Connor McCart wins it for Hoosick Falls in closing seconds

LAKE GEORGE - With UMBC coaches watching, Joel Wincowski carried his Lake George Warriors to the lead after being down by five to the Hoosick Falls Panthers entering the final quarter.

His two points with under 40 seconds to play made it 50-49 in favor of the hometown Warriors.

But Connor McCart stole the show, going unguarded in the lane to scoop up a rebound off a missed three, and layed in the go-ahead bucket with 8 seconds left to play.

On the final possession of the game, Joel Wincowski went inside, just like he did earlier in the quarter, but couldn't get the angle necessary as the ball traveled right.  A Zeke Reynolds rebound put-back missed, and after another tip, the ball went out of bounds just as the clock read triple zero, giving the Hoosick Falls Panthers their 13th win of the season to remain perfect, and dealing the Lake George Warriors their first loss of the season in 15 games.

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Connor McCart finished the game with 16 points for the Hoosick Falls Panthers, and Andrew Hoag added 13 points.  Mark Hackett also contributed with 10 points.

Joel Wincowski added 34 points to his resume, giving the senior guard 2,237 points for his career.  Wincowski is now 167 points behind former Glens Falls Indian Jimmer Fredette for most career points in Section 2 history.  Wincowski scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter, and was the only Lake George Warrior to put points on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter.  Kyle Jones scored three 3's on his way to 11 total points.

Hoosick Falls, the #10 ranked team in Class B according to the latest NYSSWA rankings, gets a break after a grueling stretch that saw the Panthers play 7 games in 10 days. They will return home to host their local rival, Hoosic Valley, on Friday.  Lake George, ranked #2 in Class C, finishes a homestand and will take to the road to face North Warren in Chestertown on Friday in a game that could clinch the Warriors a spot in the Adirondack League Championship in February.

#10B HOOSICK FALLS PANTHERS (13-0) at #2C LAKE GEORGE WARRIORS (14-1)

HOOSICK FALLS         14   8  18  11   51
LAKE GEORGE           13   9  13  15   50

HOOSICK FALLS
 3 NOAH CHANI          0   0   0   2    2
 5 ANDREW HOAG         5   2   4   3   14
10 CONNOR MCCART       2   6   4   4   16
12 WILL BRADLEY        3   0   2   0    5
21 AUSTIN PITT         0   0   2   2    4
32 MARK HACKETT        4   0   6   0   10
TOTALS                14   8  18  11   51
THREES: BRADLEY (2), HACKETT (3)

LAKE GEORGE
 3 KYLE JONES          3   5   3   0   11
 4 JOEL WINCOWSKI      7   4   8  15   34
21 DYLAN HUBBARD       3   0   0   0    3
31 ZEKE REYNOLDS       0   0   2   0    2
TOTALS                13   9  13  15   50
THREES: JONES (3), WINCOWSKI (1), HUBBARD (1)

High School Basketball: Games to watch this week 1/26-2/1

As midterm examinations rings upon our high school athletes, it brings a quieter week with most teams only playing on Friday night.

The games that are played are very important, with Sectional Seedings only three weeks away.

Please note, with the storm forecasted for Monday and Tuesday, these Monday/Tuesday games may be postponed.  Check with the home school district to ensure these games are still on.  As a general rule, if school is closed for the day due to inclement weather, the games that night WILL be postponed.

Monday, January 26th
Corinth (8-4) at Spa Catholic (8-6)
Waterford (10-3) at Berne-Knox-Westerlo (8-4)

Comments: Rescheduled from January 3rd, Corinth will get a better tune-up for their Class B Sectionals by facing Spa Catholic, who gave their tournament resume a better boost with their 20 point with over Northville on Friday night.  --  Waterford has rattled off five straight wins since falling to unbeaten Germantown, and will battle a Berne-Knox-Westerlo squad that is going to be competing with the Fordians for a good seed in the Class C sectionals.  This game was originally scheduled for December 23rd, but was rescheduled following the Kenneth White tragedy.

