For more information contact:
 Madison Area YMCA 
Marketing & Communications Department
smcevoy@madisonymca.org

For Immediate Release    

CAPTION: NJ YMCA State Champs: Madison Area YMCA Gators—Front row (L-R): Assistant Coach Jason Holmes from Summit; Joe Azzinaro, 13, from Chatham; Nate Donahue, 13, from Madison; Tommaso Maher, 13, from Madison; Derek Lagios, 14, from Florham Park; Quinn Hilgendorff, 14, from Chatham; Kevin Agnew, 14, from Chatham; Collin Fitzgerald, 14, from Chatham; Cam Rooney, 14, from Chatham; Ryan Leskauskas, 13, from Chatham; Coach Phil Perone from Madison; Back row (L-R): Drew Stack, 13, from Madison; Matt Andres, 14, from Chatham; and Peyton Ervin, 14, from Berkeley Heights

 

Madison Area YMCA Gators Basketball Team are NJ YMCA State Champs! 

(Madison, NJ) March 23, 2018 – The Madison Area YMCA Gators basketball team are NJ YMCA State Champs! The team played the championship games March 9-11 at the former practice courts of the NBA Nets at the Meadowlands Area YMCA.  

Entering the championships with one loss from the regular season, 11-1, Coach Phil Perone recalled that the Gator’s one loss to The Summit Area YMCA turned the season around for the team. “Their practices changed to intense,” he said, acknowledging that it’s a friendly rivalry with Summit. 

During the championship matches, Madison prevailed over Wayne YMCA in the first game, Somerset Hills YMCA in the second game and The Summit Area YMCA in the finals where they won by two points in the last two seconds of the game. “It was a heck of a fight that we won’t forget,’ said Coach Phil.     

Coach Phil, who has been coaching the Gators since 1995, couldn’t be prouder of his team. “These kids had a goal from the beginning of the season in October. They were a cohesive group that worked hard, had a good time and did well,” he said, adding that he was honored and privileged to coach these players, some of whom he has been coaching since they were in 4^th grade. 

Be on the lookout for Gators’ tryouts in October for the 2018-2019 season!  

For more information about the Gators, contact Madison Area YMCA Associate Sports Director Aaron Goodwin at 973-822-9622 x2246 or email agoodwin@madisonymca.org.

The Madison Area YMCA is a 501©3 cause-driven charitable organization dedicated to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

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