Hoosick Falls Avenges Earlier Loss to Spa Catholic; Wins Wasaren League Championship
Panthers Take Down Saints 53-45 in Championship Game
MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — For the first time since 2019, the Hoosick Falls boys basketball team is champion of the Wasaren League.
The Panthers took down Saratoga Central Catholic, 53-45, at Mechanicville High School Saturday afternoon for the title.
The victory came just eight days after Spa Catholic defeated Hoosick Falls in the two team’s regular season finale.
“Last week was a really close game; tough game,” said senior Carson Glover, who led Hoosick Falls with 15 points. “To come out this week and win, you know, it just feels great; to be the league champs. They’re (Spa Catholic) a really good team, so we knew it was gonna be a close game. Really good feeling going into playoffs.”
A Different Outcome This Time Around
In their previous meeting on Feb. 7, Spa Catholic put together a remarkable, second-half comeback to secure a 36-34 victory. After mustering just six points in the first half, the Saints outscored Hoosick Falls 30-14 after halftime.
In Saturday’s rematch, a similar script was beginning to play out. Hoosick Falls maintained a 30-22 lead at the half, but Spa Catholic opened the second half with a 10-0 run to claim a 32-30 edge.
However, rather than cave in again to the pressure the Saints were applying, the Panthers stood tall, and responded with an 8-0 run of their own.
Spa Catholic managed to draw within two by the conclusion of the third quarter, and both sides hit an offensive lull to start the final stanza. After over three-and-a-half minutes without a field goal, Hoosick Falls’ Ryan Sparks scored a lay-up to put the Panthers up 44-38.
Hoosick Falls’ Defense Seals the Deal
The Hoosick Falls defense was stifling down the stretch of the game, holding Spa Catholic to just one field goal in the fourth quarter, which was a three-pointer from Ronan Rowe that pulled the Saints within three at 48-45 with 45 seconds remaining.
Hoosick Falls came up with three straight defensive stops, though, in those final 45 seconds, and connected on five-of-six free throws to lock down the 53-45 victory.
“We came out strong last week [against Spa Catholic], and we kinda doled out in the second half, ” said senior Richie Stifter, who recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. “This week, we were pretty good the whole way through. We were kinda slow the first two minutes of the half and realized we want this [championship] bad. We dug down deep and got the job done.”
Championship Team Stats
* Carson Glover led the Panthers with 15 points
* Richie Stifter recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds
* Ryan Sparks added 14 points
* Tyler Hicks was the lone Saint to reach double digits in the scoring column, finishing with a game-high 20 points
Conclusion
With the victory, Hoosick Falls improves to 17-3 on the season. The Panthers are ranked 17th in the state for Class B, and should be on the fast track to earning the No. 1 seed in sectionals for B come postseason time.
“Even if it’s against a very good team like Spa Catholic, you don’t wanna lose two in a row going into sectionals,” said Hoosick Falls head coach Mike Lilac Jr. “It was good to get us back on our feet; get us on a winning note; get some good feelings going into sectionals, and we’ll see what happens. Everybody’s 0-0 now.”
FAQs
* What was the final score in the Wasaren League Championship game?
+ Hoosick Falls defeated Saratoga Central Catholic 53-45.
* How did the teams meet previously?
+ The teams met on Feb. 7, with Spa Catholic securing a 36-34 victory.
* How do the teams’ records stand after the championship game?
+ Hoosick Falls is now 17-3, while Saratoga Central Catholic falls to 18-2.
* What are the implications for the teams in the postseason?
+ Hoosick Falls is likely to earn the No. 1 seed in the Class B sectionals, while Saratoga Central Catholic will likely garner the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the Class C sectional tournament.
