The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Hoosick Falls 3rd And 4th Graders Win Basketball Tournament

By

by Lori Kempf

The Hoosick Falls third and fourth grade basketball team survived a thrilling opening round overtime game against Clifton Park and won its final two games to emerge as champion of the Fifth Annual March Madness Basketball Tournament held at the Duanesburg YMCA in Delanson, New York over the March 5th-6th weekend.

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Back Row L-R – Tyler Peabody, Andrew Sparks, Jack Cavanaugh, Mathew Kempf, Connor MacNeil; Front Row L-R – Cole Ziehm, Sam Fauler, Carson Glover, Brady Mann, Maddox Dorman, Michael Plush, Aiden Fleming Photo courtesy of Lori Kempf
Back Row L-R – Tyler Peabody, Andrew Sparks, Jack Cavanaugh, Mathew Kempf, Connor MacNeil; Front Row L-R – Cole Ziehm, Sam Fauler, Carson Glover, Brady Mann, Maddox Dorman, Michael Plush, Aiden Fleming
Photo courtesy of Lori Kempf

In the tournament’s opening game, Hoosick Falls trailed late until Jack Cavanaugh sank two free throws in regulation to send the game into overtime.  With just seven seconds remaining in overtime, Connor MacNeil stole the ball and was fouled and forced to leave the game due to injury.  Aiden Fleming entered the game and calmly sank two free throws to put Hoosick Falls up by one, after which the Hoosick Falls defense prevented a game winning attempt by Clifton Park to secure a 32 to 31 victory.

Against Coxsackie-Athens, Hoosick Falls prevailed by the score of 33 to 21, as Maddox Dorman, Sam Fauler, Carson Glover, Brady Mann, Tyler Peabody, Michael Plush, and Cole Ziehm combined for 11 points and 8 rebounds, highlighted by a long-range buzzer beater before the half by Sam Fauler.

In the championship game, Hoosick Falls beat tournament host Duanesburg 33 to 22 behind 14 points from Mathew Kempf and 12 points from tournament Most Valuable Player, Andrew Sparks. [/private]