Tuesday, January 27th
Loudonville Christian (9-4) at Berlin (7-5)

Comments: Loudonville Christian failed to keep up with the pace being set by teams in the Adirondack League with their loss to Waterford on Wednesday.  With Germantown on Friday, it's essential that the Eagles put forth a good showing against the Berlin Mountaineers if Loudonville Christian wants to keep alive the chance to score a good seed and avoid a play-in game or a tough quarterfinal game in Stillwater.  Berlin, a Class C team, boosted their resume by shocking the previously undefeated Germantown Clipppers by outscoring them 24-15 in the fourth quarter on Friday.

Wednesday, January 28th
Broadalbin-Perth (8-4) at Mekeel Christian Academy (10-0)

Comments: Mekeel Christian Academy hasn't sweated much during their 10-0 season, beating several Class C schools by double digits in the Western Athletic Conference.  They will get a strong test on how good their 10-0 really is when they host Broadalbin-Perth.  The Patriots are the only team to knock off the Schalmont Sabres, another team contending for the top seed in the Class B Sectionals.  If Mekeel Christian Academy is truly one of four teams fighting for the #1 seed, they will earn it with a win here.  Otherwise Broadalbin-Perth returns to the conversation for a good seed, something they lost with their loss to Gloversville.

Thursday, January 29th
Catholic Central (9-4) at Long Island Lutheran (12-3)

Comments: Long Island Lutheran is a team that regularly comes into conversation for teams making their way up to Section 2 in March for the NYS Federation Tournament.  At 12-3, Long Island Lutheran is poised to make a return trip up the Thruway, with a 72-61 win over Albany Academy on their resume.  It's going to be a good test for Catholic Central as they try to get ready for Sectionals in three weeks.  What lessons Chuck Mack leans from this game will come in handy as Catholic Central hopes not to be one-and-done this year in the AA bracket.

Friday, January 30th
Lake George (14-1) at North Warren (11-3)
St. Johnsville (8-5) at Canajoharie (9-5)
Hoosic Valley (9-4) at Hoosick Falls (13-0)
Germantown (12-1) at Loudonville Christian (9-4)
Amsterdam (11-3) at Scotia (13-0)

Comments: A full Friday slate of games after midterms brings some key battles for sectional seeding and league titles.  Lake George can clinch their spot in the Adirondack League championship with a win over the second place Cougars, who they beat back in December.  North Warren nearly lost their second straight against Fort Edward on Friday, and a win here could get them back on track, and also keep them alive for the league title.  -- St. Johnsville (yeah, we know they've got a longer name than that) is a Class C school this year after being a D last year, and are one of five teams still contending for the WAC North Division title.  They're all chasing Canajoharie, the team the Wolfpack face.  The Wolfpack only fell by 5 the first time around, and a loss by the Cougars could create a more congested logjam at the top.  -- It was only a two point win for Hoosick Falls back on December 19th, but this time the rivalry is at Hoosick Falls.  It doesn't look like Hoosic Valley will scoop up the #1 seed in Class C after falling to Stillwater twice, Greenwich and Hoosick Falls, but they can help their season out and hurt Hoosick Falls's chances at a #1 seed in Class B with a win in Northeastern Rensselaer County. -- A chip in the solid foundation behind Germantown's bid for a #1 seed in Class D formed with their loss to Berlin on Friday, but they can Spackle it with a win over Loudonville Christian.  -- Amsterdam obtained a big win over Queensbury on Friday to better their candidacy for a top 3 seed in Class A, but can further their bid for a higher seed if they can be the first to do something no other team has in over 30 tries ... beat Scotia.  The Tartans continue to roll, and won the first meeting in Amsterdam by 11 back in December.

Amsterdam's Interior Defense too much for Spartans

QUEENSBURY - Kory Burgh scored a game-high 25 points as the Amsterdam Rams continue to be perfect against the Foothills Council North with Friday night's 77-63 win over the Queensbury Spartans.

