame on a night they lost, as they found out Watkins Glen lost as well that night. That was special for the Crusaders to hear the division title they wanted so long was won.

“Even though we did lose to Lansing (on the night Watkins Glen lost), it was exciting to know we got the division title,” Patterson said. “Ever since I got here, ever since seventh grade, ever since I got to varsity last year that’s (the division title) been the goal.

“It feels rewarding because this is what we wanted to do, this is just the start hopefully.”

The division title is special, especially to give the seniors something to end their careers with.

“I think it’s really important, because you can win games, but if you don’t have anything to prove it there is nothing to show for it,” Patterson said. “I think it’s really important for them (the seniors), getting that up there on their final year is really important because they have got something to leave with.”

For Parker there isn’t likely to be basketball after high school so he’s enjoying every moment left this year.

“I don’t think I’m going to play in college,” Parker said. “I’m going to school for fashion and I really think that’s my calling.

“Even practices, I just love being able to come in here and get to work.”

The Crusaders hope to continue the hot play they had at the end of the regular season into the playoffs.

“This group is very, very solid, all we know how to do is win at this point, so we just want to keep it going,” Patterson said.
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES.