The Winning Moments Show

Episode 16 | State Semifinals, March Madness & Section 1 Update

• John Lim • Season 1 • Episode 16

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0:00 | 1:03:37

Welcome back to The Winning Moments Show for a special Episode 16 as we break down the latest from the NYS state semifinals, check in live from Binghamton, and talk everything from Section 1 basketball to March Madness.

We’re joined remotely by Kevin Deainy Jr. from the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena as he gives us live updates on the state semifinal atmosphere, including thoughts on Tapenzee’s loss to Hudson, Albertus Magnus’ comeback win over Shaker, and previews of the big matchups still ahead for Rye, Mamaroneck, YMA, Nyack, Tapenzee girls, and North Salem.

Coach Ward also shares an important message for graduating seniors about why playing AAU basketball in the spring and summer before college matters so much, especially for players heading to Division II and Division III programs.

We also touch on March Madness, bracket chaos, Section 1 pride, the upcoming Section 1 All-Star Game, and the mission of this show as we head into the spring sports season.

00:00 Intro
00:28 Kevin Live from Binghamton
02:52 Tapenzee Boys Recap
07:29 Albertus Magnus Recap
12:30 State Semifinal Previews
26:52 Coach Ward on AAU
45:45 March Madness Talk
56:23 Section 1 All-Star Game
58:28 Spring Sports Preview
01:00:49 Birthday Shoutouts
01:02:49 Outro


#TheWinningMomentsShow #Episode16 #Section1Basketball #StateSemifinals #MarchMadness #RyeBasketball #AlbertusMagnus #Tapenzee #YMA #Mamaroneck

SPEAKER_00

And welcome back to the Winnie Moment Show. We have a special episode for you guys today. We have to my left here the famous Coach Ward. And to my right, we're missing in the studio the hardest working man in media, Kevin Devaney Jr., because he is live with us right now in Biginton at the Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, ready to watch the state championships. How are we doing over there, Kev?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, we're doing great. I uh I lost my voice. Um, but we're also in this very crowded arena right now, the double overtime of our game before Rye, uh Seaton Catholic at Penfield. And uh it's pretty loud, it's but it's it's a great environment on this uh Friday morning.

SPEAKER_00

Friday morning, March Madness, day two of the actual March Madness tournament, day one of the regional finals getting sorry, the semifinals getting to the state semifinals to get to the state championships, and we got our man, our main man here, Kevin Devaney Jr. live. How awesome is that? Can't beat it. Can't beat it. Yeah, so it's great. Right now we uh we will have some technical difficulty here and there because currently in upstate New York they haven't improved to the 5G coach, they haven't got the good Wi-Fi in Upstate New York.

SPEAKER_02

No comment with regard to that situation. I'm gonna believe that word sad.

SPEAKER_00

So coach does not travel outside of section one and he likes to keep it right there, right?

SPEAKER_02

I barely can get to Rockland County with the plastic pieces that helps me get across the road. So we're gonna take your lead once now that we got you back online since you saw the game, talk to us, and then we'll add our our comments.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you know, it was bound to happen at some point that T Z was just gonna not play well in a game. I mean, the team that they faced, Hudson, it was kind of crazy. Hudson lost early in the season by 20 points to Red Hook, which lost by 25 points to Beacon, who lost by 20 points to Tappen Z. So this was set up. You thought, like, oh, TZ's gonna walk through this. That's why they played the games, coach. Right?

SPEAKER_02

I mean, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

You know, Hudson was very well coached, they they moved the ball really well. Thought they were very athletic um in the interior, and they were able to do things that T Tappen Z opponents can't typically do, which is move the ball, finish in transition, finish in um, you know, in traffic in the lane, and and rebounded well. T Z just didn't make shots. And, you know, I I hate using the sports metaphor for a sports situation, but it's almost Tappen Z was a little bit like a running football team that they'll just ground and pound, right? But when they get behind, they have a hard time catching up. So when they got behind in that game, they just don't shoot threes well enough to get back into a game. And you know, they were getting stops, they weren't getting baskets, and they never got momentum. And credit to Hudson, they were very good. And uh, you know, what Hudson now plays West Hill for the Class A championship game tonight. Uh West Hill was very impressive when I watched them play. So TZ would have had a hard time winning tonight. Uh they couldn't get through last night, and uh for the third time in four years, though, they get to the state final four, which is pretty remarkable.

SPEAKER_02

It's amazing, and and and credit to Ryan McWilliams and his staff and and those guys over there, they did an amazing job. I want to comment on what you just said about the run the running analogy that you use. Yeah, I think it's 100% correct. I think the problem is they're not, they were not exp they're not explosive enough to come from double digits down. And and you know, they don't they're they don't they just don't make enough shots to do that. If they're ahead and and now you know you're playing uphill against them, you're in trouble. But what if you can get ahead of them, like you said, they don't they don't make enough shots when they're behind in that situation is it's tough go pretty crazy about them though.

SPEAKER_01

You're you're absolutely right. They're just not a great three-point shooting team. They you know they can make threes, but they just weren't making threes last night. Um, the other thing about them is that their defense, even in the in the loss, the end of the season, they lost three games this season. 57 points matches the most points they allowed in a game all year, which was suffering, the game they lost at home. But they hadn't allowed another team over 49 points all year. I mean, that's unbelievable. 20 23 games, no one over 49. It's pretty pretty remarkable.

SPEAKER_02

Kevin, I didn't, you know, I you know, we're in the middle of a busy season at Chris Ward basketball right now, so I didn't get a chance to see it. I did see your comments. I went I read your comments on X. Hudson got backdoor cuts on them. Uh you said they had some, which is uncharacteristic of Tappen Z defense to get backdoored and get easy layups.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it was. And you know, Tappensee's thing is they don't really offensive rebounds, they want to get back and deny transition. And it seemed like the few times when Tapman Z didn't do get back, they paid for it. Every time. Um, so that was one thing. But then in the in the in the half court, yeah, Hudson, Hudson was in was really good. I mean, just you know, as I said, finishing, cutting. The pass they made a lot of great passes for easy baskets, which just doesn't happen against Tappen Z. They were just TZ was just a little off. I don't know, both ends. Just wasn't typical what we've seen the last few weeks. It's hard to do what they do with five players game in, game out against all these great teams. It's just it's just hard to do it. Um they make it look easy, but it's not. Um and uh Hudson was just a better team last night.

SPEAKER_02

And and and and for our our viewers um uh uh you know that watch our podcast, Hudson, that's that area, is that up by where Rip Van Winkle or Slee uh you know the bridge is? Is that the Hudson area up there? Is it further up?

