The Varsity boys basketball team has been knocked out of the ACIS playoff semi-finals by Packer, 46-34. This was a chance for the team to reach the final and face Dwight or Friends Seminary on Saturday for the championship.

The pace of the game was electric from the opening tip. Though the pace was high the scoring was not, as both teams didn’t shoot the ball well. The first quarter ended with a very low score of 8-6 to Packer. The second quarter was much of the same. Both quarters were played very evenly as the first half ended with the score Packer 17, BC 15. The third quarter is where the game changed with Packer coming out firing on all cylinders outscoring BC 12-3 to start the third quarter. Packer converted inside scores and were even hitting some of the open outside shots they were missing in the first. On the other hand the shooting woes for BC continued from the first half. Packer ended up having a 10 point lead heading into the 4th quarter giving BC a small mountain to climb if they were going to come out with the win. BC showed some scoring life at the start of the 4th quarter going on a 7-2 run. Then the tenacious Packer defense shut them down. The win for Packer came down to their defense, holding BC to their lowest point total of the season in league. Packer players hit a couple of late free throws and shut BC down on the other end to secure the the win and a place in the playoff finals. 

A proud Coach Giovino reflected on the season and the future of BC basketball:

“It always hurts to lose. I am upset. I am in a lot of pain. The boys are upset. The boys are in a lot of pain. And we all should be. We put 4 months of work into this season and then all of a sudden the league season is over. The thing is that I look back on all of our time spent together and I couldn’t be prouder of this group. They have worked so hard and come so far. The boys on the team deserve so much credit. A weaker team, a team less mentally tough would have packed in the season when we were 4-9, struggling with roles and trying to recover from injuries. But not this group.  This group just kept fighting and we went 9-2 over the last 6 weeks of the season. They don’t have anything to hang their heads about. Obviously we want to win, the goal is to win and in that aspect we are unfulfilled. But they can look back on their body of work over the season and be proud. When I think about the future of Berkeley Carroll basketball, I look at the past. This was our 5th straight year making it to at least the league semi finals. It was our 5th straight year finishing in the top 4 in the league. In the time we have won a league championship and a state championship. We have earned a reputation in NYC as a program to be reckoned with. And all of that work was done by year after year of great, hardworking kids.  So I don’t know exactly what the future holds but I know two things. First, I know that this group is going to be excited if we get into the NYSAIS State Tournament for the 5th straight year and they are going to work as hard as they can in practice next week and really attack whoever we are matched against. And second, I know in the years to come our program is in really good hands. Each year new players step up to carry the mantel. I have every confidence that will happen in the years to come.”

Senior Jeffrey Hudson also commented, saying, “The season was great, we improved A LOT from November all the way to February, all while having fun because this is a great group of guys. We have one more push to make in the state tournament next week, but besides that BC basketball has a bright future.”

The Varsity boys don’t have any more scheduled games, although the state tournament teams and the dates for the games will be announced in the coming days. Hopefully you come check them out and thanks for your continued support BC!