Cold Spring Harbor boys basketball's Lucas Sliwak scores 18 points in win over Oyster Bay

It was March 7, a Friday night last year inside Farmingdale State’s gym. And it didn’t end well for Cold Spring Harbor in its bid to claim the Nassau Class B championship plaque.

“We were there last year and weren’t able to finish the job,” Seahawks coach Jason Mercurio said of that five-point loss to Carle Place. “Everything that we’ve been about this year is to get back to that day and have another opportunity.”

Mercurio has a new opening five to try to chase this basketball program’s first county crown since 2019. The starters and the reserves have melded together nicely.

Cold Spring Harbor traveled to Oyster Bay Saturday and added another win to the pile. The Seahawks got 18 points from senior forward Lucas Sliwak and beat the Baymen 56-43 to rise to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in Nassau VIII.

“This is the hardest-working group of players that I’ve had,” said Mercurio, now in his 13th season. “They have a tremendous amount of grit. I think we have 10 players that played football, and they have that type of mentality out on the basketball court. They want to win their matchups.”

They already have their ticket to the final four since there are only four schools in B.

“I think we have a very good chance of winning,” Sliwak said.

They were missing one of their regular starters. Yianni Dallaris was away on a college visit for football. But Sliwak joined the first five and stood out at both ends.

“He’s our sixth guy,” Mercurio said. “He comes off the bench [and] he gives us a tremendous amount of energy.”

The third quarter was the game-breaking quarter.

“Good halftime by Coach Merc in the little room there,” Sliwak said. “… Got our minds right again. Came out strong.”

Connor Sheridan hit two free throws nine seconds in and scored all eight of his points in the quarter. Sliwak followed with a three-point play and scored six in the quarter. And the defense, with Sliwak at the forefront, added an aggressive element.

“Our defensity intensity to start the third quarter, we really picked it up,” Mercurio said.

Cold Spring Harbor extended a 27-21 halftime lead to 46-30 late in the period.

The margin never got below 11 in the fourth.

“I think we have good chemistry all around with the team,” Sheridan said.

Chase Lordi scored 14 for Oyster Bay. New coach Brian Soper is attempting to lay down a foundation. The Baymen are 7-7 after going 3-15 last season.

“I think there’s a good mix of young and old,” Soper said. “I think there’s just a lot of energy, culture building. Our JV is good, so our practices are competitive. … Record-wise, we’re improving, but we also improve game by game. Even our losses, I’ve been happy. There’s no doubt we give unbelievable effort.”

“We’re ahead of schedule,” he added. “We’re going to be a force to be reckoned with I think at the end of this year as well as the next few years.”