A Chance Meeting Inspires Thoughts About Morris Crute
The name on the man’s badge was familiar and somewhat unusual.
It was Crute and I asked the man if he was related to Morris Crute.
Morris Crute led Yonkers High School to a basketball crown in 1973.
Mr. Crute also hit a “Jerry West” type, long, desperation shot to tie a post-season game.
In West’s case it was in the third game of the 1970 NBA Finals but his team lost both the game and the series.
Crute’s shot was in a must win game for Yonkers High and they went on to stop a great high school player, college title winner with Marquette and NBA finalist, Bernard Toone, in their title win.
Andy B Sports 
Well, was it Morris and what is he doing now? I was at that game too at the Westchester County Center. Truly a great game and the stuff of legends. As I recall in the paper afterwards, the reporter ask what was Morris thinking and did he feel pressure to get it off at the right time and he was a bit confused and said, “someone yelled shoot and I did.” And that is how the great (and he was the best high school basketball player I ever saw and I saw a lot including Patrick Ewing and many, many more) went down. Andre Battle was in that team too. Unbelievable memories of those games. What high school did you go to Andy?
Hi Bill
I was there as well. I hope to again post a part two but did so in July of 2016 and I think you can find it. Please stay in touch. For “you only,” it was Morris’ nephew and Morris is doing fine.
I asked the younger Mr. Crute if Morris talks about his great shot and more telling, his great play. The young man brought levity to an otherwise tough situation/life when he answered “every day!”