SPEAKER_01

It's yeah, it's north of north of Albany.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Just north of Alberta.

SPEAKER_01

I think we're talking about the same place. Yeah. I'm not I'm not Ray McNally like you are. I don't know whether it was.

SPEAKER_00

He gets lost once he gets past uh Westchester County in the West. That's about it. Yeah, so listen, that's why we play the game. Great season.

SPEAKER_02

Congratulations to the guys and and uh and the program in the town. And then we we were gonna we uh obviously you saw one of you saw a great triple A girls state semifinal matchup last night. You ready you ready to talk about that?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean Albertus Magnus played Shaker. You know, I think whenever Albertus Magnus has a competitive game in New York, people gasp and they're like, what do you mean? What are they uh Shaker was great. Shaker is a the best public school team in the state, maybe in the last couple years that I've seen. Um they are they have four college basketball players in their lineup. They challenged Albertus, they got ahead early, um, they were able to kind of limit what uh the what Julia Scott was able to do inside in the first half, but man, that's why they played four quarters. Um because Julia Scott found her way in. Sarah Nagia was terrific, Julia had 32 points. It may be like, it may be the trademark game of her entire career because they were down 13 in the second half, she played unbelievable, she carried them, she was just relentless on the class on both ends. And if you're gonna remember her for one thing, that game last night might have been it. Uh, and Sarah Nagia had 17 points, and just uh credit to Pat Bugley, man. Talk about pushing all the right buttons and and you know, the moves they made, defensive switches they made, um, you know, kind of kind of earned it last night, and I think that they kind of I don't say walk, but they they should win tonight with no with no problem.

SPEAKER_00

Well, you said it. You said in the beginning of the season, you said it in the bracket show that we did, that their competition is right there. Shaker, when they meet.

SPEAKER_02

You said Shaker day one, Catherine. You said it day one on our show. That they were gonna be the that they were gonna, they that ultimately those teams were gonna collide and play each other. Listen, coming back from 13 points at halftime.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it's weird to say this. I actually think Shaker might have been the better team, over might be the better team overall. Uh, Bertus just found a way to beat him last night.

SPEAKER_02

I bet you Coach Buckler did it with a smile. Yes, he does. Yes. Uh I don't know if he was smiling the way that we normally see him smile, but he got it done. 13 down, Kevin. I saw that on on X. You know, obviously, uh I follow you, so I saw it on X. They were down five.

SPEAKER_01

I appreciate the follow up, Coach.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, well, thank you for following the video. Well, this is well. So anyway. Yeah, now you got a coach, you got to shout out his hand on it. I only follow uh as kept at Kevin at KDJ, I think is. KDJ Media. Media, yeah. So, but listen, but uh credit to them to get it to overtime. You know, get their extend the game to overtime, and then and then, you know, get it done uh in overtime and and finish that.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Naji hit the shot to force overtime, and when she hit the shot, you're like, that's it, they're gonna win. Like momentum carries so much, you know, UNC, UNC and VCU, right, Coach, but VCU forces overtime, we're gonna be able to do it. You know, like they're gonna wait. They're gonna be, I thought they'd score a few times in the first five minutes of overdone.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, we're gonna we're gonna talk about that a little bit. I can feel the coach.

SPEAKER_01

We could do three hours on one day of the NCAA tournament with Coach Ward.

SPEAKER_00

I can feel the heat, I can feel the heat coming off.

SPEAKER_02

It's like this over here, Kevin. I'd have to take this sweater off. So I'm starting to sweat too. So, but yeah, but I'm happy for Albertus, happy for Coach Buffley and his staff, happy for those girls. When Naji hit that shot, Kevin, how much time was left?

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I don't remember. It was in the you know, so I wasn't there. I was I'm I'm MCing a banquet last night uh in Saratoga for the Athletic Administrators of the Year. Oh, I saw we saw that.

SPEAKER_02

Three of our administrators got uh warned.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yeah, yeah. Mike Galino, uh Barry Stuman, and Susan Reed from Rye. Um so I had uh I had the game on. It was very inconveniently scheduled to finish right around the time I was starting this. So I had my computer on the dais as I'm standing out there like giving account, watching the game. And so um the NFHS broadcast was great, but I had a hard time with it seeing the clock of the, you know, again, I'm trying to get people situated and get ready to host in front of 300 people. I'm like, hey, hey, everybody, could you just let me finish watching this girl's basketball game right now? I can see it now.

SPEAKER_00

Kevin on the dais, nobody even knows what he's looking at. He just, yes. Thank you, everybody. I'm so happy to be here tonight. Damn, man, she just hit that jump. Did you see that jump? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

They probably thought I was like some degenerate gambler watching the NCAA tournament.

SPEAKER_02

So, so Kevin, who do we have today? Tell us who we have today on the boys' side and then the girls' side.

SPEAKER_01

We have Rye today. Rye's playing today. They're playing Amsterdam coming up. It's gonna be a little delayed now because this game just ended. Right. This uh Seton Catholic and Pennfield game. Penfield won. Uh so they're on the other side of the AA championship, and they beat Seton Catholic, which was the home team. Uh they're local to Binghamton. So a lot of fans are here wearing green. And they're all walking out right now with their heads down to back into the day here in this cloudy day in Binghamton. Um and so Rye's got Amsterdam, which is actually not far either from uh they're kind of on the western half of uh of Albany's section, section two. So they probably took the same drive I did just now from uh on Route 88 and uh the scenic drive. And um the so they're gonna play next. You know, Rye's right, I watched Amsterdam play a little bit on some of the streams. It's hard to know on the stream, but they kind of remind me a lot of Rye in that they're very athletic, they're long, the guards can shoot, the guards can drive, the big men can shoot. Like every they're kind of like Ryan that said. I just don't, I don't know if I've seen the depth of Amsterdam that that I know Rye has. Right. So it's gonna be a matter of, you know, are the nine guys from Rye all gonna keep playing the way they've been playing?

SPEAKER_02

So they're gonna need that in order for Rye to get this done today, they're gonna need that bench production that they've gotten this last third of the season, correct?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, 100%. I mean, it's it's kind of when you get to this point, you need everybody to play well. You can't have any weak links. Weak links are what send you home, you know. So um I think uh Rye's kind of poised and ready for this. I, you know, when you think about this is like house money a little bit for some of these players, they look at it like that because this is the extra, extra games in their third sport. And it's kind of crazy to think that they're in the state semifinal, you know, like all these football players, the cross players, baseball players. I mean, everyone plays different sports in Rye, and basketball is not anybody's real number one. Um, and they're two wins away from a state championship, and they have a good chance to win. Except for my man Ben Hudson.

