A five-year climb from total obscurity to the biggest possible stage left the Syracuse Academy of Science boys basketball team one conversion short of a state Class C championship.
Indeed, while the Atoms’ 46-44 defeat to Friends Academy in Saturday night’s state final at Glens Falls Civic Center was nothing less than painful, it could not obscure the rapid rise of coach Onur Gokce’s program.
Unafraid of the pressure that just grew with each passing round, SAS found itself down by two points in the closing seconds of the championship game against Friends. A field goal would send the game to overtime. A 3-pointer would win it all.
The ball ended up in Jamon Haddon’s hands. Haddon, who led his team with 12 points in the final, drove down the right side, went to the baseline and took a potential tying jump shot – but it rattled off the rim, and time ran out.
That miss typified the Atoms’ night, and especially what took place in the homestretch. Only shooting 36.3 percent (16-for-44) against the Quakers, SAS hurt itself even more at the foul line in the fourth quarter, converting just six out of 14 attempts.
All that obscured the brilliant job the Atoms did with its own defense against Friends, the Section VIII champions from Long Island. Mixing zone looks with full-court pressure, SAS forced turnovers and held the Quakers to 16-for-52 shooting (30.8 percent).
And in the final period, Friends got just one field goal – but it proved the most important of the night. With SAS leading 43-42 despite all of its misses at the foul line, the Quakers worked it to Tommy Costa, who hit a 3-pointer with 1:26 to play to move Friends up by two, 45-43.
There it remained until, with 10.7 seconds left, Haddon hit one free throw to cut it to 45-44. Then, with 7.6 seconds to play, Dakeem McLain fouled out as he was forced to hack Travis Hefele, who made one of his two attempts, setting up the final drama.
SAS had a 7-0 run in the first quarter that produced an 11-6 lead. Friends tied it, 22-22, by halftime, then led by as much as seven (31-24) in the third period before Haddon and Kaleel Johnson combined for nine straight points to push the Atoms back in front 33-31. From there, neither side would lead by more than two points again.
In a contrast to what had happened throughout its playoff run, SAS never could get center Ahmet Tunali established inside, as the 6-8 Turkish exchange student got just seven points and nine rebounds. McLain and Johnson each had nine points. Costa led both sides with 14 points and garnered tournament MVP honors.
