News & notes

 One of the reasons why Troy High chose to go to the Suburban Council in 2015 wasn't so much the higher level of competition in the league, but just as importantly, the development of a territorial rivalry with Averill Park. 

When it comes to basketball, there are two distinctly different storylines that played out entering play on Friday.

On the men's side, Dave Pugilese had only won 1 game vs. Troy, and that was during the 2019-20 season. Averill Park has been hot & cold this season, but upset Bethlehem earlier this week, and Pugilese wanted to get a road win at Troy, which has been a house of horrors for the Warriors over the years.

Mission accomplished. While we won't have the stats until tomorrow, AP took down Troy, 50-44, to win their 2nd straight. Troy, coming off a win over Burnt Hills, goes back on the road Monday at Saratoga, before returning home to play Bethlehem on Thursday.

As for the women, Sean Organ's Averill Park squad has owned Troy since the 2015 Class A finals. It used to be that these games could be competitive, but they have not been so the last couple of seasons. Troy just does not have the talent presently to compete with AP, and it showed in a 65-22 loss on the road. Averill Park had the game won at halftime, leading, 38-5. I would imagine Organ called off the hounds around the 4th quarter or late in the 3rd to give Troy a fighting chance. Troy has now dropped 11 straight to AP dating back to 2015, and is clearly in rebuilding mode. Assuming 1st year coach Will Harris sticks around (along with his daughters) beyond this season, it'll take at least another year or two for the Lady Horses to catch up to the elite in the Suburban Council.

But the problem Troy's women have has nothing to do with Harris. You'd think the former UAlbany star would teach his players how to utilize the same full court pressure defense almost everyone else uses against them, but this writer suspects that he can't, because Athletic Director Paul Reinisch, or someone higher up the food chain, if you will, doesn't want that. Sticking to the half-court defense is hurting the Lady Horses for the 3rd straight season, and they need to catch up, preferably yesterday.

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Siena College's men's basketball team had a chance to build a winning streak, coming off a road win at Niagara on Monday.

Quinnipiac, though, had other ideas, and beat Siena, 82-70, Friday at MVP Arena. Mason Courtney (Shenendehowa) had a season & college high 20 points for the Saints.

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The rest of Friday's college action:

Women's basketball:

Cobleskill 61, Hartwick 48.

Skidmore 70, Bard 29.

Vassar 70, Union 60.

Ithaca 61, RPI 60.

Men's hockey:

Harvard 6, RPI 3.

Union 5, Dartmouth 1.

Women's hockey:

Harvard 2, RPI 1.

Dartmouth 4, Union 2.

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Other high school scores:

Hockey:

Guilderville 4, CD Jets 0.

LaSalle 5, Adirondack 3. LaSalle snaps a 3 game losing streak.

CBA 6, Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa 5.

Shenendehowa 6, Mohawks 0.

Men's basketball:

Foothills Council:

Glens Falls 81, Schuylerville 47.

Patroon Conference:

Taconic Hills 76, Cairo-Durham 40.

Suburban Council:

Albany 66, Burnt Hills 65.

Western Athletic Conference:

Mayfield 50, Galway 42.

Women's basketball:

Colonial Council:

Academy of Holy Names 65, LaSalle 46. Kate Gilooly led LaSalle with 22 points in a losing effort.

Schalmont 53, Cobleskill-Richmondville 29.

Suburban Council:

Colonie 66, Schenectady 29.

Bethlehem 47, Niskayuna 32.

Western Athletic Conference:

Mayfield 80, Middleburgh 27.

Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 53, OSEJ 40.