SPEAKER_00

Only shoulders and that's yeah, three-pointer like this, bam to the crowd. Like he uh he's the basketball player. This this is his thing, and as a junior being with these guys, it's gotta be a great experience for Ben Hudson right now to have these seniors, Kevin Right.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, it totally is. Um, yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_02

So we have Rye, we have Rye coming up now, and then who else is next?

SPEAKER_01

But then on the boys side tonight, we have uh Maronick plays Christian Brothers Academy from Syracuse. Um from Syracuse, yeah. No, from Albany, sorry.

SPEAKER_02

Albany, C BA Albany.

SPEAKER_01

Albany CBA Albany, and they're 23-0, and they're really good. I mean, they're really good. They remind me a little bit of Memarinick in the sense that they have they have the two brothers that are um, you know, probably combined to average 38 to 40 points a game. Um, you know, Marin's got two guys, two seniors that average about 38 to 40 points a game. Right. Um they do a majority of the scoring between the two guys, and this game is a classic who the three, four, five players are gonna be in the game. Sorry, sir. Um so I'm in people's way here.

SPEAKER_00

So navigating the crowd are supporting.

SPEAKER_01

I would say the um advantage of this game probably goes to Christian Brothers Academy simply because private schools typically have a better supporting cast than public schools. Correct. And that's what we got here. So I would not be surprised if Mamarinick loses today and gets beat. I mean, I I would like to see them win. I think they have a really good chance to win. Destiny. Um, but I would not be surprised if some guy who you know averages seven or eight points a game for CBA scores 15 to 20 points and they win.

SPEAKER_02

Because that's because they've got basketball today. Right, and they've got bat right and they got basketball players, and and and people need to understand CBA, you know, up there, they're gonna get there, they attract uh most of the time single specific athletes for that particular sport.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, people don't realize that like Albany's uh and Syracuse is too, when there's a dominant Catholic school presence and you're surrounded by so many small schools, um, small town, like a lot of class C and D schools, those players typically don't stay at those schools, they go to a larger school for larger opportunities. You know, Section One has Catholic schools, but they're they're surrounded by large schools, so you're still in a bigger environment, but it's sort of where New York State is headed a little bit with uh this Catholic school situation.

SPEAKER_00

It's and that's why changes need to be made, but also it's even to get more crazy because Florida just uh passed the law that you could pay high school kids now. So when that happens in New York, which usually we're like, no, it's already we're already paying high school kids now.

SPEAKER_01

They have there's there's an opportunity for them to get paid, but not not the way Florida's setup is.

SPEAKER_00

No, not yet. Not full like NIL type type stuff, but yeah, a whole different conversation.

SPEAKER_02

Listen, so on the girls' side, we have is Tucoho playing as we speak.

SPEAKER_01

They're tipping off um very soon. They're playing Greenwich out of uh the northern Albany region, also. And I'll tell you, I watched Tough matchup for them today.

SPEAKER_02

Yep.

SPEAKER_01

I think Greenwich is pretty awesome. I think Greenwich might be the best most talented team in their within their class. Um like I think Greenwich, when I watched Greenwich, I thought, I'm like, this looks like a class A school. They look like they can play with Tap and Z. So um that's uh a tough test for Tuckahoe, and it seems like Tuckahoe's got this great group. Um they've been playing awesome, you know, Brooke Madurazzo and Giuliano Menginelli and Chloe Angelo, and the whole team is playing great, but it's just like a tough time to be in class C in New York State because the small schools are are really, really impressive. And Greenwich is great, and if they win that, they gotta play probably Fruzburg, who's might be just as good. So tough road for Tucao.

SPEAKER_02

Um, and and we want to let people know out there that that young lady from Greenwich has 2300 points that they're gonna be facing today.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so again, I small schools, they there's a lot of class C and D schools up in that part of the state, so she's not playing against larger schools, but she's still awesome. Like ball handling, I don't know, man. She might be as good of a ball handler as I've seen this year. So uh I was I was really kind of florid a little bit when I watched Greenwich.

SPEAKER_02

And then and then we have Tappan Z Girls as well.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, they play tomorrow. Uh Tappe Z Girls play tomorrow. Uh Bernis Magnus plays tonight for the state championship. Uh Tappe Z plays tomorrow. They're playing Albany Academy, so another private school. And Tappan Z could, you know, if they were gonna hand out a plaque to somebody for being the best public school team in New York State in Class A, you'd go to Tappe Z because they're the only public school team left in the public school. Really?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, in class A in the state's in the middle of the city.

SPEAKER_01

Notre Dame. Yeah, Notre Dame, uh, Our Lady of Mercy, and then you've got on the other side, and then you got Albany Academy. So T Z, public school basketball.

SPEAKER_00

TZ, the only public.

SPEAKER_02

You didn't know, didn't know we're gonna know they were gonna play in the Federation, did they, today? No. All right.

SPEAKER_00

So the only public school players.

SPEAKER_01

Let me say, I'll tell you, I watched Albany Academy, and they're they're really good. Um I think Tap and Z could definitely win. Uh I'm not saying that they, you know, they can't win. I would say they're underdogs going to the game. Um, but I will tell you that I think the best thing that happened to Tap and Z was almost getting beat by a Long Island team that I don't think they took all that serious um in the in the last round. They played um plain edge, and plain edge was really good. Challenged them, they got out on the shooters. Um Adrian Durino still had six three pointers in the game, but it was a struggle to get shots, and Albany Academy's gonna do the same thing. Um, and it's gonna be a matter of other players can step up like they did against Plain Edge.

SPEAKER_02

Uh and what and YMA, what is when is YMA playing?

SPEAKER_01

YMA plays uh I'm blanking. They're playing this weekend, I know that. Okay, yeah, but that's okay, right. And and what do we know about the players? I think they're playing today. So yeah, so um Yeah, I think so. Yeah, they've uh again, they they're first time ever in the State Final Four. And um, you know, when YMA is at their best, they're really good. Um so they've got to play well. I think you know, Liliana Toro, the point guard, she's gotta predict the ball and and run the offense. She has because we've seen you know ups and downs with this team. Uh they they're coming up with an emotional win, you know, in their uh regional championship game in Long Island. So um I I was impressed with how they responded the second half of that game, and uh hopefully the momentum for them carries in.

SPEAKER_02

Um and then also uh the Cinderella Nyak Redhawks.

