Hoosick Falls 67, Mount Anthony Union (Bennington, VT) 51
Notes
- It was Connor McCart's world, and we were just living in it. The junior, though a bit undersized for a post player at 6'3", plays bigger than his height. He was able to find some daylight early, and he took full advantage of it to the tune of 30 points. 22 of those came in the first half, and 10 were in the 2nd quarter, where Hoosick Falls jumped to a 17 point halftime lead. McCart gets off the ground quickly and has a (usually) decent mid-range jumper. 15 feet and in was his house, and no one did anything to stop it.
- Damon Burgess did everything he could early to keep the Green Mountain squad in the game. Literally. Treys, mid-range, attacking the rack, the MAU junior was doing it all. He put up a 17 foot well-defended fadeaway as a heat check. Buckets. First six minutes from heaven - MAU was down 17-15 after 1, and Burgess had all 15 of those points. The last 24 did not go like the first 8 - he finished with 15.
- Nothing helps a team out quite like having a true point guard that can score if needed. Hoosick Falls has that in Andrew Hoag. Head up at all times, makes the right play, rarely turns the ball over, knows when/how to set people up - including himself. Hoag also rebounds well for his size (5'10" range). He finished with 14, but countless possessions ended with buckets because of either an assist or him making the right play. Give a team some weapons and a point guard that knows how to utilize them - along with himself - and they're going places.
Turning Point
Well, it was as simple as this. Damon Burgess stopped hitting shots at an alarming rate, and no one picked up the slack until Tyler Champagne in the 3rd quarter and Marques Vaval-Paris in the 4th. That left the 2nd quarter not tended to. The final score was 67-51. Take out the 2nd quarter, it was 46-45. To beat HF, you have to play a full 32 minutes at a high level. 20-24 doesn't cut it!
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Friday, January 16, 2015
Food For Thought - Section 2 Boys Basketball
I've been around. Trust me.
Game after game after game. I don't have to tweet a storm or take pictures to be present. I've been so focused on other business - namely, getting my basketball movement Empire State Takeover off the ground - that this fell back in importance. I've got some thoughts, though, and people have asked me if I'm going to post again, so here goes.
- This is the year of the Radz. Troy had some real turmoil to start the season, and it continued all the way through December. They've been turning around lately, and Zach is a huge reason behind that. He's really only had one bad game, and of course everyone & their sister took to the Times Union blogs and trashed him and the rest of Troy because people look for any reason to do that, but how did he respond? He had 20 against Canisius and a big 41 piece against Middletown. Both very strong AA schools. Both wins. Canisius tried like hell to get in his head. Didn't work. He's up to 32 treys on the season while shooting almost 88% from the line and averaging 21 per game. With all the other talent on the Flying Horses team, the one consistent piece is this particular Division I prospect.
- Poor Jahlil. I'm not going to get too in-depth with this one, but I watched Columbia play once. I almost feel bad for him. He's starting to catch an iffy rep with some people around the Capital district, but what more can he do? Defenses basically throw the kitchen sink at Mr. Nails, and the rest of the team normally can't do a good enough of job of capitalizing on their open opportunities. I'm not excited to see the Columbia boys program next year with him at Central Connecticut State.
- Will CCHS ever be able to gel? Between Division I prospect Anthony Mack, Division II Bloomfield College commit Raiquis Harris, explosive guard Brian Brooks, and other nice pieces, Catholic Central was a team people expected at the top of the food chain this year. They've looked anything but invincible most of the way, and although the guys have been together for a while, you sense a level of uncertainty watching them play... like they can't really figure each other out, what they can and can't do. If they gel, look out. If not, the crashing & burning could be extra fiery.
- It's the year of the one-man forces in the Adirondack League. The top 3 leading scorers in Section 2 (Joel Wincowski, Chris Boucher, Kobe Lufkin) are all from the Adk League, all 3 averaging over 30 points per game. Let's put those 3 along with 2 more Adirondack Leaguers, Shea Irish (Warrensburg, 11th in Section 2) and Tyler Mattison (Fort Ann, 12th in Section 2) on the same squad and see what happens. Congrats to Joel, who just hit point number 2,000. It might not take long for someone else to hit that, the way Kobe (a sophomore) has scored the last couple years...
- Speaking of up north... Joe Girard is averaging 19.9 points per game for Glens Falls. Wooo, big deal, right? Yeah, because the dude's in 8th grade. He had to pass a fitness and maturation test to play varsity, and he's dropping 20 on the regular. Don't make fun of him because he can't get into your R-rated movies, because he'll just drop some more points on you.
