The last several years have not been the kind of seasons the Newburgh Free Academy boys’ basketball team had been accustomed to.

After years in which they contended at the state level, the Goldbacks had fallen back into the Section 9 Class AA pack, while other teams have become top contenders.

However, the Goldbacks took a step forward last year, reaching the Section 9 Class AA semifinals, where they suffered a 1-point loss to Middletown.
This year, they’re looking to take the next step.

“I think this year, we have a really special team,” junior Amarri Tice said. “I think we can do big things this year if we work hard and do what we’re supposed to do throughout the season and then we can bring back Newburgh basketball.”
Newburgh coach Frank Dinnocenzio said he can tell his players are “hungry to win” and “put Newburgh back on the map”.

“I think it’s driving everybody, the community, the school, to get back to where we were from 2007-12,” Dinnocenzio said. “We were ranked in the state every year. That’s our goal. To be competitive in the state.”

Dinnocenzio said his team is showing a lot of energy in practice, and this year he said the difference could come down to the Goldbacks’ defensive effort.

“That’s the key to us,” Dinnocenzio said. “Last year, we were not as defensive-minded as we should have been. We gave up too many easy baskets and it didn’t seem like it bothered us at all. It bothered me but this team has to become a better defensive team. We’ve got to get stops.”

Defense will allow the Goldbacks to make the best use of their speed and will drive the offense when successful, especially in the transition game.

“I think this year we have some speed and we’re quicker,” junior Nakai Wheeler said.

Tice, Wheeler and Jahlaki King will lead a core of returning Goldbacks, and all three agree the team has strong chemistry early on.

“We’ve always had good chemistry together since we’ve all been playing together since we were really young,” Tice said.
The Goldbacks had a chance to test some of that chemistry last Thursday in a scrimmage against the North Rockland Raiders.

“I’m just looking to see if they remember everything and apply everything we’ve done so far and focus on the defense,” Dinnocenzio said. “That we’re able to know where the priorities are and see how well we play together.”

Dinnocenzio made his final set of cuts after the North Rockland scrimmage because he wanted to see all the players against an opponent, where they don’t know what their opponents are trying to do.

“We’ve got good internal competition,” Dinnocenzio said.

“Those guys who want to make the team or feel like they’re not going to be a starter, they’re busting their butts. That’s the key. If I can get those guys busting their butts, every single day, we’re going to be all right.”

The Goldbacks scheduled all out-of-section scrimmages and have one final scrimmage – Saturday at Pearl River – before opening the season at Kingston on Dec. 5.

They’ll also play a strong non-league schedule against Uniondale, Don Bosco, Fordham Prep and Shenendehowa and Suffern.

“If you can’t compete against teams out of your conference, you know if you win sections, that’s probably as far as you’re going,” Dinnocenzio said. “That’s the key and that was the key back in the day. We won some and we lost some, but at least we were competing.”

King had no hesitation when he said what he wants to accomplish this year.
“States,” he said.

Tice was more focused on the road ahead.

“First we have to handle, what we’ve got to handle,” he said.

“We can’t overlook anybody. At all. It doesn’t matter who it is.”