MAHOPAC—With Carmel losing to Somers last week, the door was left open for the Mahopac boys basketball team to win the League 1B title outright – and the Indians did just that, clinching their second consecutive league crown with a 78-75 win over North Salem last Thursday at Mahopac.

The Indians also topped John Jay CR, 70-67, the prior Tuesday, dropped a 67- 60 decision at Pearl River Friday, and closed regular-season action at 13-5.

Mahopac drew the No. 3 seed in Class AA, and was set to host the Ossining- Lincoln winner in a first-round game Friday at 6 p.m. That winner will take on the Greeley-Arlington winner in the quarterfinals the following Tuesday at the higher seed.

Indians coach Kevin Downes was happy to win another league title. “I think it’s a big accomplishment,” he said. “Coming into the season I thought Brewster was the class of the league, and Carmel was next. We lost so much to graduation… it’s an inexperienced team. And for them to win the league…. it’s a credit to them, and a great accomplishment.”

In Thursday’s title-clinching win over North Salem, Brendan Hynes delivered when his team needed it most, dropping a 38-point, career-best game on the Tigers. Hynes also grabbed 12 rebounds. Marc Vaccaro added 10 points, and Zack Ankier had 10 points and eight boards.

Mahopac led 48-42 at the end of three, before both teams erupted offensively, with the Tigers winning a 33-30 fourth quarter. “It was a crazy fourth,” Downes said. “They were on fire. We stayed up, but they made some big shots and we held on. But I felt like we had control of the game. Hynes was great – he rebounded, got to the line, and played the game he’s capable of playing in a big spot.”

Friday night at Pearl River (12-6), Hynes had 16 points and nine rebounds, Ryan Simone added 12 points and five rebounds, Ankier had 12 points and Vaccaro came up with eight points, six rebounds and five assists in the loss.

“We played well, but that’s a tough place to play, and they are a good team,” Downes said. “It was a one-point game with 30 seconds left, but then they hit a long three, and hit their free throws.”