- No real clear-cut favorites for sectional titles. In Class AA, the Green Tech squad that no one was mentioning (for some reason) after winning states last year is right back in the mix. If you haven't checked them out yet, do it. They're tough. Shenendehowa is right there with them. Of course, the Huerters are there - with the younger one, Kevin, having 3 offers on the table and counting. Brandon Fischer is back to health and contributing (along with not worrying about where he'll go to school next year, LeMoyne snagged him up). Petar Bebic, a.k.a. Serbia's best export, also gives them solid all-around contributions. Don't forget about CCHS or Guilderland (Andrew Platek is 3 offers deep too, and the evolution in his game from last year made me sit back and pay attention). It's Scotia and Troy again in Class A with the usual suspects, and Averill Park also deserves some talk with Myles Joyce - or as I call him, Mr. Underrated - and Isaiah Moak & Ryan Bielawa. Class B will be a crap shoot. Broadalbin-Perth, Hoosick Falls, Schalmont, and Cohoes (especially if Brandon LaForest makes it back on the ourt in February) can all state their case. B-P and HF play balanced ball with no one getting the lion's share of the work load. Zac O'Dell's gotta have some of the broadest shoulders in show business to handle what he has to for his Schalmont squad. Lake George and Hoosic Valley have established themselves in Class C - the last 2 state champs, so I guess they've been established for a while. Germantown's been rolling in Class D, but Argyle's probably got the best player (and most fun to watch) in the class in Kobe Lufkin and Fort Ann's looking very tough, led by big numbers from sophomore Tyler Mattison. Let the fun begin.
- By the way, congrats to all the Section 2 boys hoopers who have commited to playing scholarship level ball next year. Those include Joe Cremo (Scotia/Albany), Jahlil Nails (Columbia/Central Connecticut), John Sica (Bethlehem/Columbia), Joel Wincowski (Lake George/UMBC), Raiquis Harris (CCHS/Bloomfield), and Brandon Fischer (Shenendehowa/LeMoyne).
Time flies, doesn't it? Sectionals in a month. Gear up...
Game after game after game. I don't have to tweet a storm or take pictures to be present. I've been so focused on other business - namely, getting my basketball movement Empire State Takeover off the ground - that this fell back in importance. I've got some thoughts, though, and people have asked me if I'm going to post again, so here goes.
- This is the year of the Radz. Troy had some real turmoil to start the season, and it continued all the way through December. They've been turning around lately, and Zach is a huge reason behind that. He's really only had one bad game, and of course everyone & their sister took to the Times Union blogs and trashed him and the rest of Troy because people look for any reason to do that, but how did he respond? He had 20 against Canisius and a big 41 piece against Middletown. Both very strong AA schools. Both wins. Canisius tried like hell to get in his head. Didn't work. He's up to 32 treys on the season while shooting almost 88% from the line and averaging 21 per game. With all the other talent on the Flying Horses team, the one consistent piece is this particular Division I prospect.
- Poor Jahlil. I'm not going to get too in-depth with this one, but I watched Columbia play once. I almost feel bad for him. He's starting to catch an iffy rep with some people around the Capital district, but what more can he do? Defenses basically throw the kitchen sink at Mr. Nails, and the rest of the team normally can't do a good enough of job of capitalizing on their open opportunities. I'm not excited to see the Columbia boys program next year with him at Central Connecticut State.
- Will CCHS ever be able to gel? Between Division I prospect Anthony Mack, Division II Bloomfield College commit Raiquis Harris, explosive guard Brian Brooks, and other nice pieces, Catholic Central was a team people expected at the top of the food chain this year. They've looked anything but invincible most of the way, and although the guys have been together for a while, you sense a level of uncertainty watching them play... like they can't really figure each other out, what they can and can't do. If they gel, look out. If not, the crashing & burning could be extra fiery.
- It's the year of the one-man forces in the Adirondack League. The top 3 leading scorers in Section 2 (Joel Wincowski, Chris Boucher, Kobe Lufkin) are all from the Adk League, all 3 averaging over 30 points per game. Let's put those 3 along with 2 more Adirondack Leaguers, Shea Irish (Warrensburg, 11th in Section 2) and Tyler Mattison (Fort Ann, 12th in Section 2) on the same squad and see what happens. Congrats to Joel, who just hit point number 2,000. It might not take long for someone else to hit that, the way Kobe (a sophomore) has scored the last couple years...
- Speaking of up north... Joe Girard is averaging 19.9 points per game for Glens Falls. Wooo, big deal, right? Yeah, because the dude's in 8th grade. He had to pass a fitness and maturation test to play varsity, and he's dropping 20 on the regular. Don't make fun of him because he can't get into your R-rated movies, because he'll just drop some more points on you.
- No real clear-cut favorites for sectional titles. In Class AA, the Green Tech squad that no one was mentioning (for some reason) after winning states last year is right back in the mix. If you haven't checked them out yet, do it. They're tough. Shenendehowa is right there with them. Of course, the Huerters are there - with the younger one, Kevin, having 3 offers on the table and counting. Brandon Fischer is back to health and contributing (along with not worrying about where he'll go to school next year, LeMoyne snagged him up). Petar Bebic, a.k.a. Serbia's best export, also gives them solid all-around contributions. Don't forget about CCHS or Guilderland (Andrew Platek is 3 offers deep too, and the evolution in his game from last year made me sit back and pay attention). It's Scotia and Troy again in Class A with the usual suspects, and Averill Park also deserves some talk with Myles Joyce - or as I call him, Mr. Underrated - and Isaiah Moak & Ryan Bielawa. Class B will be a crap shoot. Broadalbin-Perth, Hoosick Falls, Schalmont, and Cohoes (especially if Brandon LaForest makes it back on the ourt in February) can all state their case. B-P and HF play balanced ball with no one getting the lion's share of the work load. Zac O'Dell's gotta have some of the broadest shoulders in show business to handle what he has to for his Schalmont squad. Lake George and Hoosic Valley have established themselves in Class C - the last 2 state champs, so I guess they've been established for a while. Germantown's been rolling in Class D, but Argyle's probably got the best player (and most fun to watch) in the class in Kobe Lufkin and Fort Ann's looking very tough, led by big numbers from sophomore Tyler Mattison. Let the fun begin.
