HSMSE baseball team reaches playoffs for first time in school history

The HSMSE baseball team returned to divisional play in 2016 with authority, recording an 11-5 record and making the playoffs for the first time in school history.

After a winless 2014 season, the Dragons were demoted to the SSAL Developmental League for 2015. The boys had a strong showing with a 5-2 record. Team captain and senior Henry Schoenfeld cited determination to get back to divisional play as a main reason for their success.

“We were motivated to move our way back up [to the A League],” he said.

The team's maturation was a large factor towards their improvement. As the players have become mentally and physically stronger, they have contributed more offensively, helping the team win games.

“We had strong leadership, and we were also older this year,” Scheiman said. “When we did divisional play two years ago, the players who were freshmen and sophomores are now juniors and seniors, and they had better team spirit and a more of a meaning for our team.”

Throughout the year the team got significant contributions from their freshmen, most notably Andre Alexander and Gabriel Culian. Alexander batted .350 as the starting first baseman, while Culian batted .294 while serving as the catcher for most of the season. Scheiman realized the impact the freshmen had on the team.

“They were very meaningful to the team,” he said. “They helped us win games.”

HSMSE Baseball Team / Facebook

The freshmen were helped by the strong leadership of the Dragons, who have eight upperclassmen on the team. With experienced players on the team, it was easier for the freshmen to play well.

“[The upperclassmen] really helped them develop,” he said. "They took them under their wing and showed them they did have a lot of skill and [how] to be confident in themselves.”

Although the Dragons had a great season, they are not satisfied with their accomplishments. The team would like to get back to where they were this year and advance further into the postseason going forward.

“We want to get back to the playoffs,” Scheiman said. “And we want to win a playoff game.”

Bernard King: The King of New York

Bernard King /  Panini 

Bernard King was among the premier NBA players of the 1980s. The man formerly known as, “The King of New York,” came from humble beginnings. King grew up in the rough Brooklyn Fort Greene Houses, in what he once described as void of love. He attributes his game time scowl to his difficult upbringing.

Despite all these obstacles, King found success in the basketball world. He was recognized as an All-City player in his senior year at Fort Hamilton High School. His excellence on the court led to several Division I athletic scholarship offers. King chose to enroll at the University of Tennessee in 1974, joining fellow New York product Ernie Grunfeld.

King and Grunfeld formed “The Bernie and Ernie Show,” with their stellar play together from 1974 through 1977. This partnership was highlighted by a Sports Illustrated cover released on February 9, 1976.

King was a first team All-American in 1977. After his junior year at Tennessee, King declared for the NBA draft. He was drafted 7th overall in the 1977 draft by the New Jersey Nets. King led all rookies in scoring that year with the New Jersey Nets. After two years of spectacular play with the Nets, King was traded along with John Gianelli and Jim Boylan to the Utah Jazz for Rich Kelley.

King would eventually go on to play for his hometown Knicks, leaving his mark as one of their greatest players ever. In admiration of King's talent, Coach Hubie Brown said, “With Bernard, even when the play is busted, something good always materializes from it.”

He became the most prolific scorer in the '77 draft, including NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. As a four-time All-Star and top 50 NBA career total scorer, King managed to join the selective group of athletes who have been recognized as Hall of Famers.

Dellin Betances living the dream of playing for Yankees

Before Dellin Betances was a star reliever for the New York Yankees, he was a superb pitcher while at Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn, just over 11 miles away from Yankee Stadium. Like many New Yorkers, Betances grew up wanting to play for the Yankees; however, Betances was one of the few to realize his dream.

Dellin Betances / Topps

As a high school freshman, Betances was already throwing a fastball in the mid 80s, showing professional potential in just his first year. He was also on his high school’s basketball team, but he stopped playing after an elbow to the mouth knocked out a few of his teeth. After that incident, Betances focused his attention towards baseball.

