Smithtown West boys basketball loses in state Southeast Regional final

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS — It had been a postseason of history-making achievements, program history for the Smithtown West boys basketball team. Its first Suffolk championship. Its first Long Island championship.

So the Bulls were three steps away from a first state championship.

It looked they were going to be just two steps away, up nine late in the third quarter of the state Class AA Southeast Regional final against Rye Friday night at Yorktown High. And then the game spun and got away.

Rye, the Section I champion, hadn’t made a final four since 1989. But the Garnets are the ones going to Binghamton and not Smithtown West after they rallied for a 51-47 win.

“It’s disappointing today, but obviously when we reflect back, and eventually we will, we should be really, really prideful,” Bulls coach Mike Agostino said after the conclusion of a 22-game winning streak and a 23-2 season.

“We’ve done things in the history of Smithtown that have never been done before with winning a county championship and winning a Long Island championship.”

The Garnets were already feeling prideful, in the state semis at 21-5.

“We’re not really known for our basketball,” coach Tom Proudian said. “It’s a lacrosse, football school. So that means a lot. Just amazing. We’re really excited about the opportunity.”

When Carson Miller, who scored eight of his team-high 18 in the fourth, made a three for Rye, Smithtown West’s lead was down to 40-38 with 6:29 left.

The Bulls went up 43-38, but Miller made a layup and Sebastian Lewis followed with a three-point play. A 10-0 run was underway — 48-43 Rye,1:32 to go.

Michael Cascione, the Bulls’ senior star in the backcourt, hit two free throws to cut it to three. But after a Garnets turnover, a three for the tie went awry.

Miller nailed two free throws and Henry Shoemaker canned one. It was a six-point game with 25.3 remaining. Rye outscored the Bulls 21-10 in the final period.

“Couple of calls, couple of loose balls didn’t go our way,” Cascione said. “They hit more shots than us. They hit their free throws.”

It was 21-17 Smithtown West at halftime. Cascione then scored 11 of his 22 in the third, including a three for a 35-26 advantage.

“Michael is a generational player for Smithtown West basketball,” Agostino said.

But Rye made it his last basketball game for the program.

“I love this team, man,” Cascione said. “I’m so proud of what we did.”