- By the way, congrats to all the Section 2 boys hoopers who have commited to playing scholarship level ball next year. Those include Joe Cremo (Scotia/Albany), Jahlil Nails (Columbia/Central Connecticut), John Sica (Bethlehem/Columbia), Joel Wincowski (Lake George/UMBC), Raiquis Harris (CCHS/Bloomfield), and Brandon Fischer (Shenendehowa/LeMoyne).
Time flies, doesn't it? Sectionals in a month. Gear up...
Thursday, December 11, 2014
The Hoop Scoop: Mechanicville/Stillwater Girls Hoops
I was at Mechanicville/Stillwater girls basketball on different business yesterday - which will be the norm from here on out - so there wasn't really any tweeting. However, let's talk about the game a little bit.
My Thoughts - Mechanicville is good. I'm not sure how they'll respond when a team can successfully make it ugly against them, but Stillwater wasn't able to do that. It was a game of 2 contrasting styles - Stillwater wants to beat you 35-30, Mechanicville wants to beat you 75-70. Mechanicville dictated the pace of the game throughout. The 3 best players on the floor all were wearing red, which is a pretty surefire way of getting a win. They were able to frustrate Stillwater early with defensive pressure, and it paid dividends the rest of the way. Mechanicville went into a 3/4 court 1-3-1 and dropped back into the same zone if Stillwater broke it, which didn't happen as much as you'd hope. I'm not sure what Stillwater's offense is against a 1-3-1 zone - I'm not sure if they even have one. I only saw 1 time where they used a 2-guard set to attack the odd-guard zone - it worked, until a girl was called for a travel in the paint. I kinda felt bad for Stillwater's point guard, Kayla Zdonick. Not sure how many turnovers she had (a lot, probably), but I can't put the blame on her for most of them. When you're being pressured - trapped at times - and the wings are hiding behind the wings in the 1-3-1, there's really not much you can do. As usual against a zone like this, the opposite post area was left susceptible by a Mechanicville squad that was looking to jump passing lanes and get steals, but active hands on D and a lot of players shying away from the ball for Stillwater made that connection only happen a handful of times.
Turning Point - It was a slow start for both squads early, with Mechanicville mustering a couple Julia Amodeo buckets & Stillwater hitting 3 free throws in the first few minutes. Mechanicville made the switch from man (which was working just fine) to the 3/4 court 1-3-1, and the rest was history. Zdonick, or whoever the ballhandler was for Stillwater, was hung out to dry while getting trapped, and steal after steal turned into a bevy of transition buckets. Stillwater was held to 17 points in the first 3 quarters, and Mechanicville turned that 4-3 start into a 16-5 game after 1 and a 59-29 final.
Now, let's talk about who made an impression on me.
Julia Amodeo (Mechanicville, soph): Smart player with skill. Fundamental game, scored pretty easily. She plays with much more composure than the average sophomore. Not afraid to go right or left with the same amount of frequency, and has the most effective jab step I've seen in girls hoops this young season. She can shoot well from the perimeter, but she doesn't rely on it. Anticipates well on defense, and excelled in the zone and matching up.
Amanda Kenyon (Mechanicville, soph): Fearless for her size. She's their starting point guard, and she's the type of point guard you want. Handles the ball well against pressure, really effective changing speed and direction - shook a couple girls on the behind-the-back dribble early. Has her head up, looking ahead and is a pass-first point guard, but she's also not afraid to take it to the rack herself. She really shines on the defensive end - looks like their leader. Quick feet, slides and stays in front. Battled foul trouble all night, but still hustled every step of the way. 2nd foul, picked up midway through the 1st quarter, was the worst call of the night.
Courtney Pingelski (Mechanicville, sr): Pingelski represented this Section II region in the BCANY Hoops Festival this past summer, so it's not a secret that she can play a little bit. Tall for a guard at the Class B level - at 5'8" with long arms, she's nearly the tallest player on her team and plays the tallest with her wingspan - and uses that gift to create havoc by getting hands in the passing lane. Willing to take it to the rack, but she likes to let it fly from deep. Led her team in scoring with 15.
My Thoughts - Mechanicville is good. I'm not sure how they'll respond when a team can successfully make it ugly against them, but Stillwater wasn't able to do that. It was a game of 2 contrasting styles - Stillwater wants to beat you 35-30, Mechanicville wants to beat you 75-70. Mechanicville dictated the pace of the game throughout. The 3 best players on the floor all were wearing red, which is a pretty surefire way of getting a win. They were able to frustrate Stillwater early with defensive pressure, and it paid dividends the rest of the way. Mechanicville went into a 3/4 court 1-3-1 and dropped back into the same zone if Stillwater broke it, which didn't happen as much as you'd hope. I'm not sure what Stillwater's offense is against a 1-3-1 zone - I'm not sure if they even have one. I only saw 1 time where they used a 2-guard set to attack the odd-guard zone - it worked, until a girl was called for a travel in the paint. I kinda felt bad for Stillwater's point guard, Kayla Zdonick. Not sure how many turnovers she had (a lot, probably), but I can't put the blame on her for most of them. When you're being pressured - trapped at times - and the wings are hiding behind the wings in the 1-3-1, there's really not much you can do. As usual against a zone like this, the opposite post area was left susceptible by a Mechanicville squad that was looking to jump passing lanes and get steals, but active hands on D and a lot of players shying away from the ball for Stillwater made that connection only happen a handful of times.