SPEAKER_01

Nyak, so yeah, we're we still have more teams to go. Nyak, um, yeah, their Cinderella team, you know, they're they've got a tough challenge. Um and then you've also got to remember that um North Salem boys, North Salem boys are playing tomorrow. North Salem boys are the biggest underdog of any team this weekend against Burn Knox Westerloo, who is like this phenomenon of a Class C program, who opted out of small school leagues and play this year to play the biggest and best teams they can get on their schedule. Whoever would be, they were like a mid major, like Miami, Ohio, mid major trying to play Duke in North Carolina. That's what they were.

SPEAKER_02

And their records, what? Like they didn't they have like an don't they have an outstanding record?

SPEAKER_01

I mean, they lost to games. Didn't they lost to? They play Kingston. They must kingst them. They put all like triple leg and double listeners. They are the French State Champions. I'll tell you, they're worth it. They're worth that couch. They're worth it. Because the play is never saying tomorrow.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. And less a lot for the timers, obviously. Section one to do well, but I've you know never wanna forget about Brandon and the Mask Patron Rice and Company, you know. We we wanna make sure. Uh that we know we're giving them a shot on the show.

SPEAKER_01

They wanna make someone. I mean, they're they're tough, man. They're they're like mentally tough team. Are we still gonna talk a home for the section championship? And uh, I think that they, you know, they're gonna be ready. I think they're gonna love coming here in this environment. And it's gonna be a very burnox travel swell for a small school, and uh, I think they're gonna be I think they're gonna enjoy it. I think they're gonna enjoy, you know, not much blue and gold in the crab. They're gonna enjoy being the underdogs in.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, it'll be, it'll be Burnox. What it when it was the blue, it'll be uh, you know, whatever their colors are, and I'm sure it'll show up in the mass of them.

SPEAKER_00

Speaking of an abundant kevin, how are we uh how are we doing a little bit? My game's uh superstar, how the I can't see the clock, how much I gotta get down to the corner.

SPEAKER_01

Um, but some uh we're gonna come, man. I think this is a simic mic, I thought someone I don't think we're like a small. I think this is like a supernatural conference, so you might get a good running crap. Um, but some uh I'm giving you the summer. YMA plays a 315 today as mechanics.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

And um they got a shadow women.

SPEAKER_02

Do they have a shadow women? Do they have a shadow women and why amenate a shadow wins of the five?

SPEAKER_01

I think so. Um, you know, Slagle Force Nyacks. Sleeve Force and Marcellus on the other side. Sleeve Force is actually YMA lost to last year in the state quarterfinal. So, um, I think they'll take a chance back at them again. This is familiarity, they know what they run and stuff, and they're very good. I you know, I think that Marcellus might be the team to be. Um, and then Nyack is playing uh on Saturday, they're playing uh 315 against Bethlehem, which is 15 minutes or 20 minutes, I think, it's drive. Um Nyack, hopefully we'll uh get some folks to come up to through it and uh go up to Troy to support them, but they're gonna be it's gonna be a very loud environment for the other team. It'll be a de facto home game for himself section two, Troy, so far.

SPEAKER_00

See, Kevin's by the concession stand, the entire time by the concession stand. Absolutely making me hungry.

SPEAKER_01

It's a basic summer. We're playing Amsterdam for the big Nottingham Um All these all these cities. We've recreated basically the same as they are. There's probably twenty-five in New York State. There's like a Peru, there's uh Rome, there's uh all these all these international cities uh recreated here in New York, and basically are just like replicas of uh Rome. It's like basically the same as Rome in Italy. Tappen Z.

SPEAKER_00

Tapaze is the native the native language of Tappan Z coming up to represent uh against the sheriffs of Nottingham. I love it, man. We love your brain, Kevin's. Alright, so you know we uh you gotta cover the game. We know it's happening now. Okay. Yeah, we appreciate it. Thank you for coming on the cake.

SPEAKER_01

Thanks for making this work, buddy. I'm sorry about the audio issues, but we're all we're all good. We survived. You sound fantastic.

SPEAKER_00

No, you sound great.

SPEAKER_01

All right, thanks, guys. Good luck, have a good day.

SPEAKER_00

Looking forward having you back in the studio, man.

SPEAKER_02

All right, have a great day. We'll talk to you later, Chatby. Bye-bye.

SPEAKER_00

Great, awesome. Yeah, I mean, listen, this this guy travels from he's doing last night, he's doing uh uh banquet dinners, doing the videos for that from the the media state while watching the the stream lives, okay? Not to mention, you know he's a big college football uh college basketball fan, so he's listening to that stuff too. Of course. And then and then he's this morning ready to go to cover the rye game.

SPEAKER_02

And he's doing I think he's doing play by play for the ride game. I mean just so he needs a he's trying to save his car. He's trying to save his voice, is what he's trying to do. Because you can hear you a little bit scratchy, but yeah, uh well listen, man.

SPEAKER_00

It's the like you said, it's he he's the hard hardest working man in media.

SPEAKER_02

He's yeah, he works his tail off, there's no doubt about it.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, well we're lucky to have him. Lucky to give him uh some time there on on site there in Binghamton, your second favorite place in the world. Absolutely. So uh listen, great, great segue, coach. Uh well I want I want before we get off, before we get off topic. Yeah, I want a segue. I I got you. I think before we segue. Right. Well, I think you're I think you're uh you're a shooting guard by nature. Oh, a point uh uh five foot tail. I'm I'm I consider myself a point guard. You have a much better jump shot than I.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but you it was by that was because of an uh environment. I needed to have a better thing. Well, hey, coach has a better jump shot than me.

SPEAKER_00

So what I'm gonna do is I'm I'm gonna take the ball here and do the following. I'm gonna take the ball and say, listen, right now, coach, this is a great segue. I'm gonna pass you the ball because I want you to talk about as we transition from a little uh high school to college conversation. I want you to talk about these kids who can play AAU basketball, who are seniors and go in there. I think it's a very important message to have, and I'd love for you to share with the audience how you feel about that.

