Nembhard named ESPN Ithaca’s Coach of the Year

On June 28, Newfield boys basketball head coach Mike Nembhard was named ESPN Ithaca’s Coach of the Year during the ninth annual Night of Champions ceremony. It was the first season as a head coach for Nembhard, and he took full advantage, winning Newfield’s first-ever state championship.

The team’s final record was 23-4 as the Trojans overcame some obstacles. After losses to Candor and Spencer-Van Etten in the regular season, and Moravia in the IAC Championship game, Newfield was the fourth seed in the 14-team bracket. On their way to the championship victory, Newfield defeated both Watkins Glen and Moravia, who were ranked ahead of the Trojans in the state’s Class C rankings.

Of course, the run did not stop there. In the regional round, Newfield comfortably defeated West Canada Valley, a team that was ranked second in the state at the time while Newfield was 15th. Next, it was Pierson in the semifinals, the top team in the state at the time. It went down to the wire, but Newfield pulled away at the very end to win. In the finals, Newfield blew away second-ranked Stillwater to complete the run.

Once the Section IV Championship began, Newfield found a new gear after being handed a lopsided loss to Moravia. Defeating higher-ranked team after higher-ranked team made the run that more magical, but if you ask Nembhard, it’s what he expected of his team from the start.

“These guys, they played their hearts out,” Nembhard said in his acceptance speech. “We set a goal at the beginning of the season and we all got locked in. We went for that goal, and great things happened for us. The end result was a New York State Championship.”

While junior point guard Jalen Hardison was named the New York State Class C Player of the Year, every postseason game seemed to feature a different player that made the big plays. There was senior Derek Pawlewicz scoring 28 points in the Section IV Semifinal win over Watkins Glen. The game-winning shot in the State Semifinals against Pierson was hit by Zach Taylor. And Austin Jenney was nearly automatic shooting against West Canada Valley.

During the postseason run, Nembhard discussed the importance of having several players who can contribute in big ways.

“Basketball is a team sport,” Nembhard said. “One guy can be great like Jalen [Hardison], but he needs other guys around him to step up. I’ve always preached to them that you have to be able to help Jalen in order for us to go far. We’re just thankful for the supporting cast and even the guys that don’t play much. They’re great support too.”

It is safe to say that Newfield’s biggest test came in the State Semifinals, when the team defeated Pierson 66-62. Newfield had built a double-digit lead in the first quarter, only to see Pierson take a double-digit lead of its own later in the game. Nembhard made sure his team stayed in the game and did not get down on themselves in that contest.

“I always preach to them that defense wins championships,” Nembhard said. “When we play great defense, it equals great offense for us. When we play great defense, we score a lot of points off the defense. That’s what we did. I always preach to the guys that no matter what, keep yourself intensified and go out there and play hard.”

Newfield basketball has historically been a very successful team with deep postseason runs and nine Section IV Championships. Nembhard’s Trojans were the first to win it all, though, and he talked about capping off that quest in a true basketball town.

“It made me feel proud that I was part of helping to make history in Newfield and in the program,” Nembhard said. “It means a lot to the community. It’s a big basketball community. They love the program. I’m so glad that we were able to set a goal and we were able to put the roof on the house and win a State Championship this year.”

Nembhard’s Coach of the Year award came with a $500 scholarship to award to one of his players on behalf of Guthrie. Nembhard selected senior forward Derek Pawlewicz, who was named to the All-State fifth team after averaging 14 points per game. Pawlewicz is one of two senior starters graduating, with center Garrett Porter being the other. There is plenty of talent still on the team, putting Nembhard and the Trojans in a great spot to make another run next season.

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