Mar 24, 2025
Panama holds on for first state hoops title in program history
BINGHAMTON — Ed Nelson no longer believes in ghosts.
And the Panama Panthers are state champions.
Senior Carter Brink had 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead the Section VI champions to the first title in program history with a 78-69 victory over Bridgehampton in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D final Saturday evening at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.
“At the end when that buzzer rang, that joy overcomes you,” Nelson said. “It’s an amazing feeling.”
“We’re all super excited,” Brink added. “We’re ready to get on the bus home and party.”
Photo courtesy of Brynne Hinsdale Panama’s Carter Brink drives to the basket on his way to 38 points.
In the final game of his final season on the bench, Nelson coached the Panthers to their most rewarding win.
It wasn’t easy — despite Panama leading by as many as 27 points late in the third quarter. The gap was still 22 to start the fourth quarter.
“Going into that fourth quarter, I looked at the score … I’ve been here in the past and I wasn’t comfortable with it,” Nelson said.
Bridgehampton — the New York State Sportswriters Association’s second-ranked Class D team —The Killers Bees scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to make it a 65-56 game with 5:11 remaining.
Nelson and assistant coach Chris Payne started having flashbacks on the Panama bench. In 2016 and 2019, the Panthers blew double-digit leads in state semifinals, the second in the same Binghamton arena where they stood Saturday.
“Obviously, I couldn’t help but have some ill feelings start to seep into my brain,” Nelson quipped.
Bridgehampton continued its charge.
Alex Davis converted a layup through contact and Jaylen Harding followed a Brink free throw with a putback as the Section XI champions made it a 70-64 game with 2:54 left.
“We had everything to lose right there,” Brink said, “but we were not going to let that happen.”
After a free throw from Panama senior Tate Catanese, the Killer Bees’ Xavier Johnson scored to make it a five-point game with 2:21 remaining.
Panthers senior Alex Barmore then turned in his most impactful play of the game when he scored on a tap-in with 1:50 left to make it 73-66.
“It was pretty hairy,” Barmore said, “but that’s what makes it fun.”
“He looked like a grown man out there playing against little kids. … He was amazing to watch,” Nelson said of Barmore. “Alex is one of the great kids that I’ve ever been around. … He’s one of the kids I’m going to miss most.”
After Jai Feaster made just 1 of 2 free throws, Brink sank another from the charity stripe with 1:44 left. Panama senior Bryce Hinsdale, who was up until 4 a.m. vomiting early Saturday according to Nelson, then drew a charge with 1:34 left.
“I don’t even think he got any sleep. We didn’t know if we were going to have him today,” Nelson said of Hinsdale. “He came out and he was a dog tonight. I don’t even think I pulled him out of the game.”
Just under a minute later, Brink scored in the lane and Hinsdale added two free throws 10 seconds later to push the Panthers’ lead back up to 11.
“If you watched any championship game here, you have to have a star come out and play at a great level,” Nelson said. “Carter did that tonight.”
With 15.6 seconds remaining, Bridgehampton emptied its bench and Nelson did the same, knowing the Panthers were home free to the ultimate prize.
“We were the No. 1 team in the state for a long time and had targets on our back. There was a lot of trash talking the last couple of days with Bridgehampton,” Nelson said. “Our mantra coming into this thing was, ‘If you mess around, you’re going to find out.’ They made it a heck of a game in that fourth quarter, but we ended up pulling it out.”
The victory marked the first boys title in a non-merged sport and the they now join the three-time state champion Clymer/Sherman/Panama football team and 2016 Panama volleyball team with state titles.
“It’s not about the medal around my chest. It’s not about that plaque we were holding up. It’s about people,” Nelson said. “It’s about me having an opportunity to coach with Coach Payne and have Josh Nelson there, the guy who is going to take over the program. … It’s about relationships at the end of the day.”
NOTES: Barmore had 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Hinsdale had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for Panama, which shot 30 of 54 from the field, including 4 of 13 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 15 times. … Feaster had 31 points; Harding had 15 points and four steals; Davis had 10 points; and Johnson had 7 points and 12 rebounds for Bridgehampton, which shot 24 of 61 from the field, including 2 of 17 from 3-point range, and turned the ball over 11 times. … The three C/S/P football titles came in 2018, 2019 and 2024.
BRIDGEHAMPTON (69)
Davis 5 0 10, Charlton 0 0 0, Pinckney 0 0 0, Dawson 1 0 2, Suarez 0 0 0, Feaster 6 17 31, JaHarding 7 1 15, JoHarding 2 0 4, McDonald 0 0 0, Garcia 0 0 0, Johnson 3 1 7. Totals 24 19 69.
PANAMA (78)
Barmore 7 1 15, Spiesman 2 0 4, Hirsch 0 0 0, Hinsdale 4 4 14, Brink 15 6 38, Abers 0 0 0, Mescall 0 0 0, Rhoades 0 0 0, Horton 1 0 2, Catanese 1 3 5, Eggleston 0 0 0. Totals 30 14 78.
3-point goals-Feaster 2, Hinsdale 2, Brink 2.
Bridgehampton 12 10 19 28 – 69
Panama 15 26 22 15 – 78
Girls Basketball NYSPHSAA Far West Regionals at Buffalo State University Friday, March 14 Class …
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