Like Mike - Section 2 1st Team, Thanksgiving Week

Welcome to basketball season! This week will be the inaugural Like Mike selections, which highlights our All-1st Teams for each week in Section 2 & 3 boys & girls hoops. As the season goes along, I may extend it to making a 1st team each week for each class, or perhaps add a 2nd team as well. As a matter of fact, so many solid weeks going around in what was a light week in Section II, adding a 2nd team for the boys. Who'd I roll with?

Joel Wincowski (Lake George) - Tough to pick against the UMBC commit's week. He had 33 & 9 in a W over a pesky Ravena squad, and followed it up the next day with 37 in a W over Class A Lansingburgh to take home the Mechanicville tournament trophy. Signing their NLI to a Division I program and averaging 35 isn't exactly the worst way someone can start their season.

Evan Dunn (Mechanicville) - The junior had one hell of a weekend in that same tournament. In a tough L to Lansingburgh, he was about the only thing his team had going for them. Got them the lead after being down 13 in the 3rd quarter behind a spirited performance - had 21 of his team's first 31 and finished with 25 - and followed it up with 36 (including 18/19 from the line) in a W over Ravena. Crafty lefty that doesn't make mistakes. Expecting more games like this as the season goes on!

Shea Irish (Warrensburg) - 39. Nuff said. He's got the Section 2 season high early, dropping 39 of his team's 56 (including 24 of their 25 in the 4th quarter) in a 56-50 W over Johnsburg. 24 points in the 4th quarter is basically a guarantee to get your name on this list and get everyone to stand at attention.

Danny Reidell (Northville) - How about some more huge performances? Northville only had 7 (couple starters were on Thanksgiving va-ca) so they needed a huge night from the sophomore. He certainly delivered, dropping 35 and leading his squad to a 45 point 2nd half and a 67-55 W over Sharon Springs.

Kevin Lenehan (Duanesburg) - The big man worked his way to a pair of dominant performances in 2 Duanesburg wins this week. He averaged 24, with games of 27 and 21, in Ws over Waterford & Spa Catholic. He was one of Section 2's leading scorers at one point last year, and I'm fully expecting him to put up the kind of numbers to get near the top of the leaderboard this year.

John Rooney (Hoosic Valley) - It was a rough start for the defending state champs in Class C, but a 22-3 4th quarter turned a close game into a 25 point W over Maple Hill, and the state player of the year was the main man. 28 for him - he might do that every game this year.

2nd Team
Sean Daly (Ichabod Crane) - The big guy for the Riders will probably be their only consistent scoring threat - he works hard in the blocks to get position, feasts on 2nd chance buckets, and has a surprisingly nice touch around the rim. Averaged 20.5 per game (20 & 21) while splitting a pair of games.

Mitchell Wayand (Stillwater) - He almost outscored the team he was playing. Yeah. Stillwater put the hammer on Mayfield, 61-30, and the junior dropped 27 big ones in the W. We'll see if this becomes a breakout year for him.

Kyle Fairclough (Waterford) - The shooter did just that for Waterford, finishing with 22 of his team's 45 in a L to Duanesburg and adding 17 points (5 treys) in a W to even the record.

Dylan Klock (Oppenheim-Ephratah/St. Johnsville) - Shoutout to my King of Kings Prospect League. The junior, who's been doing it for almost half a decade at this level already, hung 26 on Schoharie in a 55-47 W. He's really coming into his own as more than a scorer, but the Wolves need him to put the ball in the cup, and that's what he did. He hit 2 threes and had an assist in a game-clinching 8-0 run late as well. Not bad.

Davonte Jones (Lansingburgh) - The floor general. His scoring isn't going to blow you away - he averaged 16 in 2 games with 15 points in a win and 17 in a loss - but he's the unspoken leader of his Lansingburgh squad on both ends of the floor. They may have a decent team with him consistently making the right play on offense, constantly pressuring the ball on defense without committing dumb fouls, and being the emotional head of the group. Impressed by the junior's play at the Mechanicville tournament.


Time for girls' hoops! Not a lot of Fuccillo huuuuge performances - so I'll stick to 1 team for this week.

Madison Purcell (CCHS) - The Le Moyne commit showed why she was able to sign that NLI, averaging 20 and stuffing the stat sheet in a pair of blowout wins at Ichabod Crane's tipoff tournament. She had 29 in a W over Tamarac, then started off hot against Ichabod in the championship before her teammates took over. Good start for the tournament MVP.

Alexis Case (Greenwich) - In the Witches' 1 game this week, this standout did pretty much what I'd expect... destroy. 35 points & 5 steals in their 67-39 thrashing of Middleburgh. Can't say much more about that than.. good luck stopping it!

Carly Johnson (Greenville) - Yeah, she's really good at soccer. No, that's not all she can do. Greenville had a huge 4th quarter to beat Berne-Knox-Westerlo by 20+, and Johnson had a whole lot to do with it. Another one of those athletes that just excels at whatever she does. 30 big ones in the victory, we'll see if that keeps up!

Sophie Tougas (Glens Falls) - Glens Falls went down to Watervliet and took home their tournament championship, beating a couple tough teams in Section IV Susquehanna Valley and the home Cannoneers. Tougas had a big hand in that, averaging 17.5 in the 2 wins - that includes 20 of Glens Falls' 46 in the championship W.

Kiera Morgan (Middleburgh) - Middleburgh thrashed and got thrashed this week, but Morgan gets on here thanks to nearly outscoring Gilboa on her own. She had 24 early in a 64-27 W, and averaged 17.0 over the 2 games.

Taylor Engster (CCHS) - Averaged much less than the rest on here, and less than a number of girls I left off (10.5 over 2 games), but it's about more than scoring. The sophomore had a huge role in the beatdown of Ichabod Crane Saturday - even with other studs on the court, the youngster truly looked like the best player on the floor for long stretches of the game. People that know this game of basketball took notice. I'm one of them. More games like Saturday from her, and this Crusader squad is scary.