By Gabriela Steinmetz
The Rye High School Class of 2026 spent hundreds on designer shoes, glittery gowns, tailored tuxedos, flawless makeup, and bouncy blowouts for senior prom. But when the clock hit 8:30 p.m. Friday at Glen Island Harbor Club, and the dinner buffet was served, the focus of the evening shifted to Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Instead of the typical solo scroll or Clash Royale game, students formed watch parties, huddling around one phone per table as the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 to take a 2-0 series lead.
For once, “screenaging” at dinner encouraged bonding between New Yorkers, whose NBA team now stands just one win away from its first championship in 53 years.
As students slurped down Shirley Temples, scraped spaghetti off plates, and kicked off heels on their way to the dance floor, many Knicks fans instead chose to stay seated; those who did dance made regular loops to their tables between “Mr. Brightside” and “Cotton Eye Joe” for live updates from their more dedicated friends.
Even the faculty and staff couldn’t resist: Principal Andrew Hara, the photographers, and the event’s DJ shared a tablet streaming the historic game behind the DJ booth all night, watching every bucket Jalen Brunson scored.
By the game’s fourth quarter and prom’s penultimate song, Hara took matters into his own hands, hoisting the tablet above his head and running across the dance floor to reveal the Knicks’ lead.
When Brunson sank a go-ahead free throw with 9.5 seconds left, and the Spurs’ attempt at a game-winning buzzer beater rimmed out, the room erupted into chants of “Go New York, Go New York, Go!” and “Knicks in four!” Even students who hadn’t left their seats all night flooded the dance floor and joined the jumping crowd.
Senior prom concluded with the nostalgic “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and “New York, New York,” by Frank Sinatra to celebrate the Knicks, who became the third team in NBA Finals history to win both Games 1 and 2 on the road.
While senior prom is already a core memory for most, the historic victory turned a magical event into a truly unforgettable night for students – and a principal – who have waited their whole lives to witness a Knicks’ championship run.
Gabriela Steinmetz, a senior at Rye High School, is an intern this spring at The Rye Record.
