Five of the eight Suburban Council boys basketball games originally scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 17, were pushed back to Wednesday, Jan. 18, due to the wintry mess we had around here. So, let’s take a look at the games that were played Wednesday night.
Colonie 68, Schenectady 53
The bloom is clearly off the rose in Schenectady, now. The Patriots (7-3 league, 9-3 overall) not only lost for the third time in their last four games, but they fell apart against a Colonie team (8-2, 10-3) that had been having problems putting away lesser opponents of late. The Garnet Raiders’ 18-9 run in the second quarter set the tone, and they gradually pulled away from Schenectady in the second half — thanks in large part to Isaiah Moll, who led the way with 25 points.
Schenectady should post some wins down the stretch with games against Mohonasen, Ballston Spa, Niskayuna and Christian Brothers Academy, but the belief that the Patriots are able to beat elite-level teams has taken a serious hit after losses to Colonie, Shenendehowa and Shaker.
Bethlehem 82, Albany 59
If you didn’t believe that Bethlehem (8-2, 11-2) is a legitimate Section 2 Class AA title contender before, you should now. The Eagles dominated a good Albany squad (5-5, 5-6) with a balanced offense and excellent defense. Five Bethlehem players reached double figures, led by Ryan Murray’s 22-point performance. As long as the Eagles avoid any letdowns or injuries down the stretch, they will be in the running for a top-four seed for Sectionals.
Averill Park 69, Saratoga Springs 61
How did this upset happen? When Averill Park (4-6, 6-7) outscored Saratoga 13-0 in the second quarter, it pretty much sealed the deal. The Blue Streaks (7-3, 8-3) made a few charges in the second half, but they never overcame that 15-point halftime deficit.
Averill Park’s Noah Yearsley and Saratoga’s Adam Anderson each scored 26 points to lead their respective teams. But the Warriors held on because they provided better offensive support for Yearsley (four players scored eight or more points for a total of 41 points) than what the Blue Streaks did in support of Anderson (three players accounting for 35 points).
Shenendehowa 71, Mohonasen 54
Nothing surprising here. Mohonasen (2-8, 3-9) stayed close through the first half, but Shen (10-0, 10-1) turned on the jets with a 26-8 run in the third quarter to put the game out of the Mighty Warriors’ reach. Mohonasen did limit Luke Hicks to 12 points, but Hicks was part of a broader picture where five Shen players hit double digits. Duncan Tallman was a one-man army for Mohonasen, as he drained eight three-pointers on his way to a 32-point night.
Niskayuna 62, Burnt Hills 45
More of the same for Burnt Hills (1-9, 1-12), as the Spartans never got into an offensive flow against Niskayuna (3-7, 3-9). Alex Ritzenhaler had 15 points for the Silver Warriors, while Benjamin Keppler and Joseph Petroski each netted 10 points for the Spartans.