SPEAKER_02

All right, I I will. Um I want to go back just for a second, John, if you don't mind. Really proud of our teams. Nine out of ten teams got to the state semifinals, the final four in Troy and Binghamton. Obviously, Woodlands had an excruciating loss. I want to also compliment them on their season. They got to the regional final, they won their third consecutive goal ball. Aaron Woodbury, Sebastian Benediz, uh McKinney, and Sean McKinney and company. I was gonna bring that up because you know Claudio behind our executive producers. He knows all those kids. He knows all those kids. I didn't want to make him sad here on this. Noah Cherubun, Sherubin. Uh, also, they had a great year. Want to congratulate them. They, you know, they it, you know, just a tough loss um over in Long Island. But I want to make sure that we shout them out too. And Coach Rappaport and Coach Kerstell, they've had an amazing three-year run with that group. Um now I want to go, now we'll go back. So I want I want the high school graduating seniors to listen to what I'm about to say to them. Okay. And and and those of you that have signed or committed, if you've signed division two or you've been committed to or you've received a roster spot from a division three program, for you not to play AAU this spring of your senior year is an incredible mistake on your part. Why? Because, as my son says, there's nothing like playing live under the whistle. Nothing like it. And what I mean by that is you don't want to miss an opportunity to play 25 to 30 more games in that environment, competitive environment where wins and losses matter, you don't want to take that and throw it in the trash because if you do that, you're making a mistake. Because the kids, every kid that we had prior to us going off the road played AAU basketball, springtime of their senior year, except for one. And the only one that didn't do that was because he was the only one that was being recruited at his position. So he already knew that he had he was gonna get he was gonna basically be the starter there at the college that he was gonna attend. Everybody else played AAU here in the springtime of their senior year that was a division two or division three player. And let me tell you what happened. They were more prepared and they were ready to play come that October than the kids that said, I'm gonna work out on my own. I'm gonna I'm gonna work out with my player development coach, I'm gonna weight train on my own, because guess what? They didn't do it the right way.

SPEAKER_00

No one does it on their own, of course. You know that very fair people. But I want to say something, because you brought up not just the coach's perspective, but you said, as my son said, for those of you who do not know Chris Ward Jr., you should follow him on Instagram. This is a young man, okay, who now plays professional basketball in Europe. So it's not just coach talking about how important it is for you guys to prepare for your college season and not take for granted for the fact that you're gonna play college ball. But if you want to play professional basketball, not NBA, maybe G League, maybe overseas pro, this young man, Chris Ward Jr., is now currently still playing professional basketball because of things like that, live game in action that you cannot replicate anywhere else. And I think that's why you're right. AAU is so important in the spring.

SPEAKER_02

You have to have it. Now, now I'm gonna say this for the Division II kids. I don't think you guys should play, they should play up until probably the last two live periods. Same thing with Division III. Unless you're looking for something else, then you can play the last two um uh live period events. D two doesn't have to do that. Those kids are signed, but they should play up until the live period events, the last two uh uh events of the of the summer AAU spring slash summer AAU season. They should play up until then. Division three should play all the way through. And and here's the other thing that people need to understand. I want to educate our parents and our players and our and and our coaches that maybe don't know this. Girls basketball, they don't play their senior year. It's a true 17 and under. Once you get this, so once they play their their last year is summertime after their junior year. That's not the case on the boys side. Boys AAU is not 17 and under. You know this, I know this because we're on the circuit. Boys AAU is 19 and under, you 19, because a lot of the kids have have reclass eighth grade, and then if they're if they're talented enough and and and and have gotten academic money and athletic money, they go to the prep school, they reclass again. So now they're coming out of prep school at 19.

SPEAKER_00

I'm laughing, coach, because you're right. I was on that circuit, and you see some of these kids, you're like, wait a minute, this kid's not 17 years old. There's no way. No, no, he's this is a grown man at night. It's a grown man dunking the ball. 19 years of a group man. So yes.

SPEAKER_02

19 years of age. So, so AAU boys is different. That's why this our our springtime of the senior year, those young men need to be playing 25 to 30 more games. It's only going to help them. Now, the kids that did not do that on the boy side, the ones that refuse to play, other than the one uh example that I'm talking about, were very much behind the eight ball when they got on the college campus because they had not played a basketball game in that environment since the last one they played in their high school careers.

SPEAKER_00

Coach, how does how does the scholarships work? If you're a scholarship athlete, because you could be a scholarship in D2, would you give the same advice they should play? Absolutely. That's what I'm saying. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

I looked it up, I want to make sure I was correct. Division two guys can play springtime of their senior, it's springtime, summertime of their senior year. I think they should play.

SPEAKER_00

What if they get hurt?

SPEAKER_02

If they're a scholarship athlete, I think they should. So for the most part, the division two guys, and that's a great question. Excuse me. For the most part, most coaches, if they're in a if they're in a c in an environment where they're in a program, are going if they can't get a hold of them on campus in the summertime, are going to probably give them their blessing. It depends on the program. So I'll use Anthony Fickerata as an example. Anthony is going to St. Thomas Aquinas, which is right down the road. So if you're located, if you're a D2 kid signee and you're located right down the road geographically from the school, the institution you're going to attend in college, then and you're and your coach is going to have you on campus basically every day, you know, you're just not living on campus like you would Division I, that's a different sit situation. Now you're playing with the guys that are there. Most of the guys are locally in there or or they're going to play summer school. That's different. If you signed, let's say you're you like for me, I played at USC Upstate. USC Upstate was three and a half hours away. If I had AAU springtime of my senior year, I'd have played AAU in my air in you know, in the Charles, Somerville, Charleston area. I'd have played because I'm not going, I can't get up there every day from three and a half hours away. So I think it depends on the situation. You know, it also depends on the coaching staff.

SPEAKER_00

Wait, you mean you didn't have a helicopter that you have no idea?

SPEAKER_02

No, I did not have no I didn't have a helicopter, that's for sure. At a 78 LTD, they took me up to Spartanburg. So anyway, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I thought Coach was gonna say, Claudia, he had a he was riding a horse. I was like, Coach, man, you're not that old.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but I I really am I and and parents, I I really am very, very um I feel very strongly about this. That you guys have got to make sure your kids are playing because you know, unless it's a special kid and a special situation and you've got everything set up where everything from Monday through Friday is organized, you know, it's different. They gotta play, they have to play under the whistle, they need those 25 to 30 games. It's it's an extra year without having to pay for prep school. You know, the you know I mean it's an extra point. It basically is your prep school year without having to pay $55,000 to $60,000.

SPEAKER_00

Coach when is it too late? Okay, so this is gonna be Sunday, uh, March 22nd when people are watching this. Is it uh too late for these kids to sign up? Is there still a chance to sign up for the the season?

SPEAKER_02

Listen, if they're a college-level player and and they've already committed either D to you know, they've either assigned D two or D three. I got news for you that any uh program director will take those kids in a heartbeat because they already know those AAU program directors already know about those kids in their area, and they will they'll they'll find a place for them.

SPEAKER_00

Gotcha.

SPEAKER_02

But but like I said, girls AAU are completely different from boys. Boys is you 19.

SPEAKER_00

So unfair, ladies. You should we should we should have a uh 18 and under league for these young ladies?

