Team effort leads to Lake George title

The Lake George Warriors warm up prior to their
Sectional Championship game against Waterford

COLONIE - Joel Wincowski scored a season-low 23 points, but found support inside as Andrew McGowan catapulted to nine fourth quarter points as the Lake George Warriors captured the Section 2 Class C title with their 60-28 win over Waterford-Halfmoon Fordians.

It is the second sectional championship in three years for the Lake George Warriors, now 22-1 this season.

Wincowski scored 11 of his 23 points in the first quarter as the Warriors jumped out to a 16-6 lead, an opposite of what happened Wednesday night in Watervliet when the Lake George Warriors fell 12 points back of the Hoosic Valley Indians before they came back to take command in the third quarter.

Wincowski had help all around the front court.  Dylan Hubbard launched 3 threes for nine points, and Kyle Jones scored 8 points.  During the fourth quarter, Wincowski on several occasions found an open Andrew McGowan in the paint, which led to McGowan scoring 12 points for the Warriors.

The Lake George Warriors hoist the Section 2 Class C
Championship trophy after their 60-28 win.

On the other end of the court, Dave Jones changed up his defense during the game.  Starting with a zonal defense, the Warriors changed into a full court press, which led to some Fordian turnovers.  The changes in defense also led to some tough looks for Kyle Fairclough.  Wednesday's hero against Greenwich with 21 points, Fairclough was held to less than half his average with only 5 points.

Josh Orton was also held to less than his average.  The 21 point per game Fordian managed to score 15 points against the Warriors.

The game was never in doubt for the Warriors, who built a 28-10 lead at the half.  Waterford came out and scored the first points of the third quarter behind loud crowd support, forcing Dave Jones to take a timeout.  But off the timeout, the Warriors used their full-court power to keep Waterford at bay, and then pulled further away with a 23 point fourth quarter.

Armed with the Sectional Championship, the Lake George Warriors will travel north to SUNY Plattsburgh, where they will meet the Section 7 champion, Northern Adirondack, on Wednesday.  The Bobcats claimed the Section 7 Class C title with a 59-46 win over Ticonderoga.

#3-WATERFORD FORDIANS vs. #1-LAKE GEORGE WARRIORS
Saturday, March 7th, 4PM at Colonie High School, Colonie, NY

WATERFORD
1-Kyle Fairclough      0    0    3    2    5
4-Jace Davey           0    0    2    0    2
20-Josh Orton          4    2    8    1   15
24-Christian Jones     2    2    0    2    6
TOTALS                 6    4   13    5   28

LAKE GEORGE
3-Kyle Jones           3    0    2    3    8
4-Joel Wincowski      11    5    4    3   23
11-Dylan Smith         0    4    0    0    4
21-Dylan Hubbard       0    3    0    6    9
30-Steve Colletti      0    0    0    2    2
33-Duncan Mularz       2    0    0    0    2
44-Andrew McGowan      0    0    3    9   12
TOTALS                16   12    9   23   60

THREES: WATERFORD (2) - Fairclough-1, Orton-1; LAKE GEORGE (8) - Jones-2, Wincowski-3, Hubbard-3

TECHNICALS: WATERFORD (1) - Bench