Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Zander Frost, Chronicle Staff Writer
The Hudson Falls High School boys basketball team defeated Glens Falls, 57-44, last Monday for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
“That was four coaches ago for us,” Hudson Falls Varsity coach Greg Smith told The Chronicle. It’s his third season leading the team.
Hudson Falls was 11-3 with a 10-2 league record entering Tuesday.
What’s made the difference? “Not to be too flippant, but the Jimmies and the Joes,” Coach Smith said, referring to the players instead of X’s and O’s.
“This group of boys that I have right now —it’s a little different situation,” said the coach. “We’ve kind of had the upper hand on those Glens Falls kids coming up through the youth programs.”
Hudson Falls basketball is on the rise.
“We’ve put some big guys through the program in the last few years,” Coach Smith said.
He said Jonathan Beagle “left us last year, went to prep school and reclassified. He was young, he…got a lot of Division One interest and accepted a scholarship to UAlbany.
“My son Peyton, right now he’s got an offer actually from UAlbany. He’s been on the phone with a few other coaches. So we’ve put some big guys through the program in the last few years.”
Why the newfound success? “Our commitment to our youth program,” Coach Smith said. “Starting back, probably 10, 11 years ago, we really got ourselves a lot more organized. Fortunately, we had a lot of very committed youth coaches and players that also wanted to really improve their skills.”
They “have some natural talent, some real talent to push around a little too, which is nice,” the coach added.
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