Moriah's Cross headed to BCANY Hall of Fame

MORIAH | Brian Cross nearly overlooked the email. It came during a stop on the drive home from Florida, one of several messages in his inbox. He didn't think much of it at first, but the next morning his wife, Kelly, opened the attachment and found his name at the top of the list. The longtime Moriah boys basketball coach will be inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Hall of Fame on Sunday, April 19, at the Glens Falls Civic Center, the organization announced. "I was kind of shocked," Cross said. "In my wildest dreams, I didn't think that would ever happen. "My name was on the list. I just looked at it and said, 'What does this mean?' Then I read it, and I was surprised. We both were." The BCANY Hall of Fame honors the top coaches and contributors to the sport across the state and celebrates some of the most accomplished names in high school and college basketball, including Jim Boeheim and Lou Carnesecca. For Cross, joining that group is still difficult to fully process. "I think, how did I ever get there?" he said. "There are some names in there whose records are much better than mine. I just feel very fortunate that enough people thought I was deserving." Cross' resume, however, leaves little room for debate. Over 24 seasons, he transformed Moriah into one of the most competitive small-school programs in New York state. He compiled a 390-165 record, won 14 sectional championships and led the Vikings to seven state semifinal appearances. The pinnacle came in 2017, when Moriah captured the NYSPHSAA Class D championship with a 61-52 victory over Newfield, delivering Section VII its first state title since the tournament's inception in 1978. "When you get to that point, you're playing the best of the best," Cross said. "You have to have a little bit of luck, too. We had some great teams before that, but that group was special. They knew their roles and didn't worry about individual stats as long as we won." That championship was part of a dominant stretch that saw Moriah become a fixture on the state stage. The Vikings also finished as state runner-up in 2003, 2016 and 2018, and at one point strung together a 45-game winning streak from 2016 to 2018. Cross credited that sustained success to a combination of player commitment and program-wide buy-in. "Once you get on a roll, the players really buy into what it takes to win," he said. "The extra time, not just during the season but in the offseason. A lot of those kids played AAU and just wanted to get better." He was also quick to point out that the foundation extended beyond basketball. "A lot of that grit came from football," Cross said. "Those kids were coming off successful football seasons, sometimes still practicing when basketball started. That toughness carried over." Cross took over the team in 2000, inheriting a program that had won just one sectional title since 1976, its last coming in 1992. Within a few years, Moriah was back on the map, reaching the state final four in 2003. "I didn't really have a clue what it was all about at that point," Cross said of his first trip to Glens Falls. "It was a whole new world for me and the kids." From there, the Vikings became a model of consistency, fueled in large part by a tight-knit coaching staff and community support. Longtime assistant Don Tesar Sr., who served as Cross' junior varsity coach for more than two decades, played a significant role in the program's continuity. "It helps when kids come up already knowing the system," Cross said. "Donnie did a great job with that." Former players also returned to contribute, including assistants Brendan Smith, Tommy Tesar and others who helped sustain the program's culture. "It wasn't just me," Cross said. "It was everything, the players, the coaches, the fans." Cross stepped down after the 2023-24 season, closing the book on a career that left a lasting imprint not only on Moriah but across the region. "I didn't score a point in any of those games," he said at the time. "It's been the talent I've had and the work those kids put in." In retirement, Cross has traded long winters in the gym for extended stays in Florida, though he admits the game still pulls at him. "I do miss it," he said. "I miss the players, the coaches, being around the games. I didn't think I would, but I do." Even so, he remains confident the program he built will continue to thrive. "I think they're in good hands," Cross said. "They've got some young talent coming. They'll be right back competing for sectional titles." As he prepares for his Hall of Fame induction, Cross said the honor has given him a chance to reflect on a career shaped by relationships as much as wins. "Basketball has opened up so many doors for me," he said. "I've met so many great people and made lifelong friends. It's been a huge part of my life." Now, it's earned him a place among the state's all-time greats.

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Moriah's Cross headed to BCANY Hall of Fame

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