Turning Point - It was a slow start for both squads early, with Mechanicville mustering a couple Julia Amodeo buckets & Stillwater hitting 3 free throws in the first few minutes. Mechanicville made the switch from man (which was working just fine) to the 3/4 court 1-3-1, and the rest was history. Zdonick, or whoever the ballhandler was for Stillwater, was hung out to dry while getting trapped, and steal after steal turned into a bevy of transition buckets. Stillwater was held to 17 points in the first 3 quarters, and Mechanicville turned that 4-3 start into a 16-5 game after 1 and a 59-29 final.
Now, let's talk about who made an impression on me.
Julia Amodeo (Mechanicville, soph): Smart player with skill. Fundamental game, scored pretty easily. She plays with much more composure than the average sophomore. Not afraid to go right or left with the same amount of frequency, and has the most effective jab step I've seen in girls hoops this young season. She can shoot well from the perimeter, but she doesn't rely on it. Anticipates well on defense, and excelled in the zone and matching up.
Amanda Kenyon (Mechanicville, soph): Fearless for her size. She's their starting point guard, and she's the type of point guard you want. Handles the ball well against pressure, really effective changing speed and direction - shook a couple girls on the behind-the-back dribble early. Has her head up, looking ahead and is a pass-first point guard, but she's also not afraid to take it to the rack herself. She really shines on the defensive end - looks like their leader. Quick feet, slides and stays in front. Battled foul trouble all night, but still hustled every step of the way. 2nd foul, picked up midway through the 1st quarter, was the worst call of the night.
Courtney Pingelski (Mechanicville, sr): Pingelski represented this Section II region in the BCANY Hoops Festival this past summer, so it's not a secret that she can play a little bit. Tall for a guard at the Class B level - at 5'8" with long arms, she's nearly the tallest player on her team and plays the tallest with her wingspan - and uses that gift to create havoc by getting hands in the passing lane. Willing to take it to the rack, but she likes to let it fly from deep. Led her team in scoring with 15.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Tartans Start Strong, Finish Strong Over OFA
Scotia-Glenville 72, Ogdensburg Free Academy 50
Set the tone.
As a player, as a coach, as a basketball league administrator, any role in hoops I play - I preach that. Pretty much every other coach does, too.
The Scotia-Glenville Tartans - now the defending Class A Federation champion Scotia-Glenville Tartans - did just that, using a zone defense shading to deny OFA standout Kinnon LaRose any breathing room on the catch. While OFA started cold, Scotia was shooting over 50%, took a double-digit lead 6 minutes into the game and never let it drop back to single digits against a state semifinalist in Class B last season.
Ogdensburg scored first on a Jack Manke jumper, which Scotty Stopera responded to a minute later with his only 3 points of the game. That 3 gave Scotia the lead for good, less than 2 minutes into the game.
Damn, I just took the suspense out of this article, didn't I?
Scotia started a little slowly on offense, relying on the 3 in the first few minutes which wasn't dropping. Once they stopped settling, everything started flowing. They held Ogdensburg scoreless for the last 4:31 of the 1st quarter while reeling off 11 points, 5 from Joe Cremo and 4 from Mike Palleschi, to forge a 16-4 lead after 1. The UAlbany commit split a pair of free throws with 1:58 left in the 1st to get that double-digit lead. The balance continued for Scotia in the 2nd, and Diamond Corker showed he was worth more than being on the Section 2 All-Name 1st Team. Corker scored 8 of his 10 points in the 2nd, including 5 straight directly after LaRose's first points to give Scotia their first 20 point lead of the night. LaRose, who has been offered by Division I Hartford (same school that Saratoga grad Noah Arciero is at), didn't get on the board until his three with 2:18 left in the first half made it 29-14. After the Corker trey made it a 20 point game, LaRose scored on back-to-back possessions, giving him all 7 of his points in the half in a 1:21 stretch. Joe Almond finished the half with a trey for Scotia, sending them in the locker room with a 39-18 edge - their largest of the half.
Ogdensburg started off the 2nd half with a bit more fire. A Seth Pinkerton three followed a Peyton Lalone basket to bring it to 16 and (maybe?) give them some momentum. So much for that. After an empty possession each way, Cremo lined up a three from 22 feet out, nailed it and got fouled. The 4 point play woke Scotia back up and got them going. Ogdensburg made one more interesting push in the 3rd, when a 7-2 run culminating in a Tristan Moore bomb made it 45-32 with 4:26 left in the 3rd. Scotia responded with a 13-2 run in 2:21 of game time (6 coming from Cremo) that stretched the lead to 24 late in the 3rd. LaRose did well on his own to duel Cremo & Co., but he certainly got going a little too late, and he could use some help - the way Cremo has Palleschi, Stopera, Almond, Corker, etc. OFA quickly knocked it down to 17 in the opening seconds of the 4th, thanks to a 7-0 run with 4 points coming from Kinnon, but Scotia responded as always. Cremo scored 7 points for the Tartans in a stretch of just over 2 minutes, and a Joe Almond bucket following that gave Scotia their largest lead of the night at 68-43 with 4:47 left.
