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HERE IS THE LINK TO OUR EARLY SEASON WASAREN BASKETBALL RECAP
Monthly Archives: December 2019
Stillwater Falls To Northeastern Clinton
Northeastern Clinton 59 Stillwater 43
Leading Scorers: Clinton – Racine 21 McComb 13 Hollister 11 Warriors – Marley Mueller 28 Molly Sheehan 9
Key Stat: Stillwater found themselves trailing 19-9 after the first period and despite a big afternoon from Mueller, were unable to close the gap in a Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout game in Stillwater.
Take Away: The Warriors have shown signs at times in the early going but remain winless at 0-4, and it won’t get any easier for Stillwater when they pay a visit to Mechanicville on Friday to face the Red Raiders.
Friday Night Hoops
Hoosic Valley 40 Tamarac 36
Leading Scorers: Valley Sami Dickinson 16 Ashlyn Chartier 12 Bengals – Jordyn Sorel 12
Key Stat: In a defensive battle where the Bengals managed just one double digit quarter, the game was tied after three frames, but the Valley used a 12-8 fourth period to notch the “W”.
Hoosick Falls 45 Emma Willard 23
Leading Scorers: Falls – Logan Thayne 21 Jesters – Molly Zahnleuter 22
Key Stat: While Zahnleuter had a big scoring night the Panthers defense limited her Jester teammates to just one point in the contest.
Mechanicville 58 Catholic Central 32 (Thursday night)
Leading Scorers: Red Raiders – Charli Goverski 18 Amy DiSiena 15 Crusaders – Sarah Mattfeld 12
Key Stat: The Raiders held Catholic Central to single numbers in each quarter, and slowly pulled away to earn the non-league victory.
Waterford 64 Schoharie 63
Leading Scorers: Fordians – Mike Talavera 27 TJ Kelley 17 Indians – Shane Helmstadt 20 John Blackwood 16
Key Stat: Trailing 20-10 after the first, the Fordians scored 42 points over the middle two quarters and took a 52-39 advantage into the final frame where they held on for the “W”.
Berlin Boys Basketball Preview
Head Coach: Nathan Ellis
2018-19 Record: 1-15
Key Returning Players: Connor Votra Shawn Pawlows Roman Kane
After struggling a season ago the Mountaineers will hit the reset button, start fresh and look to change things, beginning with team chemistry.
” Building team chemistry has been the best part of out preseason.” remarked head coach Nathan Ellis. ” We have merged with another district this year, (New Lebanon), and it’s great to see a different perspective from these new athletes. ” They have forced us not only to create new team chemistry with them, but also given us an opportunity to rebuild our own chemistry.”
In addition to team chemistry, the scoring woes from last season need to be remedied. “We have to work on consistent scoring this season. Last year we struggled to find a way to put up points and it caused frustration within, and we have to work on that this year,” offered Ellis.
As for team strengths Ellis pointed to the other end of the floor. ” We’ve identified ourselves as having a strong defense and to use that to lead us forward this year.”
Ellis says his Mountaineers will embrace the underdog role this upcoming season. ” Plain and simply we had the worst record last year. We are identifying ourselves as underdogs to help motivate ourselves moving forward. We are okay with being the underdogs.”
That being said the Mountaineer mentor feels his squad could contend for the league title. ” We feel as we were our own worst enemy last year. Our chemistry was awful and we allowed a lot of outside noise onto the court. We are working to play as one cohesive unit, and if we can do that, we fell we can accomplish a lot this year.”
The Mountaineers hope that their new basketball culture will translate to a competitive environment and more “W’s” this winter in Berlin.
Cambridge Boys Basketball Preview
Head Coach: Shea Bromirski
2018-19 Record: 8-14
Key Returning Players: Brad Rowland Ben Epler Nick Murphy Brian Hall Soyer Matteson Kaden Ogilvie
Former Cambridge standout Shea Bromirski takes the reins of the Cambridge program and will welcome back a number of returning players from last year’s team, that played competitively in the season’s second half.
” We return a lot off last year’s team,” said Bromirski. ” We have experience and upper classmen running our show.”
Regarding the Indians identity this season Bromirski responded, ” I expect us to have great depth and the ability to play 9 or 10 guys.” He continued, ” We have good size and will play tough physical defense.”
The Indians head coach touts, ” Hoosick Falls,” as the top contender in the Wasaren, high lighting a pair of Panther players.
” Jon Kempf has a scorer’s mentality unlike anyone in the league. He can really shoot the ball.”
” Tristan Williams is bigger and more physically talented than anyone in the league, he can score around the rim or from deep.”
Both talented players in the competitive Wasaren as was Bromirski just a few years back. The first year head coach knows the league well and what it takes to navigate the gauntlet of the league schedule.
With an experienced and deep Indians roster, look for Cambridge to build on last season, putting themselves in the mix as tough out on a nightly basis for all league opponents this winter.
