Class – B Champions ~ Woodland Boys Varsity Team

Congratulations to the Woodlands Boys Varsity Basketball Team on winning the Section 1 Class-B Championship at the Westchester County Center on March 1st. This team has been participating in the Minutemen program for four years. We are proud of you!

Special Congratulations to…

Senior, Eric Woodberry for being named MVP

Junior, Jamison Stevens & Sophomore, Sebastian Benitez

For being named to the 2024 All Tournament Team!

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Coach Anthony Gaines Receives the Willie Worley Social Justice Award

Congratulations to our very own Anthony Gaines for being honored with the Willie Worsley Social Justice award for mentoring dozens of young men & champions in the MBK Alliance throughout Westchester County. Below you find a copy and link of the article.

GCSD ANTHONY GAINES RECEIVES LOWER HUDSON BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION AWARD

Lower Hudson Basketball Coaches Association Award Hits Close to Home and Brings a Lifetime of Work Full Circle for GSCD Social Worker Anthony Gaines  

Basketball is more than just a game for Anthony Gaines, social worker at Woodlands Middle High School. He’s not only seen how the sport has benefited his students as a former coach for the WHS varsity basketball team and current coach for Woodlands modified and My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) teams, he knows the value from personal experience. “Basketball means everything to me. As a teenager, living in the Bronx, playing basketball in school gave me direction and kept me off the street,” he said. “Equally important, it consistently placed me in the presence of positive adults.”

Athletics run deep in Mr. Gaines’ history. Growing up his father was a football and baseball coach, and he has memories at four years old playing basketball with his older brothers. During Mr. Gaines’ teenage years, his school guidance counselor informed him that he was facing 66 days of detention for missing his classes during his ninth grade year. “My school guidance counselor took an interest in me in order to protect my potential,” he said. “She made sure I did what I needed to do academically to be able to stay on the team.”

Mr. Gaines’ involvement with the Lower Hudson Basketball Coaches Association (LHBCA) goes back to 2005, and, this year, Mr. Gaines  received the coveted LHBCA Willie Worsley Social Justice Award while surrounded by his proud family. Its namesake played for Texas Western College, and in 1966, the team defeated the University of Kentucky for the NCAA Championship. It was the first time an all black team played in the NCAA.

“The social justice piece is such an important part of the work I do in the school and with MBK students,” said Mr. Gaines. “Willie Worsley is a longtime Section One coach who has made a positive impact in the community. To this day, he is still an active figure in civil rights. He is an inspiration.” Basketball has been a pivotal part of the MBK program for many years, and it ran all year round as a result of Mr. Gaines’s efforts. “We would run basketball programs over the summer for students,” he said. “But in order for it to run, MBK students had to be on the Honor Roll during the school year. This way, it could be offered to families free of charge.”

Two of Mr. Gaines’ WHS MBK student members also received awards at Tuesday evening’s LHBCA ceremony. Eric Woodberry, an MBK Fellows, took home the Lower Hudson Valley First Team Award, and Jamison Stevens received the All-Conference Award.

This recognition reflects much of Mr. Gaines’ work, and his journey to this point mirrors his past, present, and future. “I think about that guidance counselor from ninth grade. I’ll always be grateful for her protective nature and how she motivated me with positive statements,” he said. “She was that adult to me that I am now to my students.”

Article Link:

https://www.greenburghcsd.org/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=321&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=14013&PageID=1

 

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CHSAA Championships

Congratulations to all the Minutemen Players who competed in the Section 1 CHSAA Championships.
The following schools are well represented by current Minutemen players:
Woodlands High School – Jamison Stevens, Sebastian Benitez, Eric and Aaron Woodberry, Isaiah Tufuoh, Nerva and Noah Cherubin Jared Cuevas
Hastings High School – Dylan Heikkla and Dominick Moore
Salesian High School – Gian Manuel Ferreira.
Sacred Heart High School – Issac John, Keanu Chinguta, Daniel Ellis.

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Coach Pete Winning On and Off The Court

Last month Pete Spano had the opportunity to coach youth summer basketball camps and clinics for children in the DFW Metroplex for his 6th year with Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman and her son, TJ Cline, who is a professional basketball player that recently played for Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Premier League. Nancy was celebrating her 40th year facilitating these programs and leads each session with demonstrations of basketball skills and drills, while stressing the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, setting goals, making positive decisions to achieve goals, and building confidence and self-esteem.  At these camps, basketball is used as a tool to teach students valuable lessons such as staying in school, leading a healthy lifestyle, and she also stresses self-improvement, fitness, working together and a maintaining winning attitude.