You don't always get to see scholarship-level talent against scholarship-level talent, and we were able to see that tonight in Kinnon LaRose vs. Joe Cremo. Even better, Ogdensburg ditched the 3-2 zone and went man-to-man in the 2nd half. LaRose guarded Cremo. Watching that matchup in itself was worth the trip - really interesting battle. Scotia stayed in their zone the whole game, continuing to try and make Kinnon's life miserable. He certainly got the better of it once his first bucket fell, but he was entirely too relaxed deferring to teammates early. I also loved the intensity of the matchup - it felt more like a sectional semifinal than an early December inter-section battle. The house was packed and you could feel the buzz in the crowd. They knew they were getting a treat. The intensity spilled over into a couple mini-incidents when the game was in hand in the 2nd half, but that's part of the business between two teams used to success. I wasn't complaining.
LaRose led his team with 19 points, all of them coming in a stretch that was just over 14 minutes of action. Jack Manke, OFA's big man, added 12 points. Joe Cremo was the game's high scorer, finishing with 32 points for Scotia. Mike Palleschi added 15 points; Diamond Corker and Joe Almond finished with 10 apiece for the Tartans. Free throws and field goal percentage inside the arc were a solid difference tonight: OFA shot 4/10, compared to a 16/20 Scotia squad. Scotia was blistering inside the arc, getting layup after layup. They shot 19/29 on anything worth 2 points. Turnovers were basically even, OFA committing 11 turnovers compared to Scotia's 10, and OFA shot 6/20 from beyond the arc compared to 6/19 from Scotia.
The crowd, including the Dog Pound, came out in full force for this one and they got a treat. I know I enjoyed myself, and I'll be making a trip back to Scotia soon!
Set the tone.
As a player, as a coach, as a basketball league administrator, any role in hoops I play - I preach that. Pretty much every other coach does, too.
The Scotia-Glenville Tartans - now the defending Class A Federation champion Scotia-Glenville Tartans - did just that, using a zone defense shading to deny OFA standout Kinnon LaRose any breathing room on the catch. While OFA started cold, Scotia was shooting over 50%, took a double-digit lead 6 minutes into the game and never let it drop back to single digits against a state semifinalist in Class B last season.
Ogdensburg scored first on a Jack Manke jumper, which Scotty Stopera responded to a minute later with his only 3 points of the game. That 3 gave Scotia the lead for good, less than 2 minutes into the game.
Damn, I just took the suspense out of this article, didn't I?
Scotia started a little slowly on offense, relying on the 3 in the first few minutes which wasn't dropping. Once they stopped settling, everything started flowing. They held Ogdensburg scoreless for the last 4:31 of the 1st quarter while reeling off 11 points, 5 from Joe Cremo and 4 from Mike Palleschi, to forge a 16-4 lead after 1. The UAlbany commit split a pair of free throws with 1:58 left in the 1st to get that double-digit lead. The balance continued for Scotia in the 2nd, and Diamond Corker showed he was worth more than being on the Section 2 All-Name 1st Team. Corker scored 8 of his 10 points in the 2nd, including 5 straight directly after LaRose's first points to give Scotia their first 20 point lead of the night. LaRose, who has been offered by Division I Hartford (same school that Saratoga grad Noah Arciero is at), didn't get on the board until his three with 2:18 left in the first half made it 29-14. After the Corker trey made it a 20 point game, LaRose scored on back-to-back possessions, giving him all 7 of his points in the half in a 1:21 stretch. Joe Almond finished the half with a trey for Scotia, sending them in the locker room with a 39-18 edge - their largest of the half.
Ogdensburg started off the 2nd half with a bit more fire. A Seth Pinkerton three followed a Peyton Lalone basket to bring it to 16 and (maybe?) give them some momentum. So much for that. After an empty possession each way, Cremo lined up a three from 22 feet out, nailed it and got fouled. The 4 point play woke Scotia back up and got them going. Ogdensburg made one more interesting push in the 3rd, when a 7-2 run culminating in a Tristan Moore bomb made it 45-32 with 4:26 left in the 3rd. Scotia responded with a 13-2 run in 2:21 of game time (6 coming from Cremo) that stretched the lead to 24 late in the 3rd. LaRose did well on his own to duel Cremo & Co., but he certainly got going a little too late, and he could use some help - the way Cremo has Palleschi, Stopera, Almond, Corker, etc. OFA quickly knocked it down to 17 in the opening seconds of the 4th, thanks to a 7-0 run with 4 points coming from Kinnon, but Scotia responded as always. Cremo scored 7 points for the Tartans in a stretch of just over 2 minutes, and a Joe Almond bucket following that gave Scotia their largest lead of the night at 68-43 with 4:47 left.
