Jamel Williams scores 19 points to help No. 3 Wyandanch outlast No. 6 Sayville in overtime in the Suffolk Class A quarterfinals
Jamel Williams, 1, Wyandanch, drives to the basket in the 2nd half at the Suffolk High School boys basketball Class A quarterfinals between Wyandanch and Sayville, Saturday, February 24,2024 Credit: Neil Miller
At Wyandanch’s most recent practice ahead of the Suffolk Class A boys basketball quarterfinals against Sayville, assistant coach Scott Greene gave a handout to each of his players.
On the handout were Auburn coach Bruce Pearl’s 'four things that will help you win on any level of basketball': "Make layups [quit missing layups]", "Make free throws [concentrate]", "Get 50/50 balls [heart/toughness]" and "No unforced turnovers".
As third-seeded Wyandanch faced a one-point deficit with 13.6 seconds left in regulation, it preached each of the four tasks. Small forward Tyree Pinnock’s free throw with 4.3 seconds left sent it to overtime, and Wyandanch hit two layups and made three free throws in the extra period to outlast Sayville.
Shooting guard Jamel Williams’ 19 points led all scorers as host Wyandanch escaped No. 6 Sayville with a 60-55 overtime win Saturday.
“It came because usually we miss layups,” Williams said. “Our free throws are not really there, 50/50 balls. They always tell us, 'get on the ground' – 50/50 balls, free throws are gonna make us win the game. And today we did that.”
Jerimiah Webb added 13 points as eight different players scored for Wyandanch (15-6), which went 18-for-32 from the line. It will face No. 2 Southampton (17-4) at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the semifinals at Patchogue-Medford High School.
“Games like this keep you on the edge of your seat,” Wyandanch coach Barry Baker said.
It was the second straight season the two teams met in the postseason, with Wyandanch winning 70-66 in the Class A first round last season.
Saturday’s game was tied at 41 heading into the fourth quarter, which featured three ties and five lead changes.
Mike Carmody, who had 16 points, hit a layup with 50 seconds left in regulation to give Sayville (12-9) a one-point lead. Wyandanch extended the game late, benefiting from two missed free throws with 13.6 seconds left before Pinnock sent the game to overtime.
The score was tied at 53 with 3:13 left in overtime. Joshua Presmy’s teardrop with 1:58 left gave Wyandanch a lead it would not surrender.
Sayville senior Richie Carmody, who averaged 20.1 points before Saturday, reached 1,000 career points on a made free throw with 7:01 left in regulation.
“We’re gonna miss [Richie], obviously,” Sayville coach Joe Harclerode said. “... When you need a bucket, it’s always easy to put the ball in his hand and say, ‘Hey, get me a basket here.’”
What will it take for Wyandanch, searching for its first county title since 2019, to keep winning?
Pointing to Greene’s handout, Williams said: “This right here.”
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
