There is a lot to get to from the first Friday night of the Suburban Council boys basketball season.
Bethlehem 71, CBA 54
This one wasn’t even as close as the 17-point margin of victory would indicate. Bethlehem (1-1) took control with a 22-point first quarter and steadily pulled away until it had a 25-point lead at the end of the third quarter. Hayden Thompson was a big reason why the Eagles dominated CBA (0-2), as he drained four three-pointers on his way to a 24-point night.
Nick DeBrino had a 12-point performance to lead a balanced CBA attack, but the Brothers are still lacking the offensive punch they had last season when Michael Wynn and Sloan Seymour were wearing the purple and gold.
We had our cameras at Bethlehem’s home opener. To view a photo gallery from the game, click here.
Shaker 75, Burnt Hills 57
Friday was the first time Shaker (2-0) fans got to see their team play at home, and the Blue Bison didn’t disappoint. After a competitive first quarter, Shaker broke the game open behind the efforts of its dynamic duo of Seymour (21 points) and Jake Cook (25 points). Benjamin Keppler (25 points) continued to pour in points for Burnt Hills (0-2), and he got some help from Jared Slovic (11 points) and Joseph Petroski (10 points). But, the Spartans are still struggling defensively.
Schenectady 61, Guilderland 54
This time, Guilderland (1-1) dug itself a hole it couldn’t climb out of. Schenectady (2-0) outscored the Dutchmen 18-6 in the second quarter to grab a halftime lead, and the Patriots resisted a fourth-quarter comeback attempt to pull out the win. Four Schenectady players reached double digits in the scoring column, led by John Ryals’ 16 points. Guilderland showed similar balance, as Michael Wine and George Marinopoulos each netted 16 points.
Shenendehowa 58, Averill Park 43
This one certainly had the makings of a tight battle until Shen (2-0) went on a 20-5 run in the third quarter to break the game wide open. Averill Park’s reliance on the three-point shot — the Warriors (1-1) made 10 three pointers to only five shots from inside the arc — was the one thing that kept it in the game. Luke Hicks (21 points) continued his early-season dominance for the Plainsmen.
Troy 73, Columbia 50
Troy (1-1) wasted no time in taking command against an overmatched Columbia squad, as the Flying Horses raced out to a 23-8 lead in the first quarter. Daniel Buie (25 points) and Ryan Carmello (18 points) did the majority of the damage for Troy, which was coming off a season-opening home loss against Colonie. Devin Livingston netted 17 points for Columbia (0-2).
Saratoga 74, Ballston Spa 42
There was no stopping Adam Anderson and Brian Hart Friday night. Anderson poured in 28 points, and Hart added 20 points to help Saratoga (2-0) pull away for the 32-point victory over its neighbors from Ballston Spa (1-1).
Niskayuna 48, Mohonasen 46
Through two games, Mohonasen’s defense has been great. The offense, however, still lacks a go-to scorer, as the Mighty Warriors (0-2) had 10 players who scored at least one point but no one who reached double digits. Alex Ritzenhaler’s 14 points helped Niskayuna (1-1) break into the win column