You don't always get to see scholarship-level talent against scholarship-level talent, and we were able to see that tonight in Kinnon LaRose vs. Joe Cremo. Even better, Ogdensburg ditched the 3-2 zone and went man-to-man in the 2nd half. LaRose guarded Cremo. Watching that matchup in itself was worth the trip - really interesting battle. Scotia stayed in their zone the whole game, continuing to try and make Kinnon's life miserable. He certainly got the better of it once his first bucket fell, but he was entirely too relaxed deferring to teammates early. I also loved the intensity of the matchup - it felt more like a sectional semifinal than an early December inter-section battle. The house was packed and you could feel the buzz in the crowd. They knew they were getting a treat. The intensity spilled over into a couple mini-incidents when the game was in hand in the 2nd half, but that's part of the business between two teams used to success. I wasn't complaining.
LaRose led his team with 19 points, all of them coming in a stretch that was just over 14 minutes of action. Jack Manke, OFA's big man, added 12 points. Joe Cremo was the game's high scorer, finishing with 32 points for Scotia. Mike Palleschi added 15 points; Diamond Corker and Joe Almond finished with 10 apiece for the Tartans. Free throws and field goal percentage inside the arc were a solid difference tonight: OFA shot 4/10, compared to a 16/20 Scotia squad. Scotia was blistering inside the arc, getting layup after layup. They shot 19/29 on anything worth 2 points. Turnovers were basically even, OFA committing 11 turnovers compared to Scotia's 10, and OFA shot 6/20 from beyond the arc compared to 6/19 from Scotia.
The crowd, including the Dog Pound, came out in full force for this one and they got a treat. I know I enjoyed myself, and I'll be making a trip back to Scotia soon!
The Podium: Section 3, December 5
These full slates of games make sifting through tiring. If you're on here tonight, you had a damn good game. Boys first.
Gold: Chase LaCava had himself a night. LaFayette jumped up on top of Fabius-Pompey and had to hold the Falcons off in a furious 4th quarter to win 65-62, and Chase went in. Section 3 night-high 35 points for the Lancer standout, and I'm sure they'll be hoping for a lot more of that from him.
Silver: It's child abuse down low! When you mix a 6'9"ish or more, lanky frame with someone that has legitimate basketball skill, good touch, a jumper, all that.. sorry, Camden. You got torched. Lehigh commit Caleb Sedore, the first Division I basketball player at Pulaski, had 25 points and 17 boards for Class C Pulaski in their road win over Class A Camden in the battle of the Blue Devils, 54-39.
Bronze: Tyler Reynolds & Jordan Roland are the definition of a dynamic duo. It's nearly impossible to pick which one had a better game tonight for Westhill because each of them dominate in their own fashion. I have to pick one though, so I'll roll with Tyler. He had 9 rebounds to go with his 29 points, and 16 of those 29 came in the 2nd half, where they eventually put Jamesville-Dewitt away in a 81-60 decision. The team to watch in Syracuse, although they're a Class B, starts off the right way yet again.
Anddd time for the girls.
Gold: Frankfort took a loss to a Poland team that they probably shouldn't have lost to. They responded by beating a team I was surprised to see them knock off in Sherburne-Earlville, and of course Danielle Migliore had a lot to do with it. The stud junior gave the Marauders 30 reasons why they should've tried to keep the ball out of her hands. 30 points, 10 boards, and a 65-55 W!
Silver: Ice Cube would've classified this as a good day, and who am I to say no to Ice Cube? Annie Giannone started off her season the right way for Auburn. She's already got 1,000 points, so might as well spread the wealth (which she's done all high school anyway). Last night, she messed around & got a triple double! 11 points.. 12 assists.. 11 steals... I mean, try and beat that stat line. Go ahead. I'll wait!
Bronze: Sophomore Payton Noeller had big-time numbers for her Cato-Meridian squad in a matchup against Port Byron that always seems to have a little added passion to it. She picked up 22 points, 11 boards, and 3 steals, and her team came out with a 45-41 victory. Big nights on the stat sheet are nice, but they're even nicer in a close win.
Gold: Chase LaCava had himself a night. LaFayette jumped up on top of Fabius-Pompey and had to hold the Falcons off in a furious 4th quarter to win 65-62, and Chase went in. Section 3 night-high 35 points for the Lancer standout, and I'm sure they'll be hoping for a lot more of that from him.
Silver: It's child abuse down low! When you mix a 6'9"ish or more, lanky frame with someone that has legitimate basketball skill, good touch, a jumper, all that.. sorry, Camden. You got torched. Lehigh commit Caleb Sedore, the first Division I basketball player at Pulaski, had 25 points and 17 boards for Class C Pulaski in their road win over Class A Camden in the battle of the Blue Devils, 54-39.
Bronze: Tyler Reynolds & Jordan Roland are the definition of a dynamic duo. It's nearly impossible to pick which one had a better game tonight for Westhill because each of them dominate in their own fashion. I have to pick one though, so I'll roll with Tyler. He had 9 rebounds to go with his 29 points, and 16 of those 29 came in the 2nd half, where they eventually put Jamesville-Dewitt away in a 81-60 decision. The team to watch in Syracuse, although they're a Class B, starts off the right way yet again.
Anddd time for the girls.
Gold: Frankfort took a loss to a Poland team that they probably shouldn't have lost to. They responded by beating a team I was surprised to see them knock off in Sherburne-Earlville, and of course Danielle Migliore had a lot to do with it. The stud junior gave the Marauders 30 reasons why they should've tried to keep the ball out of her hands. 30 points, 10 boards, and a 65-55 W!
