TROY – Without instruction or even a prompt, the team followed Julia Scott’s lead. Their movements, each of the pivots and sidesteps, were so coordinated it seemed choreographed.
But this was all impromptu, and a reflection of the chemistry this group has developed.
“I learned it from my grandma and we did it at all the family parties when I was little,” Scott said of them breaking into dance as “Cupid Shuffle” blasted from the speakers before Albertus Magnus took the court. “I don’t know where everyone else picked it up.”
Most of her teammates didn’t know, either, unable to remember when or why they learned the steps to that 2007 jam. But, as it so often is for them, it was probably osmosis.
Scott and fellow senior Maddy Zuppe have done so much to set the tone of this team, cultivating the culture, their influence permeates even the insignificant nooks and crannies.
When the Falcons lost in the 2023 section final, Zuppe and Scott vowed that it would be the last time their season would end in defeat. Never again would theirs be the team walking off tearful. They both admit now that it was an outlandish promise, one borne of frustration and youthful ignorance.
But their teammates believed them. Those words set the standard, and all the work and the excellence that followed in an attempt to make good on it, set the example.
“What are the chances of doing that, going three years without losing in the playoffs?” Zuppe said rhetorically. “And we actually did it.”
The Falcons crafted their own fairytale ending, rolling to a 72-50 victory over Section 5’s Aquinas Institute to capture a third consecutive girls basketball state championship.
“I couldn’t have dreamed of a better way to go out,” said Scott, who added the finishing touches to her high school career before going off to Clemson. “That whole second half, the shots were falling and the ball was moving, and we’re all out there smiling. That’ll be my favorite memory.”
In what has become a team tradition, the group lingered in the gymnasium at Hudson Valley Community College, snapping enough celebratory pictures and videos to overload an iCloud account.
“I was a student here when the girls team won two straight in the early (1990s),” coach Pat Buckley said, referring to Albertus Magnus’ repeat in 1992. “Those ladies are still connected to the program and there’s still a lot of pride in the school about that accomplishment. For these girls to win three in a row, it’s incredible.”
Even more so while carrying the pressure of expectations and being the “as advertised” measuring stick for other teams throughout the state. The product was another diamond.
Turning point
Albertus Magnus was pushed to the brink in its semifinal, a rare instance in which the team showed mettle instead of might, rallying late for a dramatic 64-60 overtime win over Shaker. That, junior Camila Nunez said, “was the perfect preparation for us because we were challenged and it made us more focused.”
The scare ensured that any notion of complacency was vacuumed out. And them dancing before the game, Buckley said with a grin, “is a great sign for a coach that they’re not nervous.”
Nunez’s layup put the Falcons on the board 48 seconds in, and they never looked back, building a 19-9 lead in the first quarter on Zuppe’s lefty layup. Scott anchored the interior defense, blocking and contesting shots, and presence of the 6-foot-3 forward served as a deterrent to some drives. The backcourt pressure contributed to the Little Irish committing 10 turnovers in the first half.
That defense bought the Falcons a 34-22 halftime lead, but it was clear their offense wasn’t fully in gear. That changed, of course, with a 25-point third quarter in which Albertus pushed the ball in transition and connected on outlet passes, scoring in flurries. Sara Nezaj erupted for 13 of her game-high 31 points in the period, including a spectacular spin move around a defender and layup in transition and then a buzzer-beating three that sent them to the fourth with a 59-33 lead.
The lead swelled to 72-35 midway through the fourth quarter and the Falcons began pulling their starters. Each exited to a loud ovation from their fans and was greeted with hugs on the sideline.
“It was kind of a bittersweet feeling,” Zuppe said, becoming emotional. “I can’t believe it’s over. But it’s been an unbelievable ride.”
Player of the game
Scott, in her high school finale, showcased her repertoire. She scored in the post, on face-up drives, from the mid-range and knocked down a three. She also controlled the paint and facilitated, igniting fast breaks off rebounds. She finished with 23 points, 16 rebounds, six blocks and four assists.
“What do you say about Julia Scott?” Buckley said, beaming. “She’s done so much and meant so much to this program. I’m so grateful.”
Box score
Albertus Magnus (25-2) — Nezaj added 31 points – shooting 10 of 14 from the field – along with five rebounds and five assists. Nunez had seven points, four rebounds and three steals. Keira Brescia scored five, Zuppe had four points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Aquinas Institute (14-12) — Carle Thomas scored 16 points and Ajaya Orr had 14 points and eight rebounds.
They said it
“What makes this so amazing is how close the team is,” said Nunez, who transferred last year from Maria Regina. “They embraced me and made me feel like more than a teammate. When you win like this with your friends, there’s no better feeling.”
“You say it and, in the moment, you believe it to a certain extent,” Scott said of that old promise with Zuppe. “But I don’t know how likely it was to really happen. So, looking back on it now, and having done all this with some of my best friends, it’s amazing. It’s everything I could’ve hoped for.”
Stephen Haynes covers sports for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Albertus Magnus rolls to ‘AAA’ girls basketball state championship
Reporting by Stephen Haynes, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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