Telecommunications coach Chris Weil feels like he’s going out a winner — despite his team’s 17-point loss to Elmont in the state Federation class A boys’ basketball semifinals.
Weil, who has spent 25 years coaching at Tele, announced to his team earlier in the season that this would be his final year on the sidelines. His Yellow Jackets responded with the first city championship in school history as a retirement gift, but could not add a Federation crown. The remarkable run came to an end when Tele fell to Elmont 61–44 at the Times Union Center in Albany on March 18.
“This was the group that I least really expected to make it this far, but as the season progressed, I knew we had something special,” Weil said.
An early Elmont run turned Tele’s seven-point lead into a 10-point deficit, but the Yellow Jackets squad (26–4) fought its way back into the game.
“We were very lethargic, and I think that when we started missing some of the shots, we didn’t really play with as much enthusiasm after that,” Weil said.
Tele fought back from as many as 11 down to take a lead midway through the third quarter — fueled by senior Devin Ballour (21 points) and senior Matthew Smiley (seven points).
But the comeback — and efforts to tamp down Elmont’s (24–3) dominant frontcourt play — took all of the gas that was left in Tele’s tank. The Yellow Jackets led briefly twice in the third quarter and were down just one point going to the fourth. But Elmont served the a knockout punch when it hit Tele with a 13–1 run to open up the final frame. Jalen Burgess scored 17 points and K.C. Ndefo had 12 points and blocked four shots.
Tele scored just five points in the final quarter of what ended up being a competitive game with a forgettable finish.
Weil and Ballour both noted that closing games strong has been a part of the team’s mantra all season, and they expected that to continue in Albany.
“Like coach said, second half, we always come out strong,” Ballour said. “For us not to pull it off this time is surprising.”
That surprise from not getting it done late mirrored what ended up being an unexpected title run for the Yellow Jackets.
Tele ran away with the Brooklyn A Southwest division with a 14–2 league record. The Yellow Jackets team won eight of its final nine games heading into Albany — the only loss came against eventual league AA runner-up Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 9.
Weil is proud to hang it up after this year — even though his final season ended a day earlier than he hoped.
“I got the city championship, we made it to the semifinals in the state,” Weil said. “So I can retire a happy man now.”
