True Grit (Troy vs. Bethlehem @ HVCC, 2/28/26)

 Historically, dating back to at least the 2014-5 season, when Troy High was an independent following the demise of the Big 10 in Section 2, Bethlehem seemed to have the Flying Horses' number in basketball, both men's & women's.

For most of today's Class AA men's quarterfinal at Hudson Valley Community College, it certainly seemed as though history was not on Troy's side, coupled with a 5-7 slide in their last twelve games. As it was, the game was delayed by a few minutes because a Class D game that preceded it ran long. Section 2 never learns. The Eagles held Troy to just 4 points in the 1st quarter, three of them on a Kayne Behan trey.

The officials decided to let them play, allowing Bethlehem to utilize a more hyper-aggressive, playground style defense. However, by halftime, Troy was starting to catch on, and catch up.

Missing one of their top players due to injury, the Eagles maintained a slim lead going into the 4th quarter. That's when Behan went to work.

The senior hit three more 3 pointers, one from both wings, and one from the top of the key, and it brought the student section to life. Troy took its first lead about halfway through the 4th quarter, and a Behan trey put them up for good.

It got to the point where the Eagles suddenly decided to foul to lengthen the game. Jordan Hood made some key free throws down the stretch, as Bethlehem saw their season come to an abrupt end. Troy punches its ticket to Glens Falls for Wednesday's semi-finals, 48-38. Bethlehem finishes 13-8, while Troy goes to 14-7, and will play either Amsterdam or Burnt Hills.

High School Fridays: Ballston Spa @ Troy, 2/27/26

 Three weeks ago, Troy High went to Ballston Spa, and defeated the Lady Scotties by 12 points, as they were in the midst of an ongoing winning streak. The mission tonight for Ballston Spa? Avenge the loss, to ensure the Suburban Council is assured of the Class AA women's title.

You can name your sponsor for tonight, whether it's a certain brand of facial tissues, or brands like Ken-L Ration, Alpo, Farmer's Dog........!

Check the video....

Ballston Spa, to their credit, mounted their comeback late 3rd quarter-early 4th quarter, but as soon as Troy's defense reasserted itself, the game was over, and Troy runs its winning streak to 14.

Also:

Burnt Hills 54, Amsterdam 40. Gary Bynom's Lady Spartans have the next chance to shut down the runaway train on Thursday at Hudson Valley.

Bethlehem 68, Mohonasen 37.

Columbia 60, Niskayuna 31. The semi-final on Thursday will be a rematch from 2024.

Class C:

Mayfield 42, Whitehall 29.

Stillwater 65, Maple Hill 39.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 74, Lake George 34.

Men's Class D:

North Warren 60, Hawthorne Valley 37.

Northville 67, Argyle 38.

Men's Class C:

Cambridge 73, Rensselaer 51.

Saratoga Catholic 69, Greenwich 46.

Thursday's sectional scoreboard, 2/26

 The women had the spotlight on Thursday night, as we set up for championship week at Hudson Valley Community College.

Women's basketball:

Class A quarterfinals:

Albany Academy 64, Ravena 36.

Averill Park 46, Schalmont 29.

Can the Lady Knights collect another Colonial Council pelt in the semi-finals? We'll find out on Tuesday.

Glens Falls 57, Ichabod Crane 42.

Academy of Holy Names 84, Scotia 77. Holy Names & the Black Bears will open the proceedings on Tuesday night.

Class D:

Northville 48, Germantown 17.

Duanesburg 38, Argyle 26.

Hartford 58, Mekeel Christian 42. 

Saratoga Catholic 56, Salem 33.

Sunday at HVCC:

6 pm: Hartford vs. Saratoga Catholic.

7:30 pm (approximately): Northville vs. Duanesburg.

Men's volleyball:

Class B final:

Cobleskill-Richmondville 3, Hudson 1. The Bulldogs will play the Section 3 champion tomorrow.

Class C final:

Catskill 3, Voorheesville 0. Catskill advances to a state regional at Watervliet tomorrow.

Wednesday's sectional scoreboard, 2/25

 Before we dive into Wednesday's basketball action, let's get caught up on the men's volleyball sectionals in Class C:

Monday:

Loudonville Christian 3, Cairo-Durham 2.

Coxsackie-Athens 3, Berlin-New Lebanon 0.

Voorheesville 3, Chatham 0.

Tuesday:

Catskill 3, Loudonville Christian 0.

Voorheesville 3, Coxsackie-Athens 2.

Catskill & Voorheesville meet tonight at Colonie, with the winner advancing to a regional at Watervliet on Saturday.

Women's basketball:

Class AAA:

Albany 71, Saratoga 48. The Lady Falcons will play Shaker Monday at Hudson Valley Community College.

Colonie 93, Schenectady 11. 

Shenendehowa 76, Guilderland 32. Shen & the Wolfpack meet at HVCC on Monday.

Men's basketball:

Class AAA: 

Saratoga 79, Guilderland 59. The Blue Streaks will play CBA Sunday at 4 pm at HVCC.

Class AA:

Burnt Hills 58, Queensbury 47. The Spartans will play Amsterdam Saturday at 4 pm at HVCC.

Ballston Spa 61, Mohonasen 52. The Scotties will meet Niskayuna at HVCC Saturday at 2:30.

LaSalle 77, South Glens Falls 42. Next up for the Cadets is Columbia, Saturday at 1 in what will be a home game for Orlando DiBacco's club at HVCC.

Class A:

Cobleskill-Richmondville 45, Schalmont 40. C-R will play Hudson Sunday at 4 at Guilderland.