Silver: Ice Cube would've classified this as a good day, and who am I to say no to Ice Cube? Annie Giannone started off her season the right way for Auburn. She's already got 1,000 points, so might as well spread the wealth (which she's done all high school anyway). Last night, she messed around & got a triple double! 11 points.. 12 assists.. 11 steals... I mean, try and beat that stat line. Go ahead. I'll wait!
Bronze: Sophomore Payton Noeller had big-time numbers for her Cato-Meridian squad in a matchup against Port Byron that always seems to have a little added passion to it. She picked up 22 points, 11 boards, and 3 steals, and her team came out with a 45-41 victory. Big nights on the stat sheet are nice, but they're even nicer in a close win.
The Podium: Section 2, December 5
So many games. So many options. Boys first.
Gold: It's not every game in upstate NY that you get to see a Division I prospect matched up against another Division I prospect. Ogdensburg/Scotia offered that, and OFA's Kinnon LaRose (offered by Hartford, interest has been shown by many more) guarded Scotia's Joe Cremo (Albany commit) the whole 2nd half. Kinnon did quite well on the offensive end himself, but Joe went off for 21 of his game-high 32 points after halftime doing it the Cremo way: kinda quietly. You realize he's doing well. Then you total up his numbers and think 'damn, that much?' It's because he's not too flashy. He doesn't force bad shots. He works hard every second and because of that, he consistently gets good shots. Joe did a lot of that tonight in those 32 points, and his defending Federation champ Tartans were up 21 at halftime en route to a 72-50 W over a team that made it to the state semis in Class B last year - and lost a close one to a Westhill team that hammered Olean in the state final.
Silver: Lake George/Argyle has become quite a rivalry game. The two best teams in the Adirondack lately, both with recent state championships to their name. This rivalry game wasn't much of a game, thanks in large part to another standout night from LG's Joel Wincowski. The UMBC commit dropped 37 for his squad in their 84-44 thrashing of the Scots. Joel and the rest of the squad look like they're coming out with a vengeance to redeem themselves from the sectional semifinal loss last year.
Bronze: Probably 4 people I could put here, but one thing that factors into this decision is the Skip Bayless clutch gene. Can you hit the big shot? Chris Boucher can, and he did. The Fort Edward standout got help from Dylan Heroux, but it was Chris who hit the game-winning bucket and came through with 24 big ones in their 67-65 victory. Love it when someone isn't afraid of the moment!
Anddd for the girls.
Gold: Niskayuna and Ballston Spa played a close one throughout, and they were tied at the end of 3. Nisky got the better of them in the 4th to win 46-41, and many thanks have to go to Deirdre Schutzman for that. She finished off with 24 big ones, making you think her last name should actually spell $chutzman. Good stuff from the junior to even their record heading into a tough one against Shaker next week.
Silver: Carly Johnson scored her average. Doesn't sound special, until I tell you her average is 25. She's the catalyst behind a lean mean Greenville machine that has won their 3 games by 21, 40, and 35. This 25 was the leading output in a 69-34 shalacking of Catskill. I'm new to Section 2. I didn't realize the soccer stud could hoop too (although she looks like a basketball player) until an old Taconic Hills coach said so. I might have to go to Greenville soon! They get Maple Hill right before Christmas... hmm. Might be a trip!
Bronze: Huge game in a losing effort. The only other thing Zibby Eckhardt could've done is eurostep between 2 girls and throw down a reverse dunk while flexing. She did just about everything else. Hit 2s (6), hit 3s (4), went 6/6 from the line. That's 30 points, good for the highest scoring night in a very busy girls basketball slate in Section 2. Her Guilderland squad lost 56-52 to Columbia, but she had herself a heck of an evening.
Gold: It's not every game in upstate NY that you get to see a Division I prospect matched up against another Division I prospect. Ogdensburg/Scotia offered that, and OFA's Kinnon LaRose (offered by Hartford, interest has been shown by many more) guarded Scotia's Joe Cremo (Albany commit) the whole 2nd half. Kinnon did quite well on the offensive end himself, but Joe went off for 21 of his game-high 32 points after halftime doing it the Cremo way: kinda quietly. You realize he's doing well. Then you total up his numbers and think 'damn, that much?' It's because he's not too flashy. He doesn't force bad shots. He works hard every second and because of that, he consistently gets good shots. Joe did a lot of that tonight in those 32 points, and his defending Federation champ Tartans were up 21 at halftime en route to a 72-50 W over a team that made it to the state semis in Class B last year - and lost a close one to a Westhill team that hammered Olean in the state final.
Silver: Lake George/Argyle has become quite a rivalry game. The two best teams in the Adirondack lately, both with recent state championships to their name. This rivalry game wasn't much of a game, thanks in large part to another standout night from LG's Joel Wincowski. The UMBC commit dropped 37 for his squad in their 84-44 thrashing of the Scots. Joel and the rest of the squad look like they're coming out with a vengeance to redeem themselves from the sectional semifinal loss last year.
Bronze: Probably 4 people I could put here, but one thing that factors into this decision is the Skip Bayless clutch gene. Can you hit the big shot? Chris Boucher can, and he did. The Fort Edward standout got help from Dylan Heroux, but it was Chris who hit the game-winning bucket and came through with 24 big ones in their 67-65 victory. Love it when someone isn't afraid of the moment!