During his high school career, he was selected to play in the prestigious Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic in the summer before his senior year. By then, Betances had grown to 6’8" and touched 97 MPH on his fastball, drawing the attention of many major league scouts. He was initially projected to be drafted in the first round, but some teams were worried about his consistency and lack of experience.

As a result of these concerns, Betances fell to the eighth round, where he was selected by the Yankees. Betances struggled with his control for a while in the minor leagues, but made his way to the majors in 2011. Betances was selected to the All-Star game twice in his career, and holds the record for most strikeouts in a single season by a Yankee reliever with 135.

Betances’ career is very young, but he is on the path for greatness. With all of the accomplishments that he earned, none may compare to living the dream of playing for his favorite childhood team.

HSMSE Boys' Basketball makes a great leap forward during the 2015-16 season

The HSMSE boys’ basketball team made a tremendous rise during the 2015-16 campaign from last season by way of the Dragons core players developing from overwhelmed underclassmen to effective leaders. Their impact on the team came from taking responsibilities which they did not have prior to this year.

“It was a big adjustment not only from freshman year to senior year, but from every season in between," senior Yonatan Pechter said. "Each year I was given more responsibility.”

The Dragons held a lowly 2-12 record during the 2014-2015 season; however, this season they climbed to 6-10. This improvement came at the hands of the juniors and seniors who made adjustments to their game this season. Players such as Pechter and Lucian Ramnarase made the necessary changes in their game to help the team to more wins than has been seen in the past several years by the Dragons.

HSMSE Boys' Basketball Team / T. Henning

"Maturing seniors [and] developing underclassmen made for interesting possibilities," coach Richard Epstein said.

Ramnarase took the role of the defensive stopper for the Dragons. He greatly increased his offensive and defensive output, averaging six points and six rebounds per game. Prior to this season, Ramnarase received playing time almost exclusively as a defender. This season, not only has he occasionally lead the team in scoring, he has been a locker room leader.

"Lucian [Ramnarase] refused to accept losing, and right from the start, his attitude and effort became contageous," Epstein said. "Once we began to believe we could win, we started winning."

Pechter increased his scoring, taking a larger role within the team’s offensive scheme. He often shot the three ball when the team needed them most. This is a great change from his freshman year.

“My freshman year this team was the first organized basketball I ever played," Petcher said. "I didn’t know how to compete on a competitive team.”

With a mature core of players, Epstein was able to scout and prepare game plans against opponents and have the team execute them. The team's maturation and a hard working culture led to the great improvement in their play.

"We had a group of mature experienced seniors and some very productive underclassmen who learned a lot from the seniors, and developed great work habits, skills, and success," Epstein said.

HSMSE Girls' Soccer returns to playoffs after promotion to A League

The HSMSE girls’ soccer team is coming off another successful season. They followed up their 2014 PSAL B League championship season with a 2015 playoff appearance in the PSAL A League.

After last season’s undefeated 14-0 record and a championship in the B League, the Dragons were promoted to the Bronx / Manhattan A Division, where they had to adjust to better competition. While the B Division featured players who usually competed for just the three month season, the A Division had players who participated in games year-round in leagues outside of school. Coach Regina Zafonte noted the improved caliber of teams the Dragons had to face.

HSMSE Girls' Soccer Team / HSMSE Yearbook

“The speed and pace is much faster,” Zafonte said. “There are a lot more talented and technical players.”

Despite the challenges they faced, the Dragons managed to place third in their division, making the playoffs with a 7-5 record. Zafonte credits the girls’ success to the team staying focused and working together on the field.

“We had to be really coordinated with our offensive attacks,” Zafonte said. “We had to make sure we were constantly communicating and our defense was solid, because we were going to be tested many times.”

Throughout the season, the Dragons had many memorable moments. They won their first round playoff game against McKee/Staten Island Tech. In addition to their playoff victory, they were the only team to score against Beacon High School in two separate matches, and defeated eventual champion Bronx Science during the regular season.

