English
EspañolPLATTSBURGH — NCCS looked like they were ready to pull away, up 10 in the second quarter against Saranac.
But the Spartans answered with a 7-0 run to the break and had another 8-0 run in the third quarter to come away with a 38-36 victory in the girls’ Section VII Class B championship.
“It was stressful. It was really stressful,” Lily Brown said. ”We couldn’t do anything, so it was hard. We started off really slow. Like, I know it has the first few points, but it was just a slow game for us.”
Saranac managed just one field goal in the first quarter as NCCS built an eight-point lead. The Spartans slowly chipped away at it with their first run, being down only three at the break.
It was the defense that won the day for Saranac as they continued to fluster the Cougars while looking for their own shot.
Once Saranac cut it to one point, the momentum shifted its way. The teams traded baskets and leads. As the clock wound down, the Spartans went on moved the ball effectively to avoid being fouled.
“It feels amazing,” Maddie Gagnier said. “We worked really hard the past week. We knew it was gonna be a hard game coming in, and we just focused on defense. and that’s what won the game for us tonight.”
For the third year in a row, the Spartans are sectional champions, and it’s something Gagnier wanted more than anything.
“I wanted it really bad,” she said. “We worked harder in practice all week. Just tried to knock it down when we were down, and we came back. NCCS is a very good team, very good program. They have been for the past five years, but we just came out with a win.”
Gagnier finished with a game-high 18 points to lead Saranac. Brynn Hite finished with 10 points for NCCS.
It’s been a big year for the Spartans as the roster is on the younger side, but Saranac grew as the year went on to become what they are today.
“It means a lot because a lot of people grew in the season,” Gagnier said. “We had a lot of young guards come up, and they stepped up tonight and played amazing. Everyone played amazing.”
Saranac now receives a bye into the NYSPHSAA Regional Final when they travel to face the Section II champion March 14 at 11 a.m. at Hudson Valley Community College.
Before that, they will face Peru in the Champions Challenge Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
—
Saranac 38, NCCS 36
Northeastern Clinton (36)
Racine 3-0-6, Dumas 3-0-6, Scott 1-4-6, Roberts 3-0-8, Hite 4-1-10. TOTALS: 14-5-36
Saranac (38)
Liberty 2-0-4, Recore 1-2-5, Forgette 2-0-6, Gagnier 6-6-18, Brown 1-0-3, Terry 0-2-2, TOTALS: 12-10-38
Halftime- NCCS, 18-15
3 point goals- Saranac (4) Recore, Forgette (2), Brown NCCS (3) Roberts 2, Hite