Bears seize command
Albany Academy draws away to win Class B regional
AVERILL PARK — Although it was not pleased in scoring 23 points during the first half Wednesday evening, the Albany Academy for Girls basketball team had the smallest deficit possible entering intermission.
The Bears proceeded to score the exact same amount of points in the second half, yet they left the court infinitely more happy by what they managed to do on defense over the final 16 minutes against Saranac. Albany Academy
for Girls limited the Spartans to a pair of 3-pointers, one in each quarter, and drew away to produce a 46-30 Class B state regional victory over Saranac of Section VII at Averill Park High School.
“We really had to dig deep, especially for our seniors. It is oneand-done at this time of year,” said Albany Academy for Girls sophomore star Alex Leonard, who had a small scratch on her face that drew a trace of blood.
The next challenge for the Bears (20-3) comes Saturday at SUNY Potsdam vs. Gouverneur. Game time is 1 p.m.
The Bears scored the final 12 points of Wednesday’s contest. They seized command on backto-back 3-pointers made by Eva Gitto and Leonard, who topped all scorers with 16 points, to take a 40-30 lead. The Spartans (19-4) saw their scoring total reduced from 15 points in the first quarter to nine in the second quarter, followed by just three each in the third and fourth quarters.
“The defensive end is where it starts. Six points in the second half, the girls just locked in,” AAG coach Bryan Capitula said. “They wanted it more in the second half than they did in the first half. We had a good locker room talk and the captains led the locker room talk. I didn’t have to say much. That is always good when you have leaders inside the team, not me as the coach.”
The Bears trailed 24-23 at halftime and finished the game with
seven 3-pointers, but it was hardly a vintage shooting performance from a program with back-to-back Section II Class B titles and currently rated No. 2 in the state poll.
“Their defense was really good and we had to figure out where we could get gaps and looks to get scoring,” Leonard said.
“We finally did what we do best and went to the basket.”
The first two baskets of the fourth quarter were aggressive drives and scores by sophomore point guard Liana Williams and Leonard.
“We just needed to get downhill. We were getting good looks from 3, but they just weren’t falling,” Leonard said. “We were getting layups.”
The strain of being unable to make a basket began to weigh on Saranac and its defensive play in the second half did not match what it had turned in during the first 16 minutes of action. Albany Academy for Girls managed to score