WHITE PLAINS – Apparently, defense DOES win championships.
All season long, Rye basketball coach Tom Proudian repeated this mantra to his boys daily. With a 2025 state football championship on his resume – as Rye’s defensive coordinator – the man is an authority on the topic.
With the Garnets’ 57-50 victory Saturday over Clarkstown North (20-3) in the Section 1 Class AA championship game at Westchester County Center, Rye (20-4) proved its undefeated postseason run in the section tournament was much more than just great team defense.
“I’m so happy for these kids. That’s all I’m feeling right now,” Proudian said after the game. “Not only are the kids on this team great athletes, but they know how to win close games. I’ll tell you, it’s going to be quite some time before a pair of kids like Henry Shoemaker and Carson Miller pass through the town of Rye again. They are two truly special kids, and they’re the leaders of our team. You saw why tonight.”
Trailing the Rams by six at the end of the first quarter and by four at the half, Rye’s defense wasn’t crisp and the shots weren’t falling. And the Garnets couldn’t stop Clarkstown North senior guard Kyle Kirkland, who led all Rams scorers with 26 points, including three 3-pointers in the first quarter alone.
“Kirkland was sensational tonight,” Proudian said. “You can’t do much about a great shooter when he’s on like that. But I knew that if we could play the type of defense that got us to this game, the defense we’ve been playing for the past month, that we’d be right back in it.”
The Garnets did just that. When junior Ben Hudson made a tough two in heavy traffic with 4:37 remaining in the third quarter, Rye took its first lead of the game, 30-29. Not only was Rye back in the game, fans could feel the ground beneath the County Center start to shift.
“Coach Proudian always reminds us that our defense travels with us wherever we go. Even to the County Center,” Hudson said. “We knew we were just a shot or two away from making something happen. Luke Scully played some incredible D for us down the stretch, taking charges. After losing to Tappan Zee last year and Byram Hills my freshman year, I’m just so happy to have had the chance to compete with the guys on this team. I’m so grateful to all of them.”
As Rye’s defense stiffened, Clarkstown North’s offensive optimism began to fade ever so slightly. The Rams’ powerful 6-foot-5 swing man, senior Rotimi Esiso (12 points), got into foul trouble late and couldn’t stay on the court. Compounding matters for Clarkstown were its struggles from the free throw line.
And finally, there were the small matters of senior co-captains Shoemaker and Miller.
As Miller secured the ball and powered the Garnets’ offense with strong shoulders, unfaltering calm, and tremendous court vision, Shoemaker clocked in down low. He – along with fellow senior and football teammate Sebastian Lewis – rebounded and fought harder than anyone on the court for second-chance baskets. Shoemaker, who finished with a game-high 27 points, scored four of Rye’s last six points. His final two – on two perfect free throws – ended the Rams’ season.
Shoemaker and Miller. Two classmates, neighbors, and best friends who seemingly play in section championship games as often as they’ve shot baskets in each other’s driveways. Both young men will attend Harvard next year – but, you may ask, to play which sport? Shoemaker: football, Miller: lacrosse.
“Of all the big games I’ve played in, this one tonight is the best of all,” Miller said. “Basketball is different for me. It’s my favorite sport. I’ve loved being a part of this team. We’re a small group of guys who spend every day together. Team dinners, hanging out outside of practice, hitting local diners. This one tonight is just extra special for me personally, partly because we couldn’t get it done my sophomore or junior years.”
After winning the state football title as a record-setting QB/WR duo, Miller and Shoemaker now lead the Garnets into the state basketball tournament. First up is a game against Section 9 champion Goshen Central at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Yorktown.
The Garnets are four wins away from adding a state basketball title to their trophy collection, but one shiny piece of hardware is already secured. The section title is the third in program history, and the first against Class AA competition.
“This is the best feeling in the world,” Shoemaker added. “There’s never in my life been a game that I’ve played in that I was so happy to win as this one tonight. The gold ball is back in Rye!”
