English
EspañolPLATTSBURGH — There was very little that separated the Saranac Lake and Saranac boys’ basketball teams Friday night.
But when Spartans’ star Carson Duffield fouled out in overtime, that tipped the scales in the Red Storm’s favor as Saranac Lake defended its Class B title with a 78-73 victory in a tremendous game at Clinton Community College.
Mik Denkenberger had a monster game for second-seeded Saranac Lake with 35 points, including seven 3-pointers, as the standouts on both teams came out to play.
“It’s so great,” he said. “We’ve worked so hard every day, and all the work showed tonight. I was worried a little bit, but we handled the adversity and overcame it.
“It was unbelievable. I didn’t even know what to think. It was so crazy. I don’t even know.”
Gunner Harrison added 16 points, Zack McCarthy 11 and Cedar Crist 10 for the Red Storm (19-3).
“Yeah, there was one point when we would hit a three and then they would hit a three,” Cedar Crist said. “It was just trading threes. It’s great. The crowd’s popping, and everyone’s energized.”
Duffield finished with 27 points for the top-seeded Spartans (16-6), while Armani Richards added 19 and Henry Napper 13, including 11 in the second half.
“I mean, obviously, that’s the best game that we’ve been in all year, and that’s just a great high school basketball game,” Saranac Lake coach Daryl Crist said. “Saranac was unbelievable.
“But that’s the first time we’ve had a full roster since Dec. 23, and we never lost focus. and the guys who had to step in through the course of the year did their job, and they’re just such a team.”
Duffield tied the game at 68-68 and sent it into overtime when he hit two free throws with 13.5 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, McCarthy hit a 2-pointer with 2:54 left in the extra session, and the Red Storm, who outscored the Spartans 10-5 in overtime, held the lead the rest of the way.
Denkenberger was four-for-four from the foul line in overtime, and the Red Storm were 16-of-22 from the line in the contest.
Duffield was called for his fifth foul, an offensive foul, with 2:42 remaining in the extra session.
“When Duff (Duffield) went out, we really switched our focus,” Daryl Crist said. “We knew they didn’t have rim protection, so we really went at them.”
Saranac Lake held a 32-29 lead at the half, and then Saranac rallied for a 51-45 lead after three when Duffield scored 10 points with Napper and Richards adding six each in the third.
But the Red Storm battled back in the fourth with Denkenberger leading the way with 11 points in the stanza. Saranac Lake grabbed the lead late, and it took the two from the line by Duffield to send the game into overtime.
Saranac Lake will play Section VII Class A winner Peru in Thursday’s Champions Challenge at 7:30 p.m. at CCC.
The Red Storm will then get a bye into the regional final against the Section II winner March 14 at Hudson Valley Community College.
—
SLCS 78, SCS 73, OT
SLCS (78)
McCarthy 4-3-11, Crist 4-1-10, Denkenberger 11-6-35, Martelle 2-2-6, Harrison 6-4-16, Gillis 0-0-0, Willett 0-0-0. Totals- 27-16-78.
SCS (73)
Hulkow 3-0-8, O’Neil 1-0-2, Franks 0-0-0, Fleury 1-0-2, Napper 4-4-13, Richards 8-2-19, Co. Duffield 0-0-0, Champagne 0-2-2, Ca. Duffield 11-4-27. Totals- 28-12-73.
Halftime- SLCS, 32-29.
End of regulation- tied at 68.
3-point goals- SLCS (8) Denkenberger 7, Crist. SCS (5) Hulkow 2, Richards, Napper, Ca. Duffield.