“I think that as a team, we exceeded our goals,” Zafonte said. “We did things during the season that were really impressive.”

Next year, the team will have to adjust to the departure of four seniors: Taylor Faulds, Maggie Haxhia, Galit Wiener, and Taieesha Peshkovsky, who was selected to play in the prestigious Mayors’ Cup. Despite these obstacles, the Dragons still have high expectations for next season.

“We would like to make the playoffs again,” Zafonte said. “We also want to fill the spots that are going to be open. If we win a championship, that’s a bonus.”

HSMSE Girls' Basketball overcome injuries to make playoffs

During the 2015-2016 season the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering girls’ basketball managed third place in the Manhattan B West division. The HSMSE Dragons' managed an eight and five record while lead by the PSAL girls basketball leading scorer, Annabelle Shultz.

There has been a noticeable progression with this season’s team, as players have come to understand their roles. Having this young core of players allowed the team time to develop. Coach David Scheiman recognized being, “a year older,” as one of the changes to the team this year.

“We haven’t had much roster change this season," Scheiman said, "we don’t have many seniors.”

HSMSE Girls' Basketball Team / HSMSE Yearbook

The Dragons' faced a number of injuries during the season, including their two highest scorers, which impeded upon their success. When a team loses such a prolific scorer such as Shultz it is difficult to remain competitive. Shultz’s injury was soon accompanied by that of Hillary Rodriguez, the Dragons' second highest scorer, and later freshman Gabrijella Ceni. Scheiman feels that it is due to the fact that these injuries were sequential, rather than all at once, that the team was able to compete and make the post season.

“Thankfully, the injuries did not occur all at once," Scheiman said. "For example, when Annabelle went down it was right before winter break. She had time to rest. Then Hillary went down, but Annabelle was back. When Hillary came back, Gabby went down.”

The Dragons' realized what had to be done to make up for these injuries; greater responsibility was placed on the offensive core. Scheiman has constantly made coaching adjustments throughout the season.

“There always has to be adjustments,” he replied. “Someone has to step up … you have to prep them up in practice for what their new roles are going to be. Certain players have to bear the burden more.”

Players took initiative and motivated one another through the difficult patches. Players created a familial culture. Certain team members took on more of a leadership role during this season. Leaders assisted others in their role changes, often as a result of injuries.

“Were very family like … we keep pushing and cheering each other on. Even when someone is injured for a long period of time we just have to learn from that; some people just have to play a larger role on the team,” Shultz said.

Scheiman feels that the Dragons could have went farther into the playoffs if the team had remained healthy throughout the season. The team's core will remain largely intact next season. If the players remain healthy, the team will likely find more success next year come postseason.

HSMSE Boys' Soccer wins division to earn playoff spot

HSMSE Boys' Soccer Team / N. Diunte

The 2015 season was a tremendous success for the HSMSE boys’ soccer team. They played to a record of 11-2-1, and reached the postseason for the first time since 2012.

The Dragons won the Manhattan B II Division, and played into the second round of the PSAL playoffs. Coach Nicholas Diunte attributes the improvement to young players who were prepared for the competition.

“The younger players matured in a shorter amount of time,” Diunte said. “Having a year behind of playing together helped. We [also] had some freshmen who were ready to step right in.”

Throughout the entire season, the team focused on the concept that all players needed to have an impact on the game. With everyone working towards the same goal, success was easier to attain.

“[By] getting everyone to contribute, and getting everyone on the same page on what we wanted to do offensively and defensively, we got the most out of what we could do with that concept all season,” Diunte said. 

Looking forward to 2016, HSMSE will be without four seniors: goalkeeper Alexei Ohotin, defender Matthew Levine, forward Onyekachi Akalonu, and defender Nick Winokur. While the team will have to adjust to the loss of these players, their coach feels that they have the personnel to fill the void of the departing seniors.

“I think that there are younger players who are ready to step in and fill their roles,” Diunte said. “The players who are sophomores and juniors are going to be juniors and seniors; the hope is that they will improve and mature, and we see who walks in the door as freshmen.”

