As the regular season draws to a close, the Rye High School boys basketball team boasts a 14-4 record – second-best among Class A schools and, for the first time in 50 years, good enough for a second-consecutive league title.
The Garnets have won three out of five games the past two weeks, beginning with a 50-42 win over Pelham at home on Jan. 23. Rye led the game from the opening whistle to the final buzzer. Junior Jake Kessner was top scorer for the Garnets with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while junior Andrew Wilmarth contributed 11 points and eight rebounds.
Rye next traveled to Armonk to take on longtime rival Byram Hills. The team ran smack into a red-hot Tyson Repa, the Bobcats guard who was virtually unstoppable and finished the Jan. 26 game with 31 points. Sophomore Carson Miller led all scorers for Rye with 14 points in the 66-53 loss.
Rye also traveled Jan. 29 to Lakeland High School, where they won, 51-47. The Garnets showed strong play off the bench, limited their turnovers and repeatedly scored inside. Kessner led all scorers for Rye with 19 points.
The team closed out the month losing in overtime at home to Ardsley, 54-51. The game was tied at 47 after regulation, but Rye committed three turnovers in the overtime session and fell short, despite 14 points from Miller.
Rye traveled to Pelham on Feb. 2 to play the Pelicans for the second time in a week. Unlike the first victory, which Rye won by eight, they took this game decisively by a 32-point margin, 68-36. Once again, Miller played well at guard and led the team with 15 points. His consistent improvement in the backcourt during the season has been a key factor in the Garnets’ success.
The final game of the regular season takes place Feb. 9 at home versus Edgemont. Rye will also play at home in the opening round of the state Section 1 high school playoffs, on Feb. 16, against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
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As the regular season draws to a close, the Rye High School boys