Watervliet-Heatly 55, Broadalbin-Perth 27. 

Averill Park 73, Cohoes 40. Not as brutal a blowout as the women's game on Monday....!

The Golden Knights & Cannoneers will meet at Guilderland on Sunday at 11:30 am at Guilderland.

Gloversville 61, Ravena 34. The Dragons will meet Glens Falls Sunday at 2:30 at Guilderland.

Hudson Falls 58, Scotia-Glenville 53. The Bulldogs will play Lansingburgh Sunday at 1 at Guilderland.

Class B:

Greenville 65, Granville 44. Greenville will meet KIPP Capital on Saturday at Guilderland at 4 pm.

Tamarac 57, Mechanicville 48.

Fonda-Fultonville 73, Coxsackie-Athens 56. Fonda & Tamarac meet Saturday at 11:30 at Guilderland.

Johnstown 54, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 29.

Voorheesville 51, Hoosick Falls 40. The Sir Bills & Blackbirds meet at Guilderland Saturday at 2:30 pm.

Schuylerville 52, Corinth 37.

Catskill 83, Cairo-Durham 57. It'll be the Black Horses & Cats Saturday at 1 at Guilderland.

Men's hockey:

Shenendehowa 3, Saratoga 2.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa 4, Adirondack 2. 

Tuesday's sectional scoreboard, 2/24

 Women's basketball:

Class A:

Ravena 58, Broadalbin-Perth 42. The Ravens will next play Albany Academy on Thursday.

Ichabod Crane 46, Cobleskill-Richmondville 37. The Riders travel to Glens Falls next.

Academy of Holy Names 73, Lansingburgh 37. Holy Names will play Scotia at Glens Falls.

Class B:

Johnstown 35, Granville 21. Johnstown will play Mechanicville on Saturday.

Voorheesville 71, Fonda-Fultonville 29.

LaSalle 51, Schuylerville 31. The Blackbirds & LaSalle will have a rematch Saturday at Mechanicville.

Tamarac 39, Greenville 37. The Bengals will next play Coxsackie-Athens.

Corinth 62, Rensselaer-Loudonville Christian 39. Corinth will play Catskill on Saturday.

Catskill 65, Hoosick Falls 35.

Class C:

Greenwich 88, KIPP Capital 29.

OESJ 43, Galway 39.

Mayfield 68, Cambridge 42.

Whitehall 33, Waterford 21.

Stillwater 84, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 16.

Maple Hill 59, Warrensburg 20.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 67, Schoharie 30.

Lake George 47, Hoosic Valley 34.

Friday:

OESJ @ Greenwich.

Maple Hill @ Stillwater.

Whitehall @ Mayfield.

Lake George @ Berne-Knox-Westerlo.

Men's basketball:

Class C:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 80, Waterford 15.

Cambridge 73, Hoosic Valley 48.

Duanesburg 65, Lake George 27.

Stillwater 76, Middleburgh 59.

Saratoga Catholic 78, Loudonville Christian 45.

Maple Hill 53, Whitehall 44.

Rensselaer 66, Fort Plain 52.

Greenwich 59, Schoharie 53.

Friday @ HVCC:

Maple Hill vs. Berne-Knox-Westerlo.

Rensselaer vs. Cambridge.

Friday @ Guilderland:

Stillwater vs. Duanesburg.

Saratoga Catholic vs. Greenwich.

Class D:

Hawthorne Valley 73, Salem 28. Hawthorne Valley will play North Warren at HVCC on Friday.

Monday's sectional scoreboard, 2/23

 Not everyone had the day off due to the snowstorm on Monday. Some schools opened late, or had virtual learning. and those that did and had teams in the tournament would open their doors after school.

Women's basketball:

Class AA 1st round:

Niskayuna 54, South Glens Falls 40. Nisky travels to Columbia on Friday.

Ballston Spa 61, Queensbury 41. The Lady Scotties will get a rematch with Troy on Friday.

Amsterdam 61, Catholic Central 57. The defending champions, depleted by transfers and graduation after last season, go one-&-done. The Lady Rams travel to Troy to play Burnt Hills on Friday.

Class A 1st round:

Averill Park 91, Cohoes 27. This mismatch was over in the 1st quarter. The Lady Knights will play Schalmont at Albany Academy on Thursday.

Schalmont 62, Hudson Falls 50.

Scotia-Glenville 57, Watervliet-Heatly 52. The Lady Tartans await the winner of Lansingburgh @ Holy  Names, postponed to tonight due to weather.

Ravena @ Broadalbin-Perth & Cobleskill-Richmondville @ Ichabod Crane were also moved to tonight.

The results of Monday's men's volleyball matches have not been reported, suggesting that they, too, were postponed, pushing the schedule back.

News & notes

 Most schools are either delayed or closed today due to the snow. Check with your schools to see if your team is playing in sectionals tonight.

Gavin Doty led 4 Saints in double figures with 21 points as Siena defeated St. Peter's, 72-63, on Sunday at MVP Arena. The Saints have 2 games left before the MAAC tournament begins next week in Atlantic City.

In other Siena news, the baseball team is still looking for their first win after Wake Forest completed a weekend sweep with a 15-1 drubbing in 7 innings. Siena will travel to Aberdeen, Maryland, to play UMass-Amherst this weekend.

We'll have the full schedule soon, but we can tell you that the Tri-City Valleycats will open the home portion of the 2026 schedule on Friday, May 15 vs. Quebec. The Brockton Rox will be in town the following weekend, returning July 3-5. Ticket prices will be finalized as we get closer to the season opener.