Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
The Glens Falls Black Bears and the North Warren Cougars are both in the hunt for New York State High School Boys Basketball Championships this weekend at the Cool Insuring Arena downtown.
It’s an especially big moment for the two local teams because — to Glens Falls’s consternation — state school athletic officials voted to move the tournament starting next year to Binghamton for at least three years.
Stillwater in Saratoga County and Green Tech from Albany are other area teams in the tournament.
GF hoops home in NYS Final Four; Driscoll leads the way
By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
Glens Falls boys basketball will play in front of a hometown crowd in the state Final Four for the first time since 2007, when the Cool Insuring Arena was still the Glens Falls Civic Center.
The last time Glens Falls won the state title was 2019, in Binghamton, where the state tourney will return on a three-year contract after this season.
But before the tourney departs, the Black Bears hope to give the hometown fans a lot to cheer for. They enter the Class A state semifinals with an unblemished 25-0 record and the No. 1 ranking.
Glens Falls faces Binghamton-area Maine-Endwell (14-7) at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 15. The winner advances to the championship game on Saturday, March 16. at 5:15 p.m. the winner ofWayne vs. Friends Academy on Friday.
Glens Falls earned the final four berth with a 78-70 victory over Westhill in Saturday’s quarterfinal on Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College.
Kellen Driscoll, Foothills Council and Class A Section II Tournament MVP, lived up to those titles with 38 points, including the first 11 of the game.
The junior forward/guard was on fire, hitting 15 of 21 shots and three of four 3-pointers. He snagged eight rebounds.
“That’s who he is,” Head Coach Rob Girard said. “That’s why he was the MVP this year. He knew he had to step up on Saturday. We needed a little bit more scoring from him. Not only was he able to get to the basket, but he also focused in and made some clutch three pointers.”
Junior Brody Holcomb added 14 points and eighth grader Aiden Prunty had 12.
“We’ve been saying it all year — I don’t think it’s just about stopping one guy,” Coach Girard said. “We proved that in the couple games before. Kellen is definitely Kellen, but the other four guys can score as well. So I don’t think you can focus on just one guy.”
Girard said his team got a chance to watch its semifinal opponent Maine-Endwell play on Sunday night.
“I think our matchup is pretty good with them,” he said. “We understand what they want to do and what they can do. We’re definitely going to have our hands full, but at the same time, I like our chances, and I’m sure they like their chances too. I think it will be a really competitive game.”
North Warren in NYS Final Four
By Ben Westcott, Chronicle Staff Writer
Eighth grader Semaj Cuyler kept the North Warren boys basketball team’s season alive by hitting a floater in the lane with 15 seconds left in regulation as comb 57-56 in the state quarterfinal at Clinton Community College on Saturday.
The win punched North Warren’s ticket to the Class D state Final Four for the second year in a row at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.
On Saturday, March 16, at 9 a.m. the Cougars face Smithtown Christian (17-4) of Long Island in the semifinals.
“He likes those moments,” said Head Coach James Cuyler, who also happens to be Semaj’s father. “He told me close to the end of the game that he was going to win this game. He said to me, ‘Don’t worry, I got us.’ He wants the game to be in his hand in those moments.”
Coach Cuyler talked about what it’s like to be the dad of the hoops hero in addition to his coach.
“It’s a wonderful feeling, but I’m not surprised because I know how much work he put in,” Cuyler said. “He’s been playing basketball since he was three years old, working out and working on his craft since three. When he was young, he always played against kids bigger and stronger than him.”
The Cougars (20-4) got 16 points from Cuyler and team-high 17 points from junior Wyatt Jennings, who hit five 3-pointers.
“Wyatt’s been clutch these last couple games,” Cuyler said. “Teams are doubling [senior big man] Derrick Tyrell and Semaj, so Wyatt’s going to get the opportunities. We’ve been working on that since the end of the season. He’s been getting up a lot of shots in practice.
“We can’t win these games without Wyatt stretching that floor and knocking down those shots.”
Tyrell added 14 points. “He’s going to demand so much attention,” Cuyler said. “And he protects the rim. He doesn’t care about scoring, he just wants to win. He’s a winner.”
That all-important win came by the slimmest of margins Saturday.
“It was too close for comfort, but these guys showed heart and grit and willed out a win,” Cuyler said. “It’s survive and advance. That’s what it is right now. I don’t care if we win by half a point or .2 points. Whatever we’ve got to do, let’s just get the win.”
After losing in the state semifinal last season, the Cougars are hungry for more.
“We had a taste of it last year, so we understand how big this moment is,” Cuyler said. “It’s important for us to not relax. We’ve got to play a 32-minute game and leave everything on the court.”
He said Smithtown Christian looks like a good team. “They have a big man, two kids that can score and some good role players. It should be a good game.”
The winner of the semi-final will play in the state final at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 17, against the winner of Avoca-Prattsburgh and Sackets Harbor.
NYS Boys Basketball Championship
Thursday, March 14
SESSION #1
Class B Semifinals
6 pm: Woodlands vs. Stillwater
7:45 pm: Salamanca vs. Marcellus
•
Friday, March 15
SESSION #2
Class A Semifinals
9 am: Glens Falls vs. Maine-Endwell
10:45 am: Wayne vs. Friends Academy
Class AA Semifinals
12:30: Our Lady of Lourdes vs. West Genesee
2:15: Jamestown vs. Elmont Memorial
SESSION #3
5:15 pm: Class B Final
Class C Semifinals
7 pm: Haldane vs. Moriah
8:45 pm: Lyons vs. Moravia
•
Saturday, March 16
SESSION #4
Class D Semifinals
9 am: North Warren vs. Smithtown Christian
10:45: Avoca-Prattsburgh vs. Sackets Harbor
Class AAA Semifinals
12:30 pm: Kingston vs. Green Tech
2:15 pm: Niagara Falls vs. Bay Shore
SESSION #5
5:15 pm: Class A Final
7 pm: Class AA Final
8:45 pm: Class C Final
•
Sunday, March 17
SESSION #6
1 pm: Class AAA Final
3 pm: Class D Final
TICKETS
Admission to each session is $10, general admission. No reentry. Buy online at seatgeek.com ($3 fee) or in person at the Cool Insuring Arena box office during business hours.
Premium behind the bench seating available on a per-game basis, $20 each, sold at the Cool Insuring Arena Box Office (or purchase in advance via link on the Seat Geek site; $5 fee.)
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