Naevon Williams' reverse layup ignites spurt as Southampton wins Class B regional final
Southampton guard Naevon Williams drives the baseline for two points against Valhalla in the state Class B regional final on Friday at Eastport-South Manor. Credit: George A Faella
The finger roll was a thing of beauty.
Southampton’s Naevon Williams drove the length of the court, eluded three defenders and hit a reverse layup that sent the Mariners fans into a frenzy.
Valhalla had closed within a point after a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter and Southampton desperately needed a spark. Williams gave them one. His basket of beauty ignited an 8-0 burst and Southampton closed out Valhalla, 64-55, to capture the state Class B Regional final Friday night at Eastport-South Manor High School in Manorville.
“It’s my move,” Williams said. “I go aggressive to the basket and they can try and take me on, but no one is stopping me. They gave us their best shot and we answered.”
Williams, who finished with 15 points, added another layup and Derek Reed converted four free throws in the final 33 seconds.
Southampton (21-5) will meet a team to be determined in a state Class B semifinal at 9 a.m. next Saturday in the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. The Mariners will be shooting for the school’s second overall state title and first since 1999. Valhalla finishes 24-2.
“These guys have played together since they were little kids,” Southampton coach Herm Lamison said. “Our defensive intensity in the second half was the key. And I thought our rebounding was much better. We weren’t allowing them the second chances that kept the game closer early on.”
The first half was a back-and-forth, frenetic affair in which Southampton never trailed. The Mariners opened a 29-20 lead before Mikaele Martinez’ three-pointer cut the deficit to six.
Valhalla closed the half with a three-point play from Basiaka Butcher and a bucket from Robert Foisset to trail 31-27.
“We just couldn’t pull away,” Williams said. “They were very athletic, very fast. But our guys kept making big plays.”
Southampton opened a 45-35 lead on the soft touch of Tyler Blake, who led the Mariners with 17 points. But Valhalla’s Devan Cooper nailed consecutive three-pointers to cut the Mariners’ lead to four.
“They had some shooters,” Lamison said. “And our defense continued to push them further out and they were still knocking down big shots.”
Blake’s jumper made it 47-41, and when Butcher was hit with a technical foul for protesting a call, Blake hit both free throws.
“This was a big win against a really good team,” Williams said. “We were pushed hard and we responded.”
Southampton was hampered by poor free-throw shooting. The Mariners missed 11 free throws, making it tough to put Valhalla away.
‘We’ll celebrate a bit,” Lamison said, “and then we’ll be working free throws all week.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
