News & notes

 The Masters golf tournament starts on Thursday, but a Queensbury teen had the day of his life on Easter Sunday.

Braydon Dock, 14, placed 2nd in the national Chip, Drive, & Putt tournament, winning the putting portion. Nice start to spring vacation.

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Stanford women's basketball coach Tara VanDerveer spent part of her childhood in the 518, growing up in Schenectady. Local media is treating her like she's one of our own, anyway.

Photo courtesy of the Daily Gazette.

VanDerveer won her 3rd national title Sunday night, as Stanford clipped Arizona, 55-54, to win the NCAA women's basketball championship. Stanford last won the title in 1992. VanDerveer is now tied for 3rd all-time in coaching wins with Baylor's Kim Mulkey, behind UConn's Geno Auriemma and the late Pat Summitt of Tennessee.

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Troy High is being treated like Rodney Dangerfield when it comes to the Albany Times-Union's basketball All-Star teams.

The men's large school all-stars were revealed in today's editions, and while some of the selections shouldn't surprise readers, Troy, which reached the finals of the Suburban Council tournament before falling by 3 to Shenendehowa, may feel disrespected.

1st team all-stars:

Marcus Jackson (Albany Academy)(Player of The Year).

Alex Barnhill (Mekeel Christian Academy).

Chris Dufort (Saratoga).

Devin Dzikas (Shen--father Tony, who resigned after winning the tournament, was named Coach of The Year).

Preston Graber (Albany Academy).

2nd team all-stars:

Mason Courtney (Shen).

Josh Rodriguez (Troy).

Hagen Foley (CBA).

Dayshaun Watson (Green Tech).

Marko Gibbons (Bethlehem).

3rd team all-stars:

Isaiah Austin (Albany).

Luke Britton (Saratoga).

Trevon Gifford (Green Tech).

Kenyon Coleman (Niskayuna).
Gabe Lucarelli (LaSalle).

Rodriguez being named to the 2nd team, after Jenalyse Alarcon was a 3rd team all-star for the women, is hard to argue. Consider, too, that the 1st team has just 2 players from the Suburban Council in Dzikas & Dufort, as Academy is an independent in basketball and Mekeel, like Troy, is a Class A school, albeit in a smaller league (Western Athletic Conference). Ye scribe is just not digging the anti-Troy bias, but, as we know, things can change after football season ends later this month.....