High School Fridays: Ballston Spa @ Troy (women's basketball), 12/7/18

After a humbling road loss to Albany on Tuesday night, Troy High's women's basketball team returned home to host Ballston Spa tonight at Zotto Memorial Gym. Both teams entered the game at 1-1, but the Lady Scotties, with one extra game played, were 2-1 overall.

If Troy coach Ryan Meikle had one goal in mind, it was to make sure his charges weren't blown out of their own gym. They have a week off before their next game, and regaining momentum was paramount. Thus, the Lady Horses played a tight, one-to-one pressure defense, but had trouble boxing out Ballston Spa for offensive or defensive rebounds. Still, Troy only trailed, 26-23, at the break.

Then, Jenalyse Alarcon took over.

The sophomore was held to two points at the break, and had a horrible night at the free throw line. However, in the third quarter, Alarcon finally sprang to life, hitting three key baskets, including a three pointer, to put Troy up for good. Alarcon finished with a game high 20 points. Juliana Valenti added 16, and Alaina Holmes had 12, as Troy defeated Ballston Spa, 58-49. Troy is now 2-1, while the Lady Scotties drop to 2-2 overall, 1-2 in the Suburban Council.

As noted, Troy has a week off before their next game, and will play two games in less than 24 hours next week, going on the road at Guilderland before returning home for a non-league matinee vs. Whitesboro the next day.
===========================================
Kiana Patterson was one of the linchpins behind Troy's 2012-13 run to the state title in women's basketball. Patterson graduated in 2015, and enrolled at Central Connecticut State.

On Wednesday, Patterson, now a senior at CCSU, returned home as the Blue Devils paid a call on UAlbany at SEFCU Arena......

Edit, 1/15/19: WRGB has removed the video footage from their website, and thus it's not available any longer.

Is Patterson's next stop the WNBA? Let's hope so.
========================================
Also tonight: Troy's boys team is now 2-0 after dispatching Ballston Spa on the road, 74-61. Lateef Johnson led the way with a game high 26 points. Like the girls, the boys have a week off before coming home to play Guilderland next Friday night, the first of three games in the space of a week before the Christmas break.