Carle Place boys basketball reaches state championships after 20 years

The Carle Place Frogs are heading to the state tournament for the first time in 20 years. The boys' basketball team from Nassau County holds a record of 15-8. They recently won the Long Island Class B title by defeating Mattituck 53-36. Their next game is against Woodlands High School in Binghamton. The team feels a strong bond, like a family. Junior guard Ryan Leary expressed their determination, saying, "We don’t want to lose now." Leary reached a significant milestone in December when he scored his 1,000th career point, following in the footsteps of his mother and sisters. Senior Matthew Babino, a key player, noted that winning has become a habit for them since Leary's achievement. Both Leary and Babino have experience from the soccer field, where they were part of Carle Place's state championship team last November. “We knew we were just going to put our heads back down and keep working for basketball,” Babino said. Sophomore Mario Dalessandro is excited for his first playoff experience in any sport. He said, “It’s kind of crazy... This is just my first experience of playing meaningful basketball.” Meanwhile, the Wantagh High School girls' basketball team recently won their first A class Long Island title by beating Mount Sinai 54-30. This victory came just after a dramatic moment when athletic director Jennifer Keane helped save a referee during a boys' title game. Coach Stan Bujacich is keeping his team's focus on the upcoming game against Albany Academy. He emphasized their growth through tough matches, saying, “I think we’re just getting better and better.”