The win improved the Rams record to 11-3 overall, 8-1 in the Foothills Council.  Their lone loss to date in the league was against Scotia, The two teams meet again in Scotia next Friday.

Queensbury suffers their second league loss in a row after starting the season 7-0.  The Spartans suffered a 82-48 setback against the Tartans on Tuesday.

Amsterdam took control of the game early, jumping out to a early double-digit lead, by using a full-court press and seizing opportunities inside the arch.  Often times, Queensbury was trying to score 1-on-3 and it led to altered shots, deflected attempts and turnovers as the Spartans tried to kick the ball back out.

And without an established three-point threat, the Rams were able to continue to protect inside the arch as the Spartans had only one long range bucket all game -- 1 from Brett Rodriguez in the first quarter.  The Rams had outside threats, as Kory Bergh and Andrew Druziak established themselves early to be good from behind the arch as the two teamed up for 6 three pointers in the first half.

The Rams did give Queensbury several opportunities to climb back into the game after being down 15 at the half, by getting into foul trouble in the third quarter.  But as the Spartans closed to within 7 points, the Rams pulls away and maintained their defensive presence inside.

Kory Bergh scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half, but was limited in the second half.  All five points he scored in the fourth quarter came at the free throw line.  Andrew Druziak helped with 18 points, and Hector Rodriguez contributed with 13 points.

Keeghan O'Leary led the Queensbury Spartans with 21 points, and Brett Rodriguez added 15 points.

High School Hockey: Section 2's Final Quarter Look

The high school hockey season is starting to head into the final third of the season, which will feature mostly league games from here on out.  We're less than four weeks until the meeting to determine the seedings for the upcoming Section 2 tournament. 

Heading into this week's slate of games, Saratoga continues to lead the CDHSHL with 9 points, three more than three teams sitting behind them.  Shenendehowa is unbeaten in league play through four games. Glens Falls/Hudson Falls/South Glens Falls (henceforth known in this article as Tri-Falls) helped keep up with the pack with their win in the Stick Game.  And Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, who might be the league's hottest team right now, sports a 4-1 league record and a seven game win streak.

But with the bulk of the league games still to come, the Delvecchio Cup is still up for grabs.

Here's our thoughts about each team through the first 8 weeks of play.  For a list of this week's games, scroll down to the bottom.

Saratoga Springs - 8-4-2 overall, 5-1 league, 9 points

Key Wins/Ties: Suffern (W 3-2), Mamaroneck (T 2-2), Pelham (T 2-2)

Key Losses: Shenendehowa (4-2), Pittsford (8-3)

Remaining Schedule: La Salle, @Queensbury, @Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, Shenendehowa, @La Salle, @Niskayuna/Schenectady

Thoughts: The Blue Streaks have always found ways to catch that extra spark they needed come late January and early February, but their road to the Delvecchio Cup is tough.  La Salle is still in the thick of the tight chase and Queensbury might give them some trouble before they face red-hot Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa.  It doesn't get any easier after that when they have to play Shenendehowa at Weibel, hoping to bounce back from December's 4-2 loss to the Plainsmen.

Shenendehowa - 8-5 overall, 4-0 league, 6 points
Key Wins/Ties: Mamaroneck (W 4-0), Saratoga (W 4-2), Pelham (W 5-3)

Key Losses: Scarsdale (6-5), Suffern (5-3), Pittsford (5-1)

Remaining Schedule: Queensbury, @Niskayuna/Schenectady, La Salle, @Saratoga, @Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, @CBA, @Bethlehem

Thoughts: If you think the Blue Streaks have a grueling final stretch, the Plainsmen have it worse.  Four straight road games, and like Saratoga, that game against Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa is going to be on the road.  Yes, the Plainsmen have the win over the Blue Streaks earlier in the season, but last year's game at Weibel Avenue turned out to be nothing like the first go-around, with Saratoga cruising to a 5-1 win.  The Plainsmen are unbeaten in league play, but the core of their league schedule is still to come. 

Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa - 10-2 overall, 4-1 league, 6 points

Key Wins/Ties: Lake Placid (W 2-1), Mount Everett (MA) (W 2-1)

Key Losses: Tri-Falls (6-5), Franklin Academy (3-2)

Remaining Schedule: @La Salle, Guilderland, @Shaker/Colonie, Saratoga, @CBA, Shenendehowa, @Bethlehem, CBA

Thoughts: If there's a team that could throw a wrench into the yearly sectional meeting between Shenendehowa and Saratoga, it could be Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa.  They won the CBA Tournament earlier in the season with a 2-1 win over Massachusetts's Mount Everett, which is their only loss of the season to date.  

Tri-Falls - 7-8 overall, 3-2 league, 6 points

Key Wins/Ties: Burnt Hills (W 6-5), Rome Free Academy (W 2-1)

Key Losses: Saratoga (7-3), Shenendehowa (6-2), Mamoroneck (4-3), Beekmantown (4-0), Plattsburgh (4-2)

Remaining Schedule: Guilderland, CBA, Bethlehem, Shaker/Colonie, @La Salle

Thoughts: If Tri-Falls has one thing going for them, is that they already have played the top three teams above them, and won't have to face them for the rest of the season.  With all teams below them remaining, sweeping their remaining five games is very feasible for the Rivermen.  Come tournament time, though, the Rivermen will need to step it up, as their multi-goal losses to Saratoga and Shenendehowa will make the Rivermen an underdog to be Sectional Champions.

La Salle - 6-6 overall, 4-2 league, 5 points

Key Wins/Ties: None

Key Losses: Beekmantown (8-1), Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa (3-2), Beekmantown (9-3)

Remaining Schedule: @Saratoga, Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, Bethlehem, @Shenendehowa, Queensbury, Saratoga, Tri-Falls, @Niskayuna/Schenectady

Thoughts: I should clarify something... when I talk about key wins/ties, these are victories or ties against teams that are doing well this season.  When it comes to La Salle, they have wins, but it's against teams with worse records/standings than where they are.  And it doesn't get any easier for the Cadets, who still have to face Saratoga twice, Shenendehowa once, and Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa once as well in the eight games they have remaining on their schedule.  This could leave the Cadets very vulnerable when it comes to playoff seeding.

Bethlehem - 3-8 overall, 3-4 league, 4 points

Key Wins/Ties: None

Key Losses: Mamoroneck (3-0), Beekmantown (5-2), Saratoga (5-0), Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa (6-4)

Remaining Schedule: CBA, @La Salle, Queensbury, @Tri-Falls, Niskayuna/Schenectady, Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills

Thoughts: Bethlehem's got some winnable games left on their schedule, which isn't as nasty as La Salle's final stretch will be.  The Eagles will want to win as many of these as they can to give them enough points so that Shenendehowa and Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa to wrap up the regular season won't force them into a early round showdown with a top seed, or worse yet, a play-in #8 vs. #9 game.

Niskayuna/Schenectady - 4-9 overall, 2-3 league, 2 points

Key Wins/Ties: None

Key Losses: Beekmantown (1-0), Plattsburgh (4-3), Burnt Hills (5-4), Saratoga (6-4), Beekmantown (4-1)

Remaining Schedule: Shenendehowa, CBA, @Shaker/Colonie, @Bethlehem, Saratoga, @Queensbury, La Salle

Thoughts: With the exception of that last game against Beekmantown, most of Niskayuna/Schenectady's losses against good opponents have been tight.  They've been games that have come down to the final minute.  This could result in the Mohawks being a dark horse, one to have to watch for a potential upset come tournament time.  How they fare against teams like Shenendehowa and Saratoga will speak volume towards this team's potential.

