Thursday, October 1, 2026
It was everything a Nassau County semifinal should be. Physical, defensive and decided by a single possession.
Fourth-seeded Friends Academy survived No. 9 Lynbrook, 38-36, in a gritty Class A boys’ basketball semifinal last Saturday at Farmingdale State College, holding on as the Owls’ final shot attempt fell short and the horn sounded.
“They played tough, that’s how I figured it would be,” Friends Academy head coach Matt Johnsen said. “Coming out on a court like this, it’s so hard to shoot. Look at the lines, you’re shooting college threes all night. I had a feeling it was going to be low scoring. We were just one shot better.”
That one shot came off the hands of freshman guard Jax Saulter.
With about a minute to go in regulation, Saulter drove to the basket and went up-and-under for his 18th point of the game to provide the difference.
“From a competitive standpoint, it was a hell of a game,” Lynbrook head coach Brian Donaldson said. “I think the biggest lead either team had was five points, so the entire game was a nail-biter. Give credit to them for being able to dig into a defensive battle and give credit to us for having a team that usually scores 60, [holding] them to 38 points. At the end of the day, they had one more shot than we did.”
Saulter, in addition to the winning bucket, scored half of his team’s points. He was all over the court, making plays on both ends.
“He’s been really important,” Johnsen said. “He’s not really an on-ball guy, but he had to take that position. He’s only a ninth grader and the seniors have done such a good job of holding everybody together.”
Shane Kramer knocked down two big shots from behind the arc in the second half, one to take a 29-28 lead into the final frame and the other to give the Quakers a 34-30 lead in the fourth. Kramer finished with 9 on the night.
It was defensive from the get-go, as Lynbrook (16-7) trailed 12-11 after the first quarter and 20-19 going into halftime. The largest lead of the game was five points in favor of Friends Academy just a couple of minutes in, when it led 5-0.
“We always tell the guy that the game starts 0-0, which is as close as you can possibly get,” Donaldson said. “Both teams are very good; there’s a reason that both of these teams are at Farmingdale in the semifinals. We knew it was going to be a tight game; they just executed a little bit better at times than we did.”
Owls’ junior center Orji Agwu made his presence felt down low, recording 10 points all in the paint. Senior Jake Prince also had 10 and his final basket cut the deficit to two late.
Lynbrook’s Cinderella story came to an end heartbreakingly. Still, it took a lot more than just its first-round 55-30 win over No. 8 Wantagh and second-round upset over No. 1 Malverne to get within seconds of advancing to the championship.
“This run started before then,” Donaldson said. “We were 4-5 at one point in league play, and had to win two of our last three to clinch a playoff spot. Those guys treated that moment on, as our postseason. That’s a testament to these guys, for their work ethic, for their grit, for their determination.”
The Quakers continue to dance, as they’ll play No. 2 Floral Park in the title game on Friday back at Farmingdale at 8 p.m. As for the Lynbrook seniors, a message from its head coach.
“Biggest thing I said was thank you,” an emotional Donaldson said. “Coaching them as basketball players was great, but coaching them as human beings was even better. Hopefully, they’ve learned lessons through me. I’ve definitely learned lessons through them and that they take this forward past high school, about working together, persevering and teamwork at the end of the day.”
