While the three point shot has forever changed the game of basketball offensively, something tried and true still remains on the other end of the floor.  Good man-to-man defense wins.

The Hoosick Falls Panthers, and their ability to guard has been a cornerstone of their long run of success and it was on full display Friday night in Schaghticoke where they posted a 62-43 “W” over the Indians of Hoosic Valley.

That being said, both squads fully embrace every opportunity to pull from deep and the Panthers did just that to start thigs, opening the game with back-to-back triples from Jon Kempf and Dimitri Rose.

Kempf added a baseline jumper at the 4:25 mark giving the Falls an 8-0 start, before the Indians broke the ice on the next possession, with a corner three by Matt Rowe.

At the 2:00 mark of the period, Rose rang the bell again from deep giving the Falls a 13-3 lead, and on the next trip Kempf scored an old fashioned three point play on a bucket and one, before the Valley’s Logan Reilly finished the frame with, that’s right, a triple from the corner.

The Panthers 6’5″ center Tristan Williams opened the second period, hitting bottom from deep and Rose connected again from downtown, part of a Panther run that ballooned the advantage to 28-8 with 2:00 left in the quarter.

But the Indians finished the frame with an 8-2 spurt, fueled by 3-pointers from Reilly and Nolan Rafferty, closing the deficit to 30-16 at the half.

When Hoosic Valley’s CJ Bassett opened the third period with a long triple, the Valley faithful came alive anticipating their Indians could climb back into this one.

That feeling was short-lived.

Max Kipp immediately answered from downtown, starting a 12-0 Panthers run that gave the visitors complete control.

And while the Falls offense continued to roll, defensively them kept the Valley off the board, after the opening three by Bassett, until the 3:30 mark of the period when Reilly converted a pair of free throws.

Hoosick Falls ended the quarter with a 53-25 advantage and the while the Indians outscored the Panthers 18-9 in the final frame with Reilly knocking back three deep balls, the Falls closed things out for their 9th victory in ten outings.

On the night Kempf led all scorers with 26 points, with Rose adding 13 points and Kipp 10 to lead the Panthers.

Reilly with 17 points led Hoosic Valley who with the loss go to 4-3 on the season.