Queensbury - 4-10 overall, 1-3 league, 2 points

Key Wins/Ties: Plattsburgh (W 3-2)

Key Losses: Beekmantown (5-2), Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa (3-2)

Remaining Schedule: @Shenendehowa, Saratoga, @Bethlehem, @La Salle, @Shaker/Colonie, Niskayuna/Schenectady

Thoughts: As the lone Division 2 team in Section 2 again this year, Queensbury's season is guaranteed to continue after February 13th's finale against Niskayuna/Schenectady.  That doesn't mean the Spartans want to take these six remaining games without any fight.  The Spartans showed some fight with a key win over Plattsburgh, which has helped them win three of four games.  The next two are tough, with Shen and Saratoga, but a good effort could spark the Spartans for a potential upset when they face the Section 7 champion up in possibly Plattsburgh come March.

Shaker/Colonie - 1-9-2 overall, 1-5 league, 1 point

Key Wins/Ties: None

Key Losses: Mamaroneck (5-0), Saratoga (4-1), Plattsburgh (8-1), Shenendehowa (3-1)

Remaining Schedule: @Guilderland, CBA, Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, Niskayuna/Schenectady, @Tri-Falls, vs. Middlebury (at Lake Placid), @Lake Placid, Queensbury

Thoughts: The Jets could use a key win or two as we get closer to sectionals, as right now they're in a position where they could have to travel to Bethlehem for the 8/9 play-in game.  Their only league point comes thanks to a 6-3 win over CBA back in December

CBA - 3-9 overall, 0-7 league, 0 points

Key Wins/Ties: None

Key Losses: Saratoga (11-0), Mt. Everett (MA) (3-1), Shenendehowa (9-0)

Remaining Schedule: @Bethlehem, @Shaker/Colonie, @Tri-Falls, @Niskayuna/Schenectady, Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa, Shenendehowa, vs. Taconic/Pittsfield (MA) at RPI, @Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa

Thoughts: The Brothers have opportunities to get themselves out of the hole that will force them into the play-in game at Bethlehem, but they are going to need some better organized hockey.  They've yet to defeat a league opponent as the two games against Guilderland this year do not count as league games.

Guilderland/Mohonasen/Scotia-Glenville - 0-5 overall, not participating in the league and is playing an independent schedule made up of some Section 2 opponents mixed with other opponents across New York State.

THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE

Wednesday, January 21st:

La Salle at Saratoga - 6:45 PM

CBA at Bethlehem - 7:00 PM

Thursday, January 22nd:

Guilderland at Tri-Falls - 7:40 PM - on FOX Sports Radio 1230

Friday, January 23rd:

Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa at La Salle - 7:00 PM

Queensbury at Shenendehowa - 8:00 PM

Shaker/Colonie at Guilderland - 8:00 PM

Saturday, January 24th:

CBA at Shaker/Colonie - 5:45 PM

Shenendehowa at Niskayuna/Schenectady - 6:45 PM

Guilderland at Burnt Hills/Ballston Spa - 7:30 PM

High School Basketball: Games to watch this week

We're down to less than a month until the seedings are announced for sectionals.  Many teams are hoping to make impressions on the Section 2 committee, and this  could be the week to do so.

High School Boys Basketball - Games to watch

Week of January 19th - 25th:

Tuesday, January 20th

Spa Catholic (7-5) at Canajoharie (8-5)

Argyle (9-3) at Fort Ann (9-2)

Averill Park (8-3) at Shaker (6-4)

Guilderland (10-0) at Shenendehowa (12-0)

Scotia (11-0) at Queensbury (8-2)

Comments: Spa Catholic is having a rougher go this season, but could give themselves a little help with the seeding committee, and keep their chances for the WAC crown alive with a game at Canajoharie.  -- Argyle fell hard against North Warren on Friday, which will give them trouble if they hope to return to the Adirondack League championship.  They already spotted a game to Fort Ann, and a win for the Cardinals could help clinch them a spot in the championship game.  -- Averill Park and Shaker are fighting for a better favorable playoff seeding at this juncture.  -- Guilderland and Shenendehowa are tops in their division in the Suburban Council and the battle of the unbeatens could come down to basketball fundamentals. -- Scotia and Queensbury could be a preview of the inaugural Foothills Council championship come mid-February.  Queensbury's two losses were against AA teams, one being defending state champions Green Tech and the other Saratoga Springs.  

