by Gary Danforth
Well, with the upcoming Winter Olympics beginning this Friday, February 12, Lincoln’s Birthday, it is only fair to talk about style points. You know, the kind awarded to ice skaters. Unfortunately, in last Friday’s Hoosick Falls Central School boys basketball win over Greenwich Central School, there might have been few handed out to either team. Mike Lilac Jr.’s Panther five did what championship caliber teams do in tight ball games, they find ways to win. In a game which turned out to be an adventure in the last six minutes, the Panthers rode a conventional three-point play and two free throws by 6’6” senior center/forward Kevin McMahon to a workmanlike 45-36 WASAREN League win. The hard earned victory pushed the Panthers league slate to 11-1 and overall record to 13-2.
Duke Beck’s Greenwich Witches quintet hung around HFCS like honey bees to apple blossoms. Hoosick Falls, having one of those games that can wreck a championship year, couldn’t seem to shake the pesky Witches. Greenwich, to their credit, had only lost to second place Schuylerville by three points within a couple of weeks of hitting the Panther hardwood.
HFCS used back to back treys by sophomore Alex Lilac and McMahon to open a 6-2 spread with 4:57 left in period one. Sophomore John Hayden, having a great night, put an offensive board home for an 8-3 Panther lead. Hoosick Falls led 13-7 after eight minutes thanks to a late, two handed Hayden tip-in.
Offensive put backs by sophomore Tanner Williams and Hayden and a McMahon drive pushed the Panther lead to 19-7 with 4:41 left in period two. A Quinn Rasmus conventional three-point play and a Hayden right baseline jumper gave HFCS a 24-12 lead with 2:33 left in the opening half. But Greenwich, which hit five three-point shots on the night, was still hanging around when Rasmus converted another old style three-point play, giving HFCS a 27-14 edge. A well timed Witches trey left GCS trailing 27-17 at the intermission.
Things looked good for HFCS when Williams canned a free throw and knocked down a trey with 6:32 left in period three to put Hoosick Falls ahead, 31-17. But Greenwich showed its grit. GCS scored the next four points before McMahon scored on a right baseline drive. The teams exchanged buckets as HFCS took a tentative 35-25 lead into the final quarter.
Lilac hit a runner in the lane to give HFCS a 37-27 advantage. After a Witches bucket, Williams, playing well on this night, scored on an offensive board to give the hosts a 39-29 lead with 5:31 to play.
But then the Panther offense dried up. Greenwich, desperate to stay in the game all evening, scored. Then another GCS player tipped a shot in. It was 39-33 with 2:14 to play. HFCS committed a turnover. Greenwich hit a big three-point shot with 1:25 left to get to 39-36. It was the closest GCS had been since HFCS led 8-5.
But McMahon was found near the front of the rim with a pass, put it home and was fouled with :59 left. He added the important free throw, good for a 42-36 Panther lead. Then McMahon hit both ends of a one and one foul shot opportunity with :43 to play to push the Panther lead to 44-36. Rasmus canned the front end of another one and one situation with :19 left to finally put Greenwich away and seal the Panthers hard earned 45-36 win.
McMahon with 12 points, Hayden, 10, Lilac, 8, Williams, 8, and Rasmus with 7 points scored for HFCS while Joe Estromonte with 14 points paced GCS.
Rebounding from Afar: This was a gritty Panther win without many style points. A real lunch pail effort by HFCS. Hoosick Falls will play at home in the league finale on Friday, February 12, against Class B size Granville. It could be a dogfight.
The HFCS girls lost to Greenwich 61-22 with Jen Priore (13). Frankie Pearson(7) and Erin Shea scoring for the Panthers. HFCS drops to 0-12 and 1-15.