Amsterdammers Dominate with Perfect Shot to Secure Sweet Victory in Regional Final!
Rocco Natale Jr. hit a clutch 3-pointer to seal Amsterdam's win over Nottingham in a NYSPHSAA Class AA boys' basketball regional final on Saturday.
CJ Miller of Amsterdam takes a shot against Nottingham during the New York State Class AA Regional game at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Stephen Weaver/For the Times Union (Stephen Weaver) TROY - It was a shot right out of Rocco Natale Jr. 's dreams.
Section 3's Nottingham had scored 11 straight points to pull within one point of Amsterdam late in the fourth quarter of a NYSPHSAA Class AA boys' basketball regional final on Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College. That's when Natale stepped up for Amsterdam, hitting a clutch 3-pointer from the wing with less than 40 seconds to play that ended Nottingham's run and gave the Rams enough juice to get across the finish line. A few seconds later, Natale converted two more free throws to seal Amsterdam's 61-55 victory, sending his team to the state semifinals Friday in Binghamton.
"I've been dreaming of that shot since I started playing basketball," Natale said. "It's all I ever really talk about. It feels great, but I don't really know how to explain it.
It feels amazing. " "I don't think there's words," Amsterdam coach Tim Jones said of Natale. "He works tirelessly, is constantly in the gym putting in a lot of unseen hours.
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