SPEAKER_02

I uh you know that and and let's let if we're gonna uh you brought up a great point. So let's talk about that. Unless you're a division one signee, if you're a division one signee, you're going up on campus, you're you're getting you're getting the weight training, you're taking summer courses, you're getting individual uh development, you're also getting, you know, nutrition. They got the nutrition thing now, uh, the fuel thing, whatever they call it. So, you know, uh for nutrition, yeah, the fuel thing. Yeah, the whole wrap, whole rap, map wrapped. Absolutely. They have everything. So if you're division one, you're you're gone for the once you get done with high school graduation, you're gone. You know, plus you're you're getting your credits to get ahead so you can graduate, make sure you graduate either on time or early. All right. I think on the girls' side, there should be springtime AAU senior year to help them get ready for division two and division three college basketball. I think there should be an 18 and under on the girl side.

SPEAKER_00

Who makes those rules?

SPEAKER_02

AAU. Right? Yeah, I yes, I guess. I mean it's unspoken. Yeah. It's an unspoken rule. I don't think it's I think it's just the way it's always been. But I think it hurts the young ladies unless they're gonna be on campus, division two, or they're close enough geographically division two. I think it hurts them not to get the 25 to 30 games, just like the boys. The girls should have 18 and under so that they're having their prep year at home, but they're still playing 25 to 30 games. Do I think they need to travel like they did prior to their senior year? No. Do they need to go to Chicago? No. Do they need to go, you know, to Tennessee like they used to back in the day, Murfreesboro? No. But they need to play.

SPEAKER_00

So we basically need a z zero gravity and those those fine.

SPEAKER_02

But a high level, but a high but like an eight, yeah, yeah. Both of them could start a start a league, so they're doing girls competing. Yeah, but 18U and for the girls that have committed to either they've either signed a D2 or have commit or they have a committed roster spot, they've been offered a roster spot at the D three school of your choice.

SPEAKER_00

I also think that a lot of the high school girls that we've interviewed and had a chance to do who maybe are not going to play basketball in uh college, play other sports. We've had some lacrosse a lot of lacrosse players, right? I think they would enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02

If they if they yeah, I mean if if you're serious, yes. But it has to be for those girls, uh really good young ladies that are really good athletes, that are really good players.

SPEAKER_00

Right, it's like an all-star, all-star team, so to speak.

SPEAKER_02

You'd have that you have that circuit here, you know, with within within like a two-hour drive, and and let them and let them compete and get ready for their freshman year in college. I think it's so important. And I and I'm I'm glad we were able to talk about it. And um thank you for giving me a voice on this, John, because it's really I'm really this is something I really believe in, and this is no doubt a thing that these kids need to be doing. They have to play.

SPEAKER_00

Listen, your your voice is more important than most. You you live and breathe young athletes, right? You coach many sports, but you ended up choosing basketball as that sport to really coach. And I've watched you coach not only my son, I've watched you coach camps, and I've watched you look at it and the way the kids gravitate towards you. And if you've never seen Coach Ward coach one, he's a maniac on the court. I call him Spider-Man because he's always doing these different moves and so forth, and I love watching it. He never has his voice after the second game, but that's because it's how much he cares. Sure. Uh putting these kids in the right position. But the one thing that I always admire and love, and for those who have never seen Coach Ward coach at the camp or so forth, is you're so passionate about the kids. About, hey, let's let's do it right. Let's look at it this way. I got this year, I got this year to travel with you to a lot of high school games. And the amount of people that come up to you that are like, hey, coach, uh my son, do you think he can play college basketball? I watched him, I think he could play college basketball. You're very honest with with the you're empathetically honest with the parents. Here's some things they got to improve, and here's a chance, or hey, D three is probably right, D two is maybe, but you gotta give this, you give so much free advice to these kids and their parents. And it's it's it's your gift. It's your gift. So I think listen to him. His voice is very important for all of you kids that want to play college ball and go on above.

SPEAKER_02

I want and and we we've done we've so people haven't seen the the thing that we did together on Relive the Moments. So what now they're here on on The Winning Moment show. I I want kids from our area or people from our area to be very successful. And it costs nothing to be sincere, to be authentic, to to care. It costs nothing. And uh when people come to me, that's what I'm gonna give them. And and I want the kids to understand, I want the parents to understand that anything we can do, our organization, our program, to help them and guide them and put them in the right direction, we're gonna do it with the best intentions. And we're gonna do it w in a way in which uh it's best for what their what their choice is or what they're very good. We don't steer people here. We show you the avenues. Here's the avenue you can go down if this is what you want. This is the op this is your second option, this is your th third option. And I don't mean that like in the A, B, or C. Right. I mean that like, all right, here's your choices. Which which road do you want to take? But we want to give them roads because when I came up, my parents didn't understand the recruiting process. My parents didn't understand what was it what was uh you know, um it what it entailed. And and and he and I will speak to this from a personal ex perspective. I signed with US C upstate. I was kept at US C upstate the majority of the day. When I went for my tryout because you know NAIA Division II, NAI or NCAA Division II, you can you they basically try you out before they sign you. I was supposed to go to a place called Limestone University who just closed down. They used to have a National Division II powerhouse in lacrosse, and then the school closed. And they were also outstanding in basketball. Supposed to go there for my second tryout that day. They kept us longer. We never got to limestone. Twenty years later, I find out from somebody that I know very close to our program that I was signed by USC Upstate so I wouldn't go someplace else. That's a those days of recruiting. That is a true story. That is an absolute true story. Um, and I I'm I will never say that person's name ever, but that person was very close to the program when I was playing there. And I don't want that to happen to any player, and I don't want parents at that to happen where parents have got to pick up the pieces. So if they come to me for advice and guidance, I'm gonna make sure that I help not only make the right decision, but protect them from something like that happening to them. My parents had no idea. I was absolutely stunned. I found that out 16 years later, 20 years later.

SPEAKER_00

Which is insane, is how it was done back then, unfortunately. Uh the coach uh coach mentioned an episode for Relive the Moments. We'll put that here on the winning moments so you guys can see the first interview that I had the honor of having with uh Coach Ward. And listen, since we we got so heavy there on the topic because it's so personal to you and it's a personal experience, and I love that. Why don't we we lower your blood pressure, talk about something fun uh that you don't care that much about, like how'd you join your bracket last night?