Wednesday, January 21st

Mechanicville (5-6) at Stillwater (8-4)

Loudonville Christian (8-3) at Waterford (8-3)

Comments: A local rivalry and battle for fourth in the Wasaren is on the schedule when Mechanicville takes on Stillwater.  Mechanicville needs help if they're going to avoid a potential early round matchup against Hoosick Falls, Mekeel Christian Academy, Catskill or Schalmont, all poised to scooping a top seed come next month.  --  Loudonville Christian (D) and Waterford (C) may be in different classifications, but are battling for second and third in the Central Hudson Valley League.  Loudonville Christian could make the seeding committee's job very difficult with a win, as they would remain one of five potential teams battling for the second through sixth seeds in the playoffs.  Waterford could use the seeding help as well in their 22-team classification to prevent an early trip to Lake George or Hoosic Valley.

Friday, January 23rd

North Warren (10-1) at Fort Edward (8-5)

Catholic Central (7-4) at Schenectady (8-4)

Guilderland (10-0) at Bethlehem (10-2)

Spa Catholic (7-5) at Northville (10-3)

Amsterdam (9-3) at Queensbury (8-2)

Comments: North Warren won convincingly over Argyle, now can further make an impression on the sectional seeding committee with the East Division's third place team.  Likewise, Fort Edward needs to make the same impression, as right now they are stuffed behind five really good teams and could face an opening round game.  --  Catholic Central and Schenectady are nearly even, and seeding in the Class AA bracket will be interesting this year without the Big 10 conference.  This game could help the committee.  -- The road for Guilderland doesn't get any easier after Tuesday's battle of the unbeaten, as they travel to Bethlehem.  Guilderland won the first go-around on the first day of the season for both teams, and Bethlehem is playing better as the season has progressed. --  Northville won the first meeting against Spa Catholic, and could use another win against a C-classification opponent to keep their name in consideration for a top seed in Class D.   --  Queensbury's road is tough this week, with Scotia on Tuesday and south division's second place Amsterdam on Friday.  If the Spartans are going to make a deep run in February, a win this week would show that they have the power to do so.

Saturday, January 24th

Green Tech (9-0) at Schalmont (10-1)

Hoosick Falls (9-0) at Lake George (12-0)

Argyle (9-3) at Sect 7-Schroon Lake (9-1)

Comments: Schalmont will get a good indication on how good their team is with their Saturday matinee against Green Tech.  Playing the defending state Class AA champions will give Greg Loiacono an idea of what things he needs to improve heading into Sectionals.  --  A game that was postponed due to snow on January 3rd, it's good to see that what was going to be a battle of the unbeaten is still likely to be that way come January 24th.  Both teams are favorites to be their respected class's number one seed, with Lake George in Class C and Hoosick Falls in Class B.  --   Schroon Lake is a worthy foe in Section 7, with their only loss being at the hands of Fort Ann. Another challenge from a strong Section 2 foe will help them for their postseason up north.  Depending on how their Tuesday game goes, Argyle may need a win against a non-conference foe to help settle their season down.  A loss to Fort Ann may push Argyle down the ladder to a level they haven't seen in awhile, having to play an opening round game in order to play the quarterfinals in Stillwater.

A great week of games coming up.  Let us know if you're planning on being at any, and be sure to use the #518Hoops hashtag to report scoring updates from any of these games!

Wincowski's 40 beats Cardinals after Mattison buzzer-beater forces overtime

FORT ANN - Just call the Fort Ann Cardinals the Buzzer Beaters.

