by Steve Bradley
HF 52 Greenwich 50
Andrew Hoag scored 25 points, 13 in the third quarter, to lead the Hoosick Falls Panthers past the Greenwich Witches last Wednesday evening. With the WASAREN League championship on the line, both teams had everything to win. The Panthers came into the contest undefeated. The Witches had one loss, a 42 – 38 loss to Hoosick Falls in the first meeting of the season. A win by Greenwich would leave both teams with one loss and the teams tied for the league championship. Both teams play league games Friday, and both are favored to win.
It was a thrilling game from the point of view of the fans. The full house crowd, with both schools having many students in attendance, was vocal and loud from the time introductions started until the final whistle. The Panther student fans had new black T-shirts with “The Zoo” on the front, the name given to the area behind the Hoosick Falls bench where the students cheer for their Panthers.
The Panthers had it all going their way at the start. The offense was clicking and the defense was stout from the tip-off. Hoag was driving to the basket and the entire offense had Greenwich on their heels. The defense was doing its part, with the man-to-man helping each other, especially when 6’ 7” Greenwich center Justin Curruthers had the ball. Greenwich struggled to score in the first quarter, only scoring 6 points. The Panthers, on the other hand, had their up-tempo style in high gear and ran out to a 15 – 6 first quarter lead. It looked like it might be easy.
Early in the second quarter, the Panthers point total increased and Greenwich couldn’t get anything going. With just over three minutes left until the half, everything changed. Greenwich three-pointers started dropping, and they kept dropping. The Witches dropped in four threes and one two-pointer in just over two minutes, and the big Panther lead evaporated. At halftime, the Witches put themselves back in the ballgame, 26 – 24. The Panthers were ahead, but not by much.
The second half was completely different from the first. Greenwich took the lead early in the third quarter, but the Panthers came back to retake the lead and keep a steady five to eight point lead. Hoag was big in the third quarter, keeping the Panthers in the lead.
“Andrew won the game for us,” Will Bradley said, “He scored every time he had the ball.”
Throughout the fourth quarter the Panthers kept their lead, but couldn’t put Greenwich away. Both team’s fans were doing everything they could to help their team. It was loud and exciting. Panther fan Rebecca Atherton later commented, “I was afraid the bleachers were going to collapse.”
The Panthers held their lead until the end, but Greenwich was right there. With four minutes left in the the game, it appeared the Panthers would win by about seven. Then the Witches started hitting three-pointers. The Witches scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Panthers by seven. Twelve of those points came on three-pointers, and the Witches narrowed the lead to two. The Witches had two chances in the final seconds to score but were unable to get the ball in the hoop. The game was exciting right up to the final buzzer.
Greenwich gave the Panthers everything they could handle.
HF 55 Granville 33
The last regular season home game means Senior Night, and this is a special group of Seniors. With Jake Nolan, Noah Chani, Austin Pitt, Andrew Hoag, Will Bradley and Josh Wood playing on the same team, they are undefeated in high school play, JV and Varsity.
The players were announced and their parents came out on the floor to greet them. along with a cheerleader who gave each player flowers to present to the player’s mother. Two senior cheerleaders, Taylor Flohr and Ciaely Sanchez, were also introduced.
After all the players were introduced, someone very special to these young men, on and off the basketball court, was introduced. Andy Nolan was introduced by HFCS head coach Mike Lilac. Coach Lilac praised Nolan for the time he had spent with these boys. Then the boys presented Andy with a basketball signed by all of them thanking him for everything he has done for, and with, them.
And he did plenty, treating each one as he treated his own son, Jake. Coach Nolan, as the boys call him, took these boys (and many times, Alexis Case) all over New York state to play ball. Cortland, Plattsburg, Potsdam … those are just the long trips. Countless trips to Hudson Falls, Queensbury, Hartford, UAlbany, Shen, Scotia and many other places. Coach Nolan never asked for anything. Coach Nolan became their second dad, and not just limited to the basketball court. The boys love him for it. Every one of these young men is a better person for having Coach Nolan in their lives.
The Panthers were expected to win this game going away, and they did. But it did take a couple of quarters to get into the groove and pull away. The Panther defense kept the Horde to six points in the first quarter and eight in the second while putting up 26 points of their own. During the third quarter, Hoosick Falls put the game away with an 18 point burst.
Andrew Hoag scored 13 points to lead the way. Connor McCart and Mark Hackett added nine points each.
With the win, the Panthers became the first team in WASAREN League history to complete two consecutive undefeated seasons.
HF 51 Green Tech 65
Green Tech, the number one team in the area and number four in NYS in Class AA, came to visit the Panther Den Monday evening. The Eagles lived up to their hype by heading home with a win. The Panthers never threatened the Eagles for the win, but the Eagles did not run away from the Panthers either. The Eagles were heavier, taller and very athletic, but the Panthers held their own. The fourteen point margin was the closest Section II game Green Tech has played this season. When they played Schalmont, a possible Section II, Class B foe, they won by 37. It was good to play against the speed and quickness of Green Tech. Playing against Granville, for example, does nothing to prepare you for Green Tech. But the other way, playing Green Tech to prepare for, say, Broadalbin-Perth, is great prep. After playing Green Tech, a game against a Class C team seems a little slower, which is to your advantage.
The Panthers are currently the number five ranked team in NYS Class B. Sectional seeding schedules are this week but were selected after this story went to press. The Panthers should be a number one or two seed. They will play next Tuesday or Wednesday evening at a site to be announced.