The Academy varsity basketball team’s 65-45 loss on Sunday, March 4, to Long Island Lutheran was a disappointing way to end what was, in fact, a very successful and new kind of season. After many years spent in Section 2, like our other sports, this was the basketball teams first year in the New York State Association of Independent Schools Athletic Association (NYSISAA). This means that we are now free to play whom we want, when we want, and as many times as we want, liberties we didn’t have in Section 2.

As previously stated, for many years our basketball team has played in Section 2, playing only Section 2 teams almost exclusively, and following restrictions and requirements that the section had imposed regarding, for example, the total number of games we could play, and the number of non-league (out of Section 2) games we could play. Prior to this year, we decided to move out of Section 2 and into the NYSISAA. In the NYSISAA, says coach Brian Fruscio, we have greater opportunities to play more competitive, out-of-the-area teams than we would under the guidelines of Section 2. In addition to those schools, some as far away as Long Island and Baltimore, we would still be free to play old Section 2 and Colonial Council rivals like Watervliet, Ravena, and Lansingburgh.

Another bonus, from Coach Fruscio’s perspective, was that we would be able to play more games than the Section 2 max, eighteen, and could schedule more of those games for home, thus increasing the power of Big Red. While it didn’t work out that way this year, it would certainly be achievable next year, with a little bit more experience in the workings of the NYSISAA under our belts.

In addition to playing new schools and traveling greater distances to play them, one major shakeup from our past routine this year has been the playoff system. In the past, we have always played in the Section 2 playoffs, naturally. But starting this year, we played in the NYSISAA playoffs, a much different system than we have been used to. Instead of multiple playoff games, we had one, winner-take-all game against Long Island Lutheran, with the winner advancing to the Federation. We had played LIL earlier this year, at the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament at the Times Union center, and suffered a 75-57 loss. Unfortunately, as noted earlier, we fared no better against them in playoffs. Before the game was played, however, Coach Fruscio told me he was excited for the new playoff format, and it was one off the things that enticed him to the NYSISAA.

I also spoke with Mr. Gallucci, in regards to Section 2, other sports, and the chances of the basketball team following a similar schedule next year. He reiterated what I had heard from Coach Fruscio on everything regarding this season, and told me that there was virtually no chance of any other team moving from their respective councils (i.e. Colonial), and certainly not from Section 2.