by Steve Bradley
Alex Mendez scored 24 points, including six in the overtime, to lead the Panthers to a huge win over the previously undefeated Stillwater Warriors Friday evening. The win kept Hoosick Falls in contention for a third straight Wasaren League title, with a little help from a Stillwater opponent. The Panthers are one game behind Stillwater and tied with Mechanicville for second place. Stillwater plays Mechanicville on Feb. 5 at home, the best chance for a Stillwater loss.
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It was a very exciting game. Both teams battled for everything they got. Tie scores were the norm throughout the game. Stillwater’s Mitchel Wayand, who scored 37 in the first meeting between the two teams, was held to 14 points in regulation time.
When the first half ended the Warriors held a two point advantage, 29-27. The Panthers leading scorer, Connor McCart had three points and Wayand had six. The two combined for 70 points in the the first meeting. Mendez, however, took up the slack, dropping in five three-pointers and scoring a total of 15 first half points to help the Panthers keep pace with the Warriors.
The second half was more of the same with one big difference. Wayand was in foul trouble and spent time on the bench after his fourth foul. Kellen Skott, who was a force near the hoop on both ends of the court the entire game, scored six third quarter points to help the Panthers outscore the Warriors 18-10 in the third. That was a good thing, because the Panthers struggled to get points from anyone in the fourth quarter, scoring only a total of four.
The Panthers had a 45-39 lead to start the fourth quarter. The Panthers began using as much of the time clock as possible before shots, sometimes resulting in forced shots. The Panthers’ strategy appeared to be to hang on and limit Stillwater’s possessions. Stillwater cut the lead to one by scoring five points to the Panthers’ zero over the first four and a half minutes of the quarter. With under a minute left to play, Wayand hit a three to get Stillwater within one at 48-47. Mendez sank a foul shot give the Panthers a two point cushion. It wasn’t enough. Stillwater, with 13 seconds left, sank a jumper to tie the game and send it into overtime.
The five minute overtime saw Wayand make five of five free throws before he was called for an offensive foul with 1:28 left and had to leave the game. This was huge. Stillwater’s go-to guy was gone. Stillwater was clinging to a two point, 54-52 lead. The Panthers immediately responded to this good fortune by scoring the next six points to grab a 58-54 lead.
Stillwater didn’t give up. They hit a three with under ten seconds to play, then immediately fouled Mendez on the inbounds pass. Mendez hit one of the two shots he was awarded, keeping the Warriors within one-three pointer of winning the game. The Warriors sent up a desperation shot from half court at the buzzer that missed its mark and the Panthers had the big win.
Kellen Skott, who had a great game, scored 13 points, Rem Hickey added 12, Connor McCart ended with ten. Stillwater’s Wayand was held to 19 points.
HF 53 – Cambridge 34
at HFCS, 1/19. Hoosick Falls wasted no time in dispatching the Cambridge Indians. Jumping out to a 17-4 first quarter lead that Cambridge narrowed to 27-20 by halftime, the Panthers never let the Indians score in double figures in either second half quarter and pulled away to win by 19 points. Connor McCart had 19 points, Alex Mendez scored 11 and Kellen Skott added ten.
League Standings: (Monday, January 25), Stillwater (10-1), Hoosick Falls (9-2), Mechanicville (9-2), Granville (5-6), Tamarac (4-7), Hoosic Valley (3-7), Greenwich (2-8), Cambridge (0-10).
This week Hoosick Falls will face Granville at HFCS on Friday, January 29 (7:30 pm start). On Sunday, January 31, at Albany Academy, the Panthers face Watervliet High, with a starting time scheduled at 4:15 pm. Tuesday, February 2, will find the Panthers traveling to Greenwich (7:30 pm start). HFCS will host Tamarac High on Friday, February 5 (7:30 pm start). The regular season will conclude on Monday, February 8, against Mount Anthony in Bennington. The game has a scheduled 7 pm start.[/private]