News & notes

 The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) announced Friday that there will be no sectional or state tournaments for winter sports in 2021 due to coronavirus concerns.

That means that, for the 2nd straight season, there will be no state tournaments, but this time, once the regular season ends, that's it. The idea, of course, is to minimize the risk of additional COVID-19 cases resulting from extended road trips across the state.

With vaccines due soon, things could return to normal within a year's time. Stay tuned.

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LaSalle Institute's hockey team is chomping at the bit to play this season, but if they do, it won't be at Hudson Valley Community College's Robert Conway Ice Arena.

Instead, the Cadets' temporary home will be across town at Frear Park Ice Arena, a venue coach Tim Flanigan knows pretty well from his days as a player at Troy High, when Troy had a hockey team. Conway Arena is being used for COVID-related activities at HVCC this season.

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Women's college basketball finally began for Siena and UAlbany on Friday. That's the good news. The bad news is that whatever momentum the Saints & Great Danes had in the 1st half evaporated at halftime.

Colleen Mullen's Lady Danes, on the road at Hofstra, scored only six points in the 2nd quarter, and that was the difference in the game, as the Pride dispatched UAlbany, 63-45. Grace Heeps, the former Columbia High star, had just 4 points in a losing effort. Freshman Logan Thayne (Hoosick Falls) did not play (coach's decision).

A hastily scheduled home game vs. St. Peter's, set for today, was cancelled when St. Peter's began their MAAC schedule with a two game series. The game will not be made up. We think.

Back at home, Ali Jacques' Saints blew a six point halftime lead, held to nine points in the 3rd quarter, as Fairfield won the first of a two game series, 68-56. Isis Young, graduate transfer from Syracuse via Fordham (didn't play for the Rams last season due to injury), led Siena with 19 points in her 518 debut. Ahniysha Jackson, a freshman from Albany High, contributed six points. Another frosh, Grace Field (Holy Names), didn't play (coach's decision). The teams meet again tonight at the Alumni Recreation Center. The game can be heard on WVCR-FM (88.3), and accessible online through a link on the station's website.

Update, 8:12 pm: Siena has uploaded a ESPN highlight reel from Friday's game:

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For what it's worth, the Lady Saints' broadcast team consists of Joe Mixie, who called Tri-City Valleycats games in 2019, and would've probably done so again had they played this summer, and retired columnist Steve Amedio, who had two tours of duty with the once proud Troy Record, before hanging up his pen a few years ago. Give 'em a listen. You'll be glad you did.