Ossining's 'Pride' Continues

Day four of the 2016 Westchester County Slam Dunk High School Basketball Tournament finally gave Ossining High School head coach Dan Ricci something to smile about. Although unable to repeat as Tournament Champions as they did in 2010 and 2012, the Ossining Pride girl’s basketball team claimed a decisive win over rival Bishop Loughlin High School for third place honors in the Tournament and established senior Andra Espinoza-Hunter as the latest torch-bearer of the Ricci-era Ossining dynasty. The team has made an appearance in the Championship Finals of the Westchester Slam Dunk Tournament in five of the six years spanning 2010-2015 and was crowned Tournament Champion in 2012, 2014 and 2015.

Ossining's Andra Espinoza-Hunter driving to the basket in the teams Slam Dunk Tournament win over Bishop Loughlin. Photo:Warren Rosenberg

Slated to join 2012 graduate Saniya Chong on Geno Auriemma’s UCONN squad next year and following in the footsteps of 2014 graduate Shadeen Samuels now playing under Tony Bozzella at Seton Hall, Espinoza-Hunter became only the twelfth female player in New York State Section 1 history to score 2,000 or more points in her high school career, finishing the game with a total of 2,014 points. Chong, who preceded her at both Ossining High School and UCONN is currently number one on that list with 2,988 career high school points. In addition to scoring her 2,000th point during the game, Espinoza-Hunter was also named the Tournament’s Player of the Game.

Espinoza-Hunter on her way to shattering the 2,000 career high school point ceiling. Photo: Warren Rosenberg

Andra Espinoza-Hunter receiving the game ball from coach Dan Ricci upon achieving her 2,000 career high school point during the 2016 Westchester County Slam Dunk Basketball Tournament at the County Center. Photo: Warren Rosenberg

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