Leam Powell winds and delivers, puts Chapel Field basketball in state title game
GLENS FALLS – A year ago, Leam Powell was sitting in the stands watching Chapel Field’s season end.
Something about that loss in regionals inspired him to get involved.
The senior, a baseball standout, made what could be the biggest shot in program history with 12.4 seconds to go in a NYSPHSAA Class D semifinal Saturday, giving the Lions a 47-46 win over North Warren at Cool Insuring Arena.
Chapel Field is now one win removed from a state championship.
“It means everything to us,” Lions guard Bryce Hollo said. “It’s been 32 years since a team from Chapel Field made it to states and that team was disqualified because of paperwork. It means a lot to do this for them and to do it with these guys. I love them so much.”
Regionals:Chapel Field tops Bridgehampton, advancing to Class D regional final
Preview:Father-son duo has Chapel Field at states
The school never applied for NYSPHSAA friends and neighbors status in 1991, but the error was not discovered until the Lions won a regional final.
Chapel Field overcame an early deficit and went back and forth with the Section 2 champions down the stretch. The Cougars were up 44-38 with 3:09 remaining but managed just one field goal the rest of the way. Noah Swart hit a 3 to start the Lions rally. Hollo got loose at the rim for a layup to make it a one-possession game. Elijah Horge gave North Warren a 46-43 edge, but Jonah McDuffie got to the line and brought Chapel Field within a point.
The defense held at the other end.
“We ran a set play, but didn’t get much out of it, so it became a scramble situation,” Lions coach Brad McDuffie said.
There wasn’t a lot happening as the Cougars kept the ball on the perimeter.
Before this season, Powell hadn’t played organized basketball since grade school, but he knew what to do when he ducked into the lane, discovering just enough room to get an improvised shot up.
North Warren squandered a chance to steal the win, sending a long inbounds pass over the end line.
“I honestly wasn’t expecting the ball,” Powell said of the game-winner. “Mikey (Bonagura) drove in and just handed off to me so I was like, ‘I’ll see what I can do with it.’ I didn’t know how much time we had on the clock, so I figured I’d give it a shot and it fell.”
What it means
A better start would help Chapel Field in the final, but the Lions displayed the kind of composure that wins championships at several points in the semifinal win. They never got ahead of themselves and worked possession to possession. It's an intangible that will likely come into play in Sunday's title game.
"It was extremely important to stay patient," Hollo said. "Four out of five can’t win the game. You have to have all five playing together and staying cool, calm and collected. That’s all we did."
Player of the game
Noah Stewart went 3 for 5 from behind the arc and led Chapel Field with 14 points.
By the numbers
Chapel Field (19-5): Hollow finished with seven points and 12 rebounds. ... Bonagura and McDuffie delivered 11 points apiece. ... The Lions shot 30.5% from the field, but had a 43-32 advantage on the boards.
North Warren Central (19-6): Derrick Tyrell led the Cougars with 14 points and 11 rebounds. ... Sean Evans had 11 points and five boards. ... North Warren went 4 for 24 from behind the arc.
They said it
"I don't think it was about settling down at the start, I think they had us scouted well," Brad McDuffie said of an early 17-9 deficit. "They did a better job than any team we've seen this season of taking away so much of what we wanted to do."
"It’s a whole different game," Powell said of basketball. "I play baseball and there is a much different intensity here and way more adrenaline involved. Getting to the championship game is incredible. I can’t even put words to it. We’ve talked about it a little bit. It didn’t really set in until I got on the court and looked around then it started hitting me. There’s a lot of pressure."
Up next
Chapel Field takes on Section 5 champion Avoca-Prattsburgh at 3 p.m. Sunday for the state title. The Titans won the NYSPHSAA championship in 1991 when the Lions were disqualified.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Chapel Field beats North Warren, advances to NY state basketball final
