News & notes

 If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably seen a disproportionate number of lopsided scores in women's high school basketball. Not just in favor of the usual suspects (i.e. Shenendehowa), but across all of Section II's leagues.

A reason for this, in this writer's opinion, is an increased use in a full court press or trap defense employed by a number of teams, including Burnt Hills and Albany. I get that the idea here is to prepare the players for college, where this kind of defensive alignment is much, much more common.

We took a look at Albany blowing out Troy, for example, at Zotto Gym on Friday night. The relentless, full court pressure has been a bane to Troy the entire season, and until Ryan Meikle's club can figure out how to break the defense, opponents, save maybe for a weak sister like Schenectady, will continue to use this alignment. Never mind that Albany has owned the Lady Horses, dating back to the waning days of the Big 10. This was an out & out massacre that started in the second quarter, after Troy led by 1, 12-11, after the first quarter. Albany outscored Troy, 58-27, the rest of the way, as the Falcons won again, 69-39. The score submitted to the press and Section II basketball's website, however, shorted Troy 3 points for no reason. as the scoreboard showed 69-39 at the end of the game.

For the record, Me'Chelle Cancer led all scorers with 21 points, and Troy had few answers for her or her sidekick, Shonyae Edmonds, who finished with 17 after a slow start. Ava Mamone led Troy with 10 points, as the Lady Horses fall to 3-9 (1-7 Suburban Council). Last Saturday's home win over Schenectady is considered a non-league game for some unknown reason.

Troy, after a 2-2 homestand, begins a 4 game road trip Tuesday at the Riley Center, then will visit Guilderland, Kingston, & Shen before coming home to play the Academy of Holy Names in two weeks.

Burnt Hills, which gave everyone else the blueprint on how to beat Troy in the Averill Park Tip-Off Classic, handed Bethlehem their 2nd straight loss, 56-49. Carlie Rzeszotarski led 3 Lady Spartans in double figures, and was the leading scorer overall, with 18 points. Maren Louridas had 14 points, and Kaitlyn Robbins chipped in 11 for the Lady Eagles (7-2). Ellie Cerf had been cleared to play against Albany, but didn't play against either Albany or Burnt Hills.

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Siena's men's basketball team had 4 players in double figures as they defeated Marist, 67-60, on Friday night. They could still be a tough out heading into the MAAC tournament in Atlantic City in March.

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The rest of Friday's high school & college scoreboard:

High school hockey:

Shenendehowa 9, LaSalle 1. Six different players scored for the Plainsmen, who had their way with the Cadets' defense, scoring 4 goals in the 1st period en route to the blowout victory.

Bethlehem 5, Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake-Ballston Spa 2.

Guilderville 5, Mohawks 3.

Albany Academy 4, Queensbury 2.

Men's basketball:

Adirondack League:

Lake George 58, Argyle 50.

Hadley-Luzerne 62, Salem 45.

Hartford 67, Corinth 50.

North Warren 62, Granville 53.

Colonial Council:

Ichabod Crane 59, Cobleskill-Richmondville 43.

Mohonasen 62, Schalmont 42.

Lansingburgh 57, Voorheesville 46.

Foothills Council:

Scotia-Glenville 61, Broadalbin-Perth 45.

Amsterdam 58, Schuylerville 49.

Hudson Falls 58, Gloversville 50.

Queensbury 61, Johnstown 60.

Patroon Conference:

Watervliet 79, Taconic Hills 36.

Hudson 58, Maple Hill 53.

Greenville 61, Coxsackie-Athens 39.

Suburban Council:

Shaker 51, Averill Park 41.

Shenendehowa 50, Guilderland 40.

Burnt Hills 48, Bethlehem 45.

CBA 48, Ballston Spa 35.

Colonie 60, Schenectady 51.

Wasaren League:

Tamarac 66, Greenwich 34.

Mechanicville 50, Hoosic Valley 49.

Hoosick Falls 75, Saratoga Catholic 51.

Western Athletic Conference:

Canajoharie 60, Galway 49.

Fort Plain 59, Northville 44.

OESJ 70, Mayfield 46.

Fonda-Fultonville 48, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 45.

Non-league:

Mekeel Christian Academy 63, Niskayuna 61.

Women's basketball:

Adirondack League:

Whitehall 62, Fort Ann 14.

Corinth 70, Hartford 58.

Colonial Council:

Schalmont 68, Mohonasen 37.

Patroon Conference:

Maple Hill 39, Hudson 19.

Suburban Council:

Averill Park 58, Shaker 48.

Saratoga 55, Columbia 46. 

Shenendehowa 62, Guilderland 31.

Colonie 58, Schenectady 18.

Wasaren League:

Cambridge 71, Waterford 26.

Greenwich 55, Tamarac 46.

Emma Willard 38, Stillwater 29.

Mechanicville 51, Hoosic Valley 38.

Western Athletic Conference:

Northville 54, Fort Plain 43.

Duanesburg 80, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 64.

Mayfield 59, OESJ 43.

Swimming:

Albany Academy 94, Mohonasen-Schalmont 90.

Local college basketball:

Men:

Union 78, RIT 74.

RPI 80, Clarkson 63.

Vassar 66, Skidmore 57.

Russell Sage 64, Alfred 61. Kenny Allison (Lansingburgh) had 8 points in a losing effort.

Women:

RIT 60, Union 43.

RPI 57, Clarkson 55.

Vassar 83, Skidmore 71.

Russell Sage 73, Alfred 54.

Men's hockey:

Skidmore 5, Castleton 0.

Union 3, St. Lawrence 2.