Witches Win, Warriors Fall
Greenwich 62 Whitehall 19
Leading Scorers: Witches – Molly Brophy 28 Tess Merrill 10 Railroaders – Blake Bird 8
Key Stat: Greenwich held the Railroaders to single digits in every quarter and cruised to the non-league “W”.
Ballston Spa 68 Stillwater 61
Leading Scorers: Ballston Spa – Samantha DeVito 22 Emily Robbie 21 Warriors – Marley Mueller 33 Brooke Pickett 16
Key Stat: Ballston Spa built a 54-35 advantage heading into the final quarter, where Stillwater put 26 points on the board to make things close.
Waterford Boys Basketball Preview
Head Coach: Brian Eastman
2018-19 Record: 12-9
Key Returning Players: Mike Talavera Evan Fairclough TJ Kelley Gavin Bodah Dom Pontore
I saw the Fordians just once last season and that was in the Wasaren championship game against Hoosick Falls. They took the Panthers down to the wire in that one and I came away impressed with Waterford.
Well the Fordians return plenty of talent from last year’s group starting with Mike Talavera and TJ Kelley. Over the weekend in the Waterford Tip-Off Tournament, Talavera enjoyed 34 and 27 point outings with Kelley adding 16 and 20 point efforts as the Fordians cruised to the tournament championship.
Coach Eastman has liked what he’s seen in the preseason saying, “They are working hard each day.”
Eastman touts, “Quickness and work ethic,” as the Fordians main strengths of which there seem to be many.
“For us to be successful this year we must rebound and continue to get better each day,” added the head coach.
As for title contenders in the Wasaren, Eastman echoed what many have said, “Until somebody proves they can beat Hoosick Falls they are the favorites.”
“Team toughness,” is a phrase Eastman would like people to associate with his team this season.
That trait was evident watching the Fordians a season ago and if they can bring that to the floor again this year, look for Waterford to fill the win column and once again vie for a Wasaren title.
Greenwich Girls Basketball Preview
Head Coach: Jason Slater
2018-19 Record: 13-9
Key Returning Players: Molly Brophy Jr. Tess Merrill Jr.
The Witches had a nice year a season ago and seem cautiously optimistic that they can build on that 13 win campaign. Thus far head coach Jason Slater has liked what he’s seen in the preseason.
“We have a good work ethic and strong chemistry, although we’re young.” Slater said.
He summarized the identity of this years team in two words, “Quick and athletic.”
Returning to the Greenwich line-up this year is 5’9″ junior point guard Molly Brophy. one of the league’s top scorers from a year ago. Brophy likes to push the pace and slash to the rim, but is equally dangerous from the perimeter.
As for keys to his teams success this year Slater highlighted the need to, “Be aggressive and rebound.”
He pointed toward Cambridge and Mechanicville as top league contenders and the Witches will get an early look at the Indians when they host Cambridge on December 13th.
Slater hopes people see an, “Energetic and positive,” squad when they watch his Witches play this year, and, “An athletic team that works well together.”
A young, athletic squad that should improve as the season progresses, anchored by the high scoring Brophy, points towards a promising winter season this year in Greenwich.
Tip-Off Tourneys Results
A host of Wasaren teams wrapped up Tip-Off Tournaments on Saturday with a pair of league schools earning tournament championships.
Waterford 75 Salem 53
Leading Scorers: Fordians – Mike Talavera 27 TJ Kelley 20 Jake Houle 13 Generals – Eli Truhart 14 Ian Lockhart 12
Key Stat: Waterford puts three players in doubles, shoots 16 of 17 from the stripe, and wins their own tip-off tournament in convincing fashion.
Hoosick Falls 63 Lake George 43
Leading Scorers: Panthers – Jon Kempf 34 Max Kipp 10 Warriors – Cameron Orr 10 Juan Garcia 10
Key Stat: The Falls used a 24-7 second period to take control, and used a 19-1 advantage in made free throws to keep the Warriors at bay. With the win the Panthers claim the Lake George Tip-Off Tournament championship, beating two solid squads in St. Lawrence and Lake George over the weekend.
Argyle 74 Saratoga Catholic 73
Leading Scorers: Scots- Peyton Lufkin 21 Derek Liddle 15 Parker Frost 12 Gabe Wood 12 Caide Flanders 12 Saints – Robbie Bolen 28 Anthony Barile 15 Hayden Day 12 Jordan Catone 11
Key Stat: Argyle outscored the Saints 27-23 in the final period capped by a Gabe Wood’s tip-in at the buzzer giving the Scots the one-point “W” in the championship game of the Mike Beson Memorial Tournament. Argyle held a 15-5 advantage in made triples, as the Scotties scored 60% of their game total from beyond the arc.
St. Lawrence 56 Stillwater 44
Saratoga Catholic 42 Loudonville Christian 35
Leading Scorers: Saints – Ryleigh Dempsey 13 LC – Skyler Householder 18
Key Stat: The Saints trailed 30-27 heading to the final frame, but outscored LC 15-5 over then final eight minutes to post the come-from-behind victory in the consolation game of the Mike Beson Memorial Tournament.
