Port Washington boys basketball's Izaias Clemmons scores 24 points in victory over Herricks

The thrilling ride finally came to a stop following a first Nassau title since 1947, a first Long Island championship since 1946 and state AAA runner-up status in Binghamton. And then four starters moved on.

Port Washington may have lost those important players from last season, but it hasn’t lost its way. The Vikings, county finalists the past three seasons, are still winning with regularity.

“I think it’s kids who are bought into what we preach,” said Sean Dooley, their 22nd-year coach. “They work hard. We try to do simple really well, and we feel like that gives us a good opportunity to be successful.”

Dooley said that Tuesday after Izaias Clemmons scored 24 and Port Washington beat Herricks, 56-44, to get to 9-2 overall and 6-0 in Nassau II.

“Sean does a great job,” Highlanders coach Larry Steimer said. “He’s able to get them into their system, and they play hard for him. Sean’s probably one of the best coaches in the state.”

Dooley still wants to see improvement in what he termed “the consistency of playing 32 minutes. It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster.”

This was a Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser game for the Vikings, an effort that also involved their cheerleaders and the Portettes kickline and dance team.

The effort, based on soliciting donations and selling T-shirts, was expected to raise about $2,000. The money will go toward lung cancer research via the American Cancer Society.

“For us, (it’s) anything we can do to get the kids to understand it’s bigger than just basketball,” Dooley said.

Clemmons understands. A friend of his family has lung cancer.

“It means a lot,” Clemmons said of the fundraiser. “We sold a lot of T-shirts today in school. I love how our school is. We support a lot of cancer research funding.”

After a strong second quarter, Herricks had sliced an 18-9 deficit through eight minutes to just 31-28.

Then Clemmons showed his ability inside, scoring six in a 12-0 run to open the third.

“They were working harder than us,” the 6-5 senior center said. “ . . . We came out with more energy.”

Herricks cut that 15-point problem to 45-34 late in the quarter on a three-point play by Stevie Aulicino, who finished with 21. Austin Darr then canned a corner three to open the fourth. It was down to eight.

But Clemmons converted from in close and teammate Jimmy Gannon hit a three. And so the Highlanders were on their way to falling to 4-8.

“I tell the boys all the time, ‘I really think we can play with anybody,’ ” Steimer said. “We could also lose to anybody. We just have to get guys other than Aulicino and Darr to contribute more offensively.”