While all the success has certainly been welcomed, the team wants to stay on track with their goals. Although duplicating their playoff run may not be easy, Diunte has faith in his players.

“We would like to [do the] same or better than what we did,” Diunte said. “I think the kids are up to the challenge and they see what they have to do to be prepared.”

Playoff success not enough to keep NBA coaching jobs

How much is enough? In recent years, successful NBA coaches have been terminated despite having winning records. Even playoff appearances have proven not to be sufficient for NBA owners. The latest fatality of the NBA's coaching fraternity was Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt.

David Blatt / Wikimedia Commons

Blatt, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA finals in his first year in the league, was relieved of his coaching duties on January 23, 2016. He led the Cavaliers to a 30-11 start before he was let go by the Cavaliers.

A main reason for Blatt’s release was his tumultuous relationship with Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James. In many situations throughout Blatt’s time in Cleveland, James would override his decisions, most notably in Game Four of the 2015 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Blatt called a late-game play that had James pass the ball, but James decided to take the shot.

“When that play was drawn up, I scratched it,” James said during the postgame conference. “I just told coach, ‘Give me the ball. We’re either going to go to overtime or I’m going to win it for us.’ It was that simple.”

Another major problem during Blatt’s stint as head coach in Cleveland was the disconnect in the clubhouse. Blatt regarded himself as a veteran coach, as he coached in Europe since 1993; however, the team viewed him as a rookie, as this was Blatt’s first season as an NBA head coach. Former Cavalier and current New York Knick Lou Amundson saw the tension in the clubhouse first hand.

“It didn’t feel like it should feel,” he told the New York Post. “I just think the atmosphere and energy wasn’t there. It wasn’t a healthy atmosphere.”

Blatt’s inability to control the clubhouse atmosphere was likely a large factor in his firing.

David Blatt is not the only coach to be fired after an excellent season. Tom Thibodeau coached the Chicago Bulls for five season before his firing at the end of the 2014-15. Thibodeau won the Coach of the Year award in his first year as head coach, where he led the Bulls to a combined 255-139 record during his tenure.

He got the most out of his Bulls teams, leading them to the playoffs in all of his five years as head coach, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Many of their wins came without star player Derrick Rose, who was marred by injuries while Thibodeau coached the Bulls.

Thibodeau’s accomplishments, however, were ultimately not enough for him to keep his job. The Bulls fired him, citing a lack of communication between him and the Bulls front office.

“Obviously there was a break down,” Bulls’ executive vice president John Paxson said in a conference announcing the firing. "It is our strong belief that there needs to be a culture of communication that builds a trust throughout this organization. … When that culture becomes sacrificed, it becomes very difficult to evolve and grow. And [Thibodeau’s firing] was about giving this team an opportunity to grow into the future.”

Stan van Gundy’s conflict with his star player was the reason he was fired despite a successful record. Van Gundy converted the Orlando Magic from a mediocre team to championship contenders. The year prior to his hiring, the Orlando Magic finished with a sub .500 record; however, in the first year under him, Orlando immediately made a jump to 52 wins, a 10 win difference from the prior season.

The Orlando Magic made several playoff runs throughout van Gundy’s five year tenure with the team, making the playoffs ever year van Gundy’s leadership. Van Gundy’s playoff success included a trip to the NBA finals as Eastern Conference Champions. Van Gundy references his relationship with Dwight Howard, then Orlando’s star player, for his firing.

"I think [Magic CEO Alex Martin’s] comments are based on the fact that Dwight and maybe others didn't like me…and thinking somehow that's important," van Gundy said.

Although there are different circumstance surrounding these three firings, they all have one thing in common: each of these coaches conflicted with a star player or the front office. In the NBA, where stars control the market, coaches may never get the benefit of the doubt, no matter how successful they are.

By: Bruce Mayfield and Michael Stern