B.B. boys’ hoops lose in first round of playoffs

February 28, 2024 at 11:35 p.m.

Senior captain Eli Zimmerman, who was named a Lohud All-Conference All-Star, will be missed on next year’s Blind Brook boys’ basketball team. (Courtesy photo of Anna Vnenchak)

The Blind Brook Trojans basketball team entered the playoffs with tons of confidence following their win over Pleasantville to end the regular season. They earned the 5 seed in the playoffs after finishing with a 13-8 record and were set to play the 4th seeded Westlake Wildcats in the first round of the playoffs.

The Wildcats and Trojans clashed two times during the regular season, with the Wildcats emerging victorious both times, by only six points in the first matchup and four in the second. The Trojans worked hard all week leading up to the game on Tuesday, Feb. 20. The winner of this matchup would then move on to play Woodlands in the semifinals, which would be held at the Westchester County Center.

The Trojans made the trip to Westlake High School, ready to block out the noisy Wildcats crowd and go to work. It was evident from the jump that this would be an intense game. The Trojans were playing good basketball and keeping up with the Wildcats, and a little after the first quarter the score read 25-24 in Blind Brook’s favor. Fast forward to the end of the third quarter and Westlake was leading 39-37. The Trojans were not able to fend off the Wildcats, and they lost by a 60-55 final score.

Despite the tough loss to end the 2023-24 basketball season, the Trojans have a lot to be proud of. They had an impressive 13-8 final record for the regular season and averaged 62 points per game. The Trojans proudly celebrate and commemorate the seniors who represented the Blind Brook school district: captain Eli Zimmerman, Ryan Stiler and James Perlman.

“The seniors and leaders on my basketball team served as mentors for the younger players, demonstrating leadership both on and off the court. Through their dedication to practice and commitment to improvement, they showed the importance of hard work and perseverance,” sophomore Tyler Taerstein said. “They exhibited sportsmanship by encouraging and supporting their teammates, creating a very highly active and positive team culture. Their experience and knowledge of the game provided valuable guidance to the younger players, helping them develop their skills and understanding of basketball in general. Overall, the seniors inspired the younger ones to strive for excellence and embody the values of teamwork and determination.”