SPEAKER_02

Oh man, oh man. So whether you so I think we're in one bracket, we're 12 and 3, and the other one we're 11 and 4. I'd like to shout out to South Florida for not showing up until the last 10 minutes of their game uh last night. Appreciate you, uh South Florida and the and the Bulls. Um uh I want to shout out to Tobin Anderson, who is the uh assist uh special assistant for Coach Hodgson Hodgson at South Florida. Uh Coach Tobin Anderson is now the new head coach at Tennessee Tech in Cookville, Tennessee. So we shout out to Tobin who had a great run at Stack and was the head coach and had a great run at Iona, and we're very happy for him. Um but yeah, the Bulls didn't Bulls didn't shoot the ball well at the beginning, 6% in the first half, and um they just ran out of time. I think if they played, shot the ball even halfway decent first half, second half with Mikhail Brown out from Louisville, they would have won the basketball game, ended up losing by five. Um I picked St. Louis and in in one bracket. I picked Georgia in the other. How many brackets? I mean, I had two. We had two. Just two. Just two. Um and how about Georgia showing up and getting 35 pieced? 30 John Lim, how do you you're an SEC Powers Power Four School. You football. Well, they've had they got as they as we say down south, they got athletes down there now. They do. They got athletes on the basketball team too. Um, I'm astounded at how they did not show up to compete. They look like and uh Mike White's an outstanding coach at Georgia, outstanding coach. But they looked, they got outcoached, they got out, they were outplayed, they got out competed, they got dominated.

SPEAKER_00

Too much sweet tea, too much sweet tea. Yeah, in Athens. Where was that? That sweet tea is dangerous down south.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it must have been it must have made them lethargic. Right. And and by the way, uh speaking of sweet tea, the capital of sweet tea in the world is none other than Somerville, South Carolina, where it's just where I grew up. So I just speaking of Somerville, South Carolina. South Carolina is the capital of the yeah, I've been there before a little bit. Have you? Yes, just a little bit. Anyway, so so Georgia, Georgia, um appreciate you showing up and getting beat by 35, the St. Louis. I had St. Louis on the other side. Um people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina um are screaming right now on talk radio. Um wanting the wanting the demise of their head coach, Hubert Davis. Great Nick player. Great, and uh from all accounts, a great human being. Yeah, great player, great human being, cares about Carolina. My as a coach, your heart goes out to coaches when they're on the hot seat. And North Carolina up 19. But somebody forgot to tell VCU. Somebody forgot to tell VCU, Claudio, that uh the game wasn't over yet. And there's been some talk about Trimble. There were three of the guys that didn't come off the floor in the in the second half. Trimble, I forget the the big kid Vasir, Versar, whatever, um, didn't come off the floor even when they were up 19, they give him a three-minute break. And they looked like they they started missing some easy ones. And you let VCU and Phil Martelli Jr. get back in the game. They get it to overtime, and VCU moves on. I did have VCU winning in that bracket. Wow. I did. Wow. Um, but uh I had V only because Caleb Barnes wasn't there, he was injured, the the one and done uh uh lottery pick from North Carolina. It just changed them without him being on the floor. And then um High Point University. Appreciate your high point, appreciate you not, not um didn't know there was more than just the furniture capital of the world, High Point, North Carolina. Uh so high point university upsets a coming into the tournament, a a very a very good Wisconsin team that was playing great basketball at the right time. Uh uh high point's very good. They were 30 and two this year. There's a ton of money in that program. If you've ever seen their arena, they have luxury box suites around the outside, similar to Madison Square Garden. It is a big time program at a mid-major level, and they were able to beat Wisconsin last night. I did not have that. A lot of people did, but I did not have that. Yeah, because of the way they shoot the basketball. Listen, that's why we play the game, coach. Absolutely. But um, Wisconsin, night night.

SPEAKER_00

So let's ask this question, right? Because uh young Devaney almost had a uh I saw Kevin uh Kevin put the bracket up there for uh little Devaney and uh he had Duke as his his champion. Oh boy, how about that one yesterday? He uh huh? He almost he almost had to tear that bracket? He almost had to tear it up.

SPEAKER_02

Uh Dylan Devaney would have been crying at home, and I'd have been crying with him because my bracket would have been busted too. Uh so let's credit Jerry McNamara's upstate New York legend, Syracuse grad, great player at Syracuse. Phenomenal player. Absolutely, won a national championship with Carmelo.

SPEAKER_03

Yep.

SPEAKER_02

Um, hit six threes in the national championship game. He was the difference for them. Mr. Buckets against Kansas, yeah, back in the day. But um what he did at Sienna's incredible, two wins two years ago. Listen, they were up 11 to the number one overall seat of the tournament and had it going in their direction. The issue was for whatever reason, and I'm gonna say this as a coach because parents and players need to hear this. Coaches are going to play in crucial games and situations the people they trust most. And if they don't trust anybody on the bench in a game like that, they're not gonna play them. What happened yesterday? How many players did Siena play? Five. It was the entire game they only played five, five the entire game into the last 18 seconds, basically. Five guys.

SPEAKER_00

That's a lot, that's a lot to put on five guys.

SPEAKER_02

That's a lot to put on five guys, and they almost pulled it off, though. So credit to Jerry McNamara and Sienna. Um, John Shire came on post-game and said we got outplayed, we got out coached. And credit to him. I I would not want to be at uh the practice today if I was a Duke University player with John Shire. And and I wouldn't want to be the assistant coaches for Coach Shire today because I'm sure after breakfast it was not pleasant.

SPEAKER_00

One person I wouldn't mind being right now is uh young Dylan Devaney, whose bracket is uh still safe and secure with that that pick. And uh Absolutely. Also, uh he is not working today. No, he's not.

SPEAKER_02

No, he's not having a lot of fun there. No, he's not. So so um, you know, I I thought the tournament was fantastic yesterday. Um I you know, I I was extremely impressed with Nebraska. Uh I thought Troy was athletic, but the size, their length on the perimeter and the interior length really bothered Troy. Um and uh, you know, I just and then Gonzaga survives Kennesaw State last night, late night. I stayed up for that one. I know you're shocked that I stayed up till like two in the morning to watch that. But uh I'm not shocked.

SPEAKER_00

I got the phone call at 135. Absolutely. You got a text message. I totally, I totally get that.

SPEAKER_02

So yeah, so I mean I think the tournament's where it's at. Um, I think there's some chances for some upsets today. Um we'll you know, we'll talk more about that. But uh I, you know, I it's just it was it was once again it the March Madness, there was madness yesterday, first day of the tournament, and you know, we're gonna get ready for a second day, see what happens.

