It’s been 40 years since the Bronxville boys’ basketball team has been able to add a piece of hardware to the school’s cluttered trophy case, but for a group of dedicated Broncos on Saturday night, that wait was well worth it. On March 5, Bronxville capped off a dominant run through Section I, topping Briarcliff 66-49 to win the Class B title—the program’s first since 1982.
The Broncos took control of the game from the outset—building momentum on some sharp first quarter shooting from Sean McGrath. According to McGrath, the Broncos’ early push—and the reaction from the rabid Broncos’ supporters—helped set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
“I think it helped get us going, hitting those shots early on,” said the senior point guard. “Seeing the bench get into it, seeing the crowd and all the support that we had, every minute of that game, everyone was going hard.”
The Broncos were able to build on that early momentum—snuffing out any potential Briarcliff comeback attempts—due in large part to the number of different players who were able to take over the game in spurts. McGrath and fellow guard Finn Ruhanen each finished the day with 15 points, while Chris Kelty—who was named the tournament MVP— scored 15 of his game-high 17 points in the second half to help close out the win. Bronxville head coach Bobby Russo said that his team’s unselfishness, which has been on display all year, was a major factor in the team’s decisive win.
“There’s no individuals on this team and tonight was a perfect example,” said Russo. “It didn’t matter who was scoring the ball, it just mattered that the next basket was made.”
Russo credited his players—especially the seniors who have been with him for the past four years—for unwavering support, even during some dark years. Watching the program progress from a 6-15 record in the 2018-19 season to winning its first section title in 40 years has been a phenomenal journey, he said.
“Not many coaches have the opportunity to coach their guys for four years, see them come in, work hard and not get discouraged,” he said. “They came in here every day whether we lost a big game or won a big game, and they continued to work harder; they came together as a family.”
But despite taking a moment to reflect on the program’s historic win, some players—including Chris Kelty—were adamant that there is still work to be done. The Broncos will kick off their run towards a state title on March 9, after press time, when they take on Rondout Valley in the state regional finals.
“I think we are going to go down as one of the best teams to ever come out of this school,” said Kelty. “But we still have time to add to that legacy.”
Contact: sports@hometwn.com