The Cardinals made three buzzer beaters, but none bigger than Tyler Mattison's three point shot at the end of regulation to force overtime.

But the Lake George Warriors took advantage of two technical fouls early in the extra session to hand the Fort Ann Cardinals their second loss of the season with their 75-71 win at Fort Ann Central School.

The Cardinals first beat the buzzer with Seth Godfrey's short jumper at the end of the 1st quarter to give Fort Ann a 16-14 lead.

Lake George stormed back, scoring the first 9 points of the second quarter, to escape at the half with a 31-25 lead.  They extended their lead to as many as 10 points during the third quarter, but then Fort Ann started coming back, closing to within three after Tyler Mattison beat the third quarter buzzer on a three point bucket.

Joel Wincowski had four fouls at this point, causing the UMBC-bound senior to play a little more conservatively through the fourth quarter.  Lake George would continuously grow to a five point lead, but Fort Ann made it tight heading into the final minute.  Chris Jackson had the opportunity to tie the game for Fort Ann with a one point deficit at the free throw line, but missed both of his free throws.  After Lake George was fouled, Zeke Reynolds made both of his free throws to give the Warriors a three point lead with 9 seconds left to go.

Fort Ann inbounded the ball to their top-scoring sophomore, Tyler Mattison.  After trying to shake a defender, he passed the ball, moved to the baseline, and put up a three point shot that went in as time expired to force overtime.

Click Here if the embedded player doesn't show

In overtime, Lake George scored the early buckets, and widened their lead to seven after a pair of technical fouls that yielded the Warriors four free throws.  They made three of four.  But the Cardinals weren't done yet, and closed the gap.  But in the final minute, Lake George was able to push to a four point lead, and Fort Ann was unable to get a free shooter with 15 seconds left to play.

Joel Wincowski finished the game with 40 points to push his career total to 2,065.  Wincowski became the 9th player all-time to join the 2,000 point club in Section 2 on Monday and now needs only 20 points to pass Watervliet's Kevin Yanni for 8th all-time.  The all-time leader in Section 2 is Glens Falls's Jimmer Fredette, who scored 2,404 points during his storied career for the Indians.

The win keeps the Lake George Warriors undefeated as they get ready to host five games in a row, starting with Hadley-Luzurne on Tuesday and ending with a rescheduled game with Hoosick Falls on Saturday, January 24th that was snowed out on January 3rd.  The Fort Ann Cardinals continue their homestand with games against Salem and Argyle next week.

TEAM                 1    2    3    4    OT    F
LAKE GEORGE (10-0)  14   17    8   18    18   75
FORT ANN (8-2)      16    9   11   21    14   71

LAKE GEORGE WARRIORS
 3 KYLE JONES        3    7    0    0     1   11
 4 JOEL WINCOWSKI    7    3    8    9    13   40
10 CRAIG KEENAN      4    0    0    0     3    7
11 DYLAN SMITH       0    2    0    0     0    2
21 DYLAN HUBBARD     0    0    0    2     0    4
23 GABE SALLSTROM    0    3    0    0     0    3
30 STEVE COLLETTI    0    2    0    0     0    2
31 ZEKE REYNOLDS     0    0    0    2     0    2
33 DYLAN MULARZ      0    0    0    2     0    2
44 ANDREW MCGOWAN    0    0    0    5     1    4
TOTALS              14   17    8   18    18   75

FORT ANN CARDINALS
 5 GARRETT BAILEY    0    0    0    2     0    2
10 SETH GODFREY      2    0    0    0     5    7
12 CHRIS JACKSON     0    0    5    5     4   14
15 JON ALLEN         0    0    0    1     0    1
23 JEREMY JOHNSON    1    0    3    6     0   10
34 TYLER MATTISON    6    5    3    7     3   24
42 BRANDON NASSIVERA 7    4    0    0     2   13
TOTALS              16    9   11   21    14   71

Game Starters in BOLD.

