ROSCOE – The Rockland Wolves and the Eldred Yellowjackets rang in the New Year in championship fashion in the 5th Annual Coach Fred Ahart Basketball Tournament, with both teams defeating their opponents by 30-plus points. Becky Ahart, Fred Ahart’s widow, was in attendance and proudly addressed the crowd, sharing a quote from her late husband: “Respect starts with how you treat people.” The words resonated deeply with the audience. Their daughter, Katie Ahart, also attended the tournament and briefly spoke to the spectators about her father’s impact beyond the court.

Eldred defeats Fallsburg

The Yellowjackets had no problem with the Fallsburg Comets in the opening championship game of the day. “Our game plan was simple. Get back to playing good basketball,” said Eldred’s Head Coach Bill Furler after their 66-30 win over the Comets. Koen McGill and James Deyermond concluded the game with an impressive 22 points each, with 14 and 7 rebounds respectively. Trai Kaufmann rounded out the Yellowjackets’ double-double performances with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Deyermond and Kaumann were selected to the All-Tournament team along with Dominic McPherson from the Comets.

For Fallsburg, Dominic McPherson and Xavier Berrios continued to push their team forward, making a solid impact on offense and defense for the Comets. 

Pine Plains no match for the Rockland Wolves

To close out the tournament, the Rockland Wolves took on the Pine Plains Bombers in the final game of the day. Rockland alum Wesley Kinne sang a touching rendition of the National Anthem. The Wolves’ Patrick Gorr knocked down two back-to-back three-pointers to start Rockland’s 10-0 run to open the game.

Rockland’s defense swarmed the Bombers for 40 minutes, running nearly full-court pressure on every play. The Wolves held a 29-10 lead at the half and continued to control the tempo during the second half. Although the Wolves had a sizable lead, even with their small lineup they controlled the boards in rebounding and second-chance shots. Their 60-30 win over the Bombers was simply a testament to their strategic game plan. “ We just played pressure defense, team concepts, move the ball; whoever is hot is hot, find the open guy, and just have fun playing basketball,” said Rockland Head Coach Charlie Hicks. Leading the pack for Rockland was Ben Johnston with 15 points, followed by Patrick Gorr with 13, and Tyler McCray with 11. For the Bombers, John Macri and Jackson St. Bernard had six points apiece. Ben Johnston, Kaleb Maldonado of Rockland, and John Macri of Pine Plains were selected to the All-Tournament Team.