by Ryan Mosher
The Hoosick Falls boys basketball team cruised through its first sectional game on Saturday at HVCC, but on Monday at the Glens Falls Civic Center they hit a roadblock. That roadblock came in the form of the Fonda Fultonville basketball team.
The fifth seeded Braves drew first blood with a Jarrett Ladd three-pointer. Senior Quinn Rasmus answered right back with a basket, but Ladd knocked down another three-pointer less than a minute later to make it 6-2.
That would be the story the whole game for Hoosick Falls. Every time the Panthers made a big play and seemed to be right back in contention, Fonda would burst their bubble with a play of their own. Hoosick Falls scored just one more time in the first quarter, an Alex Lilac shot at the buzzer to make it 10-4.
Hoosick Falls continued to struggle in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Fonda forced the Panthers into a shot clock violation before Coach Mike Lilac took a timeout. The team responded well to whatever was said in the huddle and went on a 6-0 run to bring them within two points at 12-10. At halftime the score was 16-12 in the Braves favor.
The third quarter was a seesaw battle as the Panthers fought to stay in the game and Fonda fought to widen the gap. Unfortunately the Braves would stick a dagger in the Panthers’ back every time they did get close. Twice in the third quarter Hoosick Falls got within two points, only to have Fonda hit a three-pointer to stretch the lead back out. The closest Hoosick Falls could come was at 32-31 after Alex Lilac knocked down two free throws with just under five minutes remaining. The final score was Fonda 41, Hoosick Falls 34. Fonda moves on to face Watervliet in the Class B final on Thursday.
Senior Quinn Rasmus led the Panthers with 12 points, while Lilac scored 11 points. Hoosick Falls finished the season with a 15-5 record.