Game Preview: Lake George at Fort Ann

The gymnasium at Fort Ann Central School, where the
Lake George Warriors will play the Fort Ann Cardinals on
Friday, January 9th, 2015 in potential championship preview.

FORT ANN - A preview of the Adirondack League Championship could be in store this evening as the Fort Ann Cardinals (8-1 overall, 6-1 league) host the Lake George Warriors (9-0, 6-0).

The Fort Ann Cardinals are coming off wins over Fort Edward (73-65) and Schroon Lake (68-56).  Sophomore Tyler Mattison has become the key scorer for the Cardinals, averaging better than 20 points per game and posting double-doubles as one of Coach Kevin Nassivera's tallest players.  He scored a season-high 36 points against the Argyle Scots and again reached the 30 point plateau on Tuesday when the Cardinals beat the Fort Edward Flying Forts.

But he's not alone.  Jeremy Johnson has evolved into one of Fort Ann's secondary scorers.  He averages 14.3 points per game, scoring a season-high 26 points against the Whitehall Railroaders just before Christmas.

Brandon Nassivera scored a season-high 21 points against the Argyle Scots on his way to a season average of just under 10 points per game.  And Chris Jackson needs to be cared for when he steps behind the arch, leading the Cardinals with 8 buckets from 3-point range.

The Cardinals won big in the Granville Tournament, dispatching of Hadley-Luzurne before knocking off Vermont's Mount St. Joseph's Academy by 24 in the championship.  Their one loss this season was to North Warren, who is shaping up to be a strong threat in the Adirondack League West.

Lake George is the favorite to win the Adirondack League West, with a win over North Warren already on their resume.  Joel Wincowski needs little introduction in this preview, as he has been earning headlines for the Warriors throughout his varsity career.

On Monday, Wincowski became the 9th player in Section 2 history to eclipse the 2,000 point milestone, doing so while getting fouled early in the Warriors game against the Ticonderoga Sentinels.  Now with 2,025 points, Wincowski sets his sights on the top of the list, where Jimmer Fredette is Section 2's all-time scorer, earning 2,404 points from 2003-2007.

Wincowski averages better than 33 points per game, and has only two games this season where he has failed to eclipse the 30 point mark.  He bucketed a season-high 44 points against Fort Edward and is coming off a 30 point game against Ticonderoga.  And Wincowski does this while getting fouled plenty.  He's been to the free throw line nearly three times more than his nearest teammate, Andrew McGowan.

Senior Andrew McGowan isn't always a threat to score, but isn't a player you want to let go unguarded.  He scored 14 points against the Ravena Indians to start the season, and 12 points against Corinth.  However, he does have an Achilles heel, as he is not as dependable at the free throw line as Wincowski, draining only 10 of 28 free throws.

Kyle Jones is another player the Cardinals have to watch out for, as he and Wincowski team up for a combined 30 buckets behind the arch.  Jones had 4 of those against Warrensburg last month.

Both teams scored their best win against Argyle last month.  And both teams average close to the same points per game on offense.  But one key attribute that Lake George has over Fort Ann is defense.  The Warriors have allowed an average of 44 points per game, and the only two teams that Lake George has allowed 50 points against was Ravena and Lansingburgh, two higher-level squads that the Warriors will not see again this season.  By comparison, Fort Ann has allowed 58 points per game, as teams have scored 60 or more against the Cardinals five times this season.

Defense will be a big key in determining which team becomes the favorite to win the championship next month.

LAKE GEORGE WARRIORS AT FORT ANN CARDINALS
Fort Ann Central School, Catherine St., Fort Ann, NY
Time: JV - 5:30PM / Varsity - 7:00PM

Players To Watch: Lake George - 4 - Joel Wincowski / Fort Ann - 34 - Tyler Mattison
Radio Coverage: 6:50PM on FOX Sports Radio 1230 (WMML-AM)