Anddd for the girls.
Gold: Niskayuna and Ballston Spa played a close one throughout, and they were tied at the end of 3. Nisky got the better of them in the 4th to win 46-41, and many thanks have to go to Deirdre Schutzman for that. She finished off with 24 big ones, making you think her last name should actually spell $chutzman. Good stuff from the junior to even their record heading into a tough one against Shaker next week.
Silver: Carly Johnson scored her average. Doesn't sound special, until I tell you her average is 25. She's the catalyst behind a lean mean Greenville machine that has won their 3 games by 21, 40, and 35. This 25 was the leading output in a 69-34 shalacking of Catskill. I'm new to Section 2. I didn't realize the soccer stud could hoop too (although she looks like a basketball player) until an old Taconic Hills coach said so. I might have to go to Greenville soon! They get Maple Hill right before Christmas... hmm. Might be a trip!
Bronze: Huge game in a losing effort. The only other thing Zibby Eckhardt could've done is eurostep between 2 girls and throw down a reverse dunk while flexing. She did just about everything else. Hit 2s (6), hit 3s (4), went 6/6 from the line. That's 30 points, good for the highest scoring night in a very busy girls basketball slate in Section 2. Her Guilderland squad lost 56-52 to Columbia, but she had herself a heck of an evening.
Friday, December 5, 2014
The Podium: Section 2, December 4
Let's add a little nightly thing, too. The podium, short for the award
podium. We'll give you our gold, silver, and bronze awards nightly for
the top performances. Start with the boys!
Gold: You know John Sica is a pretty smart kid. The Bethlehem senior has committed to attend Columbia next year. It's an Ivy League school. Kind of a big deal. Also Division I. Gotta be able to hoop in order to play there, and that's what he'll be doing. The 6'7" tweener showed why he attracted the D1 interest, dropping 25 (23 in the first 3 quarters) along with about a half-dozen swats in Bethlehem's 69-53 W over Mohonasen - article coming about that later. I guess he can hoop a little bit.
Silver: You know you had a good game when I put you here in a losing effort. Josh Gonzalez did just that. The 6'6" workhorse had 23 points and 14 rebounds against Section IV Class AA Vestal, and the Class C Cougars certainly kept this close at the Drago tournament in Oneonta, losing 65-60. On the team scale, performances like this will make Phil Schoff's squad a definite contender in Class C. On the individual scale, Gonzalez's point total heading into the season is one that looks like a future 1,000 point possibility. He needs to average 20ish a game without missing time in order to get there, but a night like this gets him off on the right foot. The Energizer Bunny point count: 648.
Bronze: You know you had a good game when I put you here in a losing effort. Sound familiar? It was Josh's teammate. Colin Davis let that thing fly, and a whole lot of them went in. He actually led the Cougars in scoring with 26 - and he owned that land outside 19'9". 8 treys on the night. Bang bang!
Andddd time for the girls.
Gold: Duanesburg's standout led them again, this time in a 36-30 W over Section IV Class C Unatego. Rachel Gamache had 15 in the W as they worked their way to a double-digit halftime lead. The dual threat is a natural post who can step out and hit threes, which causes matchup nightmares in the WAC.
Silver/Bronze: How about we give those to Gamache too? The only other game was a 68-13 beatdown Emma Willard gave Doane Stuart, and I caught some of that... that's not getting on here.
Gold: You know John Sica is a pretty smart kid. The Bethlehem senior has committed to attend Columbia next year. It's an Ivy League school. Kind of a big deal. Also Division I. Gotta be able to hoop in order to play there, and that's what he'll be doing. The 6'7" tweener showed why he attracted the D1 interest, dropping 25 (23 in the first 3 quarters) along with about a half-dozen swats in Bethlehem's 69-53 W over Mohonasen - article coming about that later. I guess he can hoop a little bit.
Silver: You know you had a good game when I put you here in a losing effort. Josh Gonzalez did just that. The 6'6" workhorse had 23 points and 14 rebounds against Section IV Class AA Vestal, and the Class C Cougars certainly kept this close at the Drago tournament in Oneonta, losing 65-60. On the team scale, performances like this will make Phil Schoff's squad a definite contender in Class C. On the individual scale, Gonzalez's point total heading into the season is one that looks like a future 1,000 point possibility. He needs to average 20ish a game without missing time in order to get there, but a night like this gets him off on the right foot. The Energizer Bunny point count: 648.
Bronze: You know you had a good game when I put you here in a losing effort. Sound familiar? It was Josh's teammate. Colin Davis let that thing fly, and a whole lot of them went in. He actually led the Cougars in scoring with 26 - and he owned that land outside 19'9". 8 treys on the night. Bang bang!
Andddd time for the girls.
Gold: Duanesburg's standout led them again, this time in a 36-30 W over Section IV Class C Unatego. Rachel Gamache had 15 in the W as they worked their way to a double-digit halftime lead. The dual threat is a natural post who can step out and hit threes, which causes matchup nightmares in the WAC.
Silver/Bronze: How about we give those to Gamache too? The only other game was a 68-13 beatdown Emma Willard gave Doane Stuart, and I caught some of that... that's not getting on here.
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