Ellis powers Hills East to Suffolk Class AAA final victory

It was a year ago Sunday that Elmont broke every Half Hollow Hills East heart with a tiebreaking, buzzer-beating jumper to take the Long Island Class AA championship. Now the RedHawks were back in Farmingdale State’s gym on their unhappy anniversary.

They were playing the Suffolk AAA championship game, their potential ticket to a chance to try to finish their unfinished business next weekend, a chance to make up for last year’s ending.

“The only thing that will make us feel better,” coach Mike Marcelin said. “So we were motivated.”

This top-seeded basketball team was down four at halftime against No. 3 Floyd and Skyler Ellis, averaging 20.2 points at the start, had scored none. But the junior guard went off for 21 points in the second half to lead the RedHawks to a 57-40 victory.

“It means a lot to me,” Ellis said. “We got knocked off in the [Long Island championship], but the week after we started training. We started practices. Summer leagues. Fall leagues. And this is where we are. So we’ve got to take care of it.”

They owned their second straight county championship in different classes, and this time in a larger class, quite an achievement.

“That’s amazing,” said Jordan Cador, their 6-6 senior center who added 11 points and was a defensive force. “A lot of people doubted us, but when we do it in two separate classes that means something.”

Marcelin called it “a testament to the program. It doesn’t matter where you put us. We believe in ourselves. We believe we can compete with anybody.”

They will face formidable 19-4 Nassau champ Port Washington at 1:30 on Sunday back at Farmingdale State for a Long Island title.

“That’s been the goal all season,” Cador said.

That game will also serve as the Southeast Regional final, a ticket to the state final four in Binghamton.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment,” Cador said.

Floyd (19-4) had spoken about its unfinished business from last season, too. The Colonials lost in the AAA final to Bay Shore. But they couldn’t quite finish it again despite 19 points from Dahmarion Moses.

“It’s difficult to say the least, but I love this team and I love this community,” Floyd coach Will Slinkosky said. “We’re not going to stop working. We’re going to be back.”

Ellis made his comeback in the second half.

Hills East began it with a 24-20 deficit and ended the third quarter with a 39-34 lead. Ellis scored 10 in the quarter. Cador added seven, included a short bank shot that began a 9-4 closing run.

Then Ellis opened the fourth by hitting a three from the left side and following with a drive to open the advantage up to 44-34. He ended up scoring 11 in the fourth.

“I got a good talk from my coaches, boosted my confidence up,” Ellis said. “I went out there and said that no one was going to shut me down; no one was going to hold me to zero points.”