Pete’s been involved with playing, coaching, and organizing sports programs his entire life. He is a valuable member of the Minutemen and a member of the Sacred Heart High School basketball staff where he is the Head JV Coach and Varsity Assistant and also currently coaches with throughout Westchester including Ymca, Ywca, PAL, NY Sports Club.

As a part of his community efforts, he collaborates with several local businesses and has created PS Charities whose mission is to provide opportunities in underserved areas throughout Yonkers and Westchester County. Pete partnered with Nancy Lieberman Charities several years ago and helps build basketball courts they call “Dream Courts” in multiple cities across the country. Through this initiative, the aim is to make basketball more accessible to kids, as well as to provide a safe environment for kids to play. Dream Courts™ provide children in underprivileged communities an inexpensive recreational alternative, a safe place to play basketball, interact socially, and learn the importance of teamwork and good sportsmanship. This serves as an impactful avenue for leaving a lasting legacy that benefits low-income, at-risk children. There are currently 90 courts installed throughout the United States and Pete has been heavily involved in the process since its inception. There are currently 4 courts in New York,  2 in New Jersey, and 2 in Connecticut.  Pete is aggressively working on building several more throughout Yonkers and Tri-state area and greatly appreciates your support.

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Minutemen basketball qualify for National Tournament in Atlanta

The Minutemen organization is proud to announce that their 16 and under boys basketball team
has qualified for the “Best of the Best” National Basketball tournament which commences
Friday, July 29 th in Atlanta Georgia. This tournament will feature teams from 32 states. The
Minutemen qualified for this year’s event by winning an Eastern regional tournament. The
games will be played at Georgia Tech and other collegiate locations throughout Atlanta.
The Minutemen had a very successful Spring season with two tournament championships and
reaching the finals of two others and won a total of 23 games. The Minutemen roster is:
Ryan Speight – Fordham Prep Mike Marcellino – Iona Prep
CJ Molloy – Fordham Prep Mike Roberto – Iona Prep
Felix Navarro – Mount St. Michael Steve Nagor – Dobbs Ferry
Andrew Flynn – Stepinac Ben Miller – Croton H.S.
Corey Williams – Mount St. Michael Ryan Cola – Sacred Heart
Chris Novelli – Fordham Prep

The team is coached by Stephen Marcellino, a collegiate coach with over 30 years of experience.
Steve is known for the development of student athletes at the High School and Collegiate level.
Hal Wissel of the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the best regarded shooting teachers in the nation
and internationally, gave a two day shooting clinic. Greg Butler, former NBA center and college
coach worked on post play. Mark Chasnov, a renowned physical trainer counseled the team on
physical development. Steve is also assisted by Felix Navarro and Norman Flynn.
The Minutemen are recognized for the academic and athletic development of their student
athletes in a structured team environment. The directors of the Minutemen, Joseph Pareres and
Stephen Marcellino were honored to recognize the many athletes on the high school roster who
qualified for this year’s Minutemen Academic Athlete Award.
The Minutemen Athletic Club is a not for profit athletic organization dedicated to developing the
student athlete both athletically and academically. The Minutemen have over 100 students
participating in their program which ranges from ages 10 through 18. For more information
about the Minutemen please feel free to visit the website: www.minutemenbb.com

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The Minutemen Elite 17s had a lot of success in the 2018 Spring and Summer AAU seasons

Head Coach: Andre Pennicooke

Assistant Coach: Spencer Boateng
The Minutemen Elite 17s had a lot of success in the 2018 Spring and Summer AAU seasons.

They participated in national tournaments including Elevate Hoops, Adidas Gauntlet, Basketbull Invitational, Rumble In The Bronx, and NERR Big Apple Classic.
They reached the semis in Elevate Hoops, Adidas Gauntlet Regional Qualifier, and the Adidas Gauntlet Gold/ Silver Classic finals which was an invitation only tournament.  They boasted a 10-3 record in the Gauntlet defeating teams that came from across the country, with several future, division 1 players on their roster. All three of these tournaments were in front of many Division 1 coaches and many from Division 2 and 3.
The Elite 17s squad made a strong statement in the prestigious Rumble In The Bronx tourney.
They finished up the season by doing well in the NERR Big Apple Classic and the Basketbull Invitational.
The Minutemen Elite 17s also participated in regional tournaments such as ZG Select, and Long Island Basketball tournament and were the champions in both tourneys.
Three of the Minutemen players on the 2018 Elite 17s roster have received Division 1 interests and scholarship offers.
Three of the players are currently playing basketball in college and the rest have interest from D2-D3 colleges.
2018 was a stellar year for the Minutemen program. We are looking to continue the success in 2019 and help place more student athletes in college.
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