SPEAKER_00

I'll tell you this, and we'll we'll move on, because as Kevin said, we can talk about this for hours. But uh March Madness is probably the most interesting, entertaining, and fun tournament in any sport. Now they put all that together, and it's just it's you don't always credit the NCAA for a lot of things tied to sports, but credit to the NCAA, they have figured out how to make this invigorating uh month and a few weeks for that matter. But March Madness is just it's so fun. You don't you don't have to be a basketball fan to to enjoy the craziest.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, it it's fascinating, it really is. And then when you have matchups where you say, okay, you know, there's a possibility here, you know, and and it's it's there's nothing like this because every possession, every moment for 40 minutes matters. Your season comes down to 40 minutes, whether you move on or you go home. And it's it is absolutely fascinating to watch.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I gotta tell you, it was fun to it was fun to, and thank you for Section One for having us. Uh, it was fun doing that same style for the Section One Championships. Uh, and yes, I think next year we throw a big Marsh Madness party where you can come watch the game with Coach, watch him break it down, watch him be happy and sail like a roller coaster. It's actually, you might be the second most insane thing. You might be the most entertaining thing into Marsh Madness. Um, so bringing it back to the local side, I do want to shout out a couple of people before we uh wrap up the show. Next week we have the uh Section One All-Star Game. Yes, we do. And uh there's uh a couple of individuals that did go through the Chris Ward basketball program. Uh one of those individuals is my son, Sebastian. Yes. So I'm very happy for him to one more game. Sebastian limb, absolutely. One more game, playing with a bunch of great basketball players. Uh he's actually, I saw the roster. He is back in line on the roster with another Chris Ward basketball player that Sebastian played with, Jackson Thomas. So happy for Jackson Thomas.

SPEAKER_02

He had a great senior year as well.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So happy for him out of Horace Greeley High School. We had we had Jackson in our program, as you know, for many years, as Sebastian and Jackson played together here uh in four screen and black. So happy for them both. Really happy for them both.

SPEAKER_00

Fun to watch, fun to watch them. Fun to watch you yell at them, fun to fun to watch. Uh Jackson's uh dad, Stephen Webb, became a good friend with during that that that run with there, where he's like, John, can you just yell at my kid to shoot? Yeah, sure, exactly. If it's yell at my kid to shoot, so we'll just yell at each other's kids so they listen to shoot the ball.

SPEAKER_02

So good. And and by the way, great the Thomas family, off-the-chain people, so good.

SPEAKER_00

Um that all-star game will be happening on uh Tuesday, the 24th.

SPEAKER_02

It's the it's the conference um um conference all-star game and then the um uh the uh section all-star game.

SPEAKER_00

I think they changed it up actually. I think I think now, I think they put it, they they kind of mashed it all together. Oh, good. So there's they're like a round robin, there's three teams. Oh, I love it. Yeah, yeah. So the format is there's there's three teams that they put together uh in between the games. They have uh uh slam dunk contest and a three-point contest.

SPEAKER_02

I'm so happy. Good. Yeah, so it's gonna be a good thing. They're starting to make it an event. They're made they just the way they do just the way they did the Section One tournament was an event. Yep. Now I'm happy that they're doing it this way. Yeah, I'm happy, very happy to hear that. I did not know that. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00

I'll be there. Thank you for the enlightenment.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you for enlightening me, John.

SPEAKER_00

Which doesn't happen very often. Uh, so as we wrap up the show, I just want to thank everyone. Uh, we've been doing this now for 15 weeks. I think this is our 15th, 16th, 16th episode. Uh 16 weeks, we started this really just on a hey, what do you guys think about doing this? And coach said, Ah, I could probably do that and be available Friday. And then Kevin was like, Yeah, you know, Friday afternoon, I can I can shoot with you guys too. And I never envisioned it turning out the way it turned out, and being at Section One and being part of this. And I'm so grateful for you two. I'm so grateful for our executive producer, Claudio, who you don't get to see on screen, but everything you see on screen is out of this man's vision and hard work. We could not do it without him as true. Uh, you've seen him at the county center uh often when we're there. And I want to let everybody know, all you ADs out there and coaches, that the show is gonna take a transition into a more traditional sports show for the spring. We were gonna cover more sports than just one. So here back in the lab, we're talking about covering as many sports as we can for the spring season, lacrosse, softball, baseball, uh track, flag football, flag football, huge tennis. Absolutely. All the athletes, the purpose of our show is to give exposure to those who don't get exposure. The purpose of our company is to raise money, to let these kids create as many winning moments as they can. And as all of you seen from the interactive swag that we wear, then relive those moments with a simple tap. So we're gonna send an email out to everyone. Fans watching this right now, please let the coach or the AD know to email us so we can have connection with them, so we can get all the stats and highlight and showcase all of these kids. Also, please like and subscribe, share this channel. The more followers and views that we can have, the more exposure that we can give you guys. It's a big section. There's a lot of room out there. Absolutely. And uh this is 68 schools. 68 schools over four counties. And you and I don't drive as many miles as as our partner, Kevin Devaney Jr., uh, who's gonna need a break from the road for a minute because he does have three beautiful children and a uh beautiful wife that he has to absolutely spend some time with as well, invest some time in them as well. Absolutely. Which is the most important most important family is the most important. And on the note of family, before we we close out the show, this is uh an amazing weekend of uh birthdays in both our families. Absolutely. So today, March 20th, uh John Callelo, uh a great grandfather to my children and a great man that I've been able to meet. Today's his birthday, so I just want to give a shout out to uh to John. Then tomorrow I have my late father, Jack Lim. It's his birthday, as well as my younger brother, Chris Lim's birthday. That's crazy. So it's it's March Madness in the in the Limb House. Unbelievable. Yeah. Um so yes, those birthdays are are extremely important. Happy birthday to all of those who uh in my family that'll be having this birthday before this show actually airs. And coach, how about you? You got any birthdays going on? Yes, we do.

SPEAKER_02

We have a birthday tomorrow. Um I wanna s and and I want to say happy birthday to Lisa Ward. And um Lisa Ward has her birthday tomorrow, and want to make sure that uh people know that she's the driving force behind our organization. She's the reason why we're so successful. She had the vision, she does all the tough work, she does all the administrative, she does the website, she does uh sign-ups, she does it all. And then she teaches full-time at Ardsley Middle School. So she basically has two full-time jobs. We my Christopher and Mia, and I can't thank her enough for everything she does for our family. And when I tell you, she does everything, she does everything. So happy birthday to my wife, Lisa, and um and uh we love her and we appreciate her very much.

SPEAKER_00

I believe she also plays golf.

SPEAKER_02

No, that's Mia Ward. Mia Ward plays golf. Oh, that was Mia's golf swing. That's Mia's golf swing. Absolutely. That's a good golf swing. She's got a good golf swing. Absolutely. She's getting there, so love it, coach.

SPEAKER_00

Love it. And uh, Mrs. Ward, coach will bring home your gift. Uh, thank you for lending me him as much as you do. We appreciate all of you. Lots more to come. We're really excited about this spring season and all the sports we can cover. Again, like and subscribe, find us on Instagram, share this channel, and that's a wrap.