Ryan Wagner's shooting hand hung in the air a bit longer than usual. With 2:53 remaining in the third quarter, the sharpshooting Wagner was again playing possessed.
Mahopac's high-horsepower senior two-guard had just drained a deep corner 3-pointer, capping a rapid-fire 8-2 spurt that swelled the spread to 49-26.
Then, for the first time in over a decade, an oh-so-familiar chant suddenly permeated the walls of Mahopac High School.
It was immediate and boy, was it refreshing to the always-raucous home crowd that's remained true through the ups and downs of the program's recent history.
"County Center!" The chorus spread like wildfire, tailing off and then re-emerging in the game's final 28 seconds.
Perhaps it was too much, too early the first time. Then again, this is the Mahopac basketball culture making up for lost time. The Indians are generating basketball buzz at the right time, a veteran-loaded core which has been the stepchild to football and lacrosse the past couple of seasons.
The Indians seem to feed off this relentless energy on a workaday basis. Fans roll out a red carpet for the basketball squad and the Indians answer the call.
And so the Indians shot No.14 Clarkstown South out of their gym, punching their ticket to the Westchester County Center for the first time since 2000, when they ran into a buzz saw known as Ben Gordon. Gordon, the famed professional who now plays for the Detroit Pistons, was a junior at Mount Vernon HS at the time.
The Indians are again slated for a date with historic perennial power Mount Vernon--which is seeking their sixth straight Section I championship--in the Section I/Class AA semifinals.
Mahopac thoroughly dismantled South--the sleeper which upset Yale-bound center Matt Townsend and No.3 Horace Greeley--to the tune of a 73-57 washout.
"Words can't describe how amazing this feels right now," said an ecstatic Wagner, who poured in 19 points to help spearhead the Indians' dead-eye perimeter game.
"I mean, it's a speechless feeling. I can't even describe it."
Mahopac is not big on post-game bravado or trash talk, but their actions on the court spoke louder than words Tuesday night.
Anthony Annunziata, a grizzled four-year veteran who came close to earning a first-ever berth in the County Center before crumbling under 6-foot-8 forward Keith Thomas and red-hot Yorktown two years ago, had talked all week about defining the moment. The longest-tenured player on the roster, Annunziata spoke of glowing in the spotlight and making up for lost time.
One of the Indians' nine seniors, Annunziata bagged timely three-pointers and dropped 19 points.
He was a playing with a purpose. He didn't want to miss the dance. He didn't want to miss every varsity basketball player's dream of performing before a jam-packed crowd on the biggest stage. Annunziata, who will graduate in June, did not want the experience of performing at the big house (with the spirit of Mahopac, the alumni, and the high-decibel, loyal, and ebullient fan base behind him and his teammates) to elude him.
"I couldn't be happier for the kid (Annunziata)," said Indians coach Kevin Downes. Two Years ago, we were a couple minutes away from getting to the County Center. He knows what it's like. He's one of the hardest working kids we've had here. As the kids like to say, he's the heart and soul of this team."
The Indians played with the heart, hunger, and hustle of a team thirsting for a berth in the Section I Final Four. They hustled, they got offensive rebounds. They took charges. They played suffocating defense even while nursing a 12-point lead. They refused to let up. They would not take their foot off the gas.
After gaining a 34-22 halftime lead, the Indians opened up the second half on a 7-2 surge. An Annunziata 3-pointer pumped the lead up to 41-24. Robbie Catalino, who has added muscle to a once-spindly frame, followed with a baseline drive.
Annunziata got free on the left corner and popped another trey on a trademark catch-and-shoot. Then came Wagner's bomb, which left the senior hanging his shooting hand high in the sky in art-like form.
Handles-happy guard Mark Vaccaro scored 10 points, circumventing defenders on forays to the cup.
He and senior T.J. Foley, who gobbled up rebounds and fired outlet passes to facilitate the running game, were able to get shots up off the dribble with ease. Zach Ankier had some key buckets, including a key putback that quelled a 6-0 Clarkstown run in the first half.
Downes said he would like to enjoy the victory for the night, though there's a major challenge cooking on Mahopac's front burner.
"Mount Vernon is a great program, we can only aspire to do what they've been able to do over the years," said Downes.
"We know we're going to have our hands full. I mean, we have to start thinking about that first thing tomorrow. For tonight, we will enjoy the win... We were definitely comfortable in our gym tonight. When you add playing solid defense to how well the kids shot the ball, absolutely, it's a colossal win. We're happy to get to where we're going, we are going to make the most of this opportunity."
In Wagner, his coach's words resonated.
"It's just a great opportunity," said Wagner, hyped to play against arguably the best high school player in New York State in West Virginia-bound guard Jabarie Hinds.
"Just because we know how good he (Hinds) is, we know he's headed to West Virginia on a full ride. It's going to be great to play against a player like that."
While the pinnacle of their coaching careers remains to be seen, both Mount Vernon coach Bob Cimmino and Mahopac coach Kevin Downes are enjoying epic moments in their career.
Cimmino has been chosen to coach the East squad at the McDonald's All-American game this year, a prestigious national honor. Kevin Downes was recently named Section I Coach of the Year, honored for his hand in turning around a team that went 6-12 last season.
Downes is a coach who bleeds emotion. He's groomed a torrent of talented seniors and helped them make the jump from also-ran to Final Four Class AA team.
Cimmino is an established Hall of Fame caliber coach who has molded a slew of professional talents. He's likely enjoying watching West Virginia forward/former Mount Vernon star Kevin Jones sprout into an NBA draft hopeful.
Cimmino has compared Hinds to Gordon. When Hinds averaged 37 PPG during an AAU tournament the summer leading into his junior season, Cimmino first made the comparison. He then said that Hinds may be the best player he's ever coached.
His words have proven prophetic.
Last season, bouncy southpaw Hinds and Mount Vernon torched New Rochelle--avenging two regular season losses--en route to defeating Poughkeepsie in the title game. Hinds, who reeled off a personal 7-0 run in the second half, dropped 26 points as the Knights earned their fifth consecutive Gold Ball.
Mount Vernon will be a tall order. Mahopac knows the pressure is on the other side. They're playing with house money, so they might as well embrace the moment. Embrace the lime lit atmosphere, with the sea of onlookers getting their $7 worth. Embrace Section I's biggest stage.
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