Panther Boys Hoop Team Gives Lilac 200th Win

by Gary Danforth
Hoosick Falls Central School varsity boys basketball Coach Mike Lilac Jr. reached career coaching win number 200 in his fourteenth season as cage mentor at HFCS when his Panther team crushed home standing Greenwich Central School by a 62-33 margin in WASAREN League play last Friday, January 8.
The win pushed the Panthers league record to 5-0 and overall mark to 7-1. Six-foot-six senior center/forward Kevin McMahon scored a game high 24 points to propel Lilac to the milestone coaching win, accomplished by only about 40 coaches in Section II history. But like in every other game, McMahon got a lot of help.
Hoosick Falls broke out to leads of 15-7 after eight minutes and 28-18 at halftime before outscoring the Witches 20-12 over period three to take a 48-30 spread into the final stanza. HFCS outscored the hosts 14-3 in period four to win going away, 62-33.
McMahon with 24 points, Alex Lilac, 16, Tanner Williams, 8, Hutton Rasmus, 7, John Hayden, 5, and Sean Dingman with 2 points scored for HFCS. For Greenwich, Casey Walsh and Joe Estromonte led the way with 10 points apiece.
Rebounding from Afar: Few coaches have gotten to 200 wins quicker than Lilac has, as he is averaging just under fifteen wins per year. Next up for HFCS is a home game this Tuesday night, January 12, when the Panthers entertain Lilac’s Alma Mater, Stillwater Central School. Then, on Friday, January 15, HFCS travels to take on a good Granville team. The defense, balance on offense in most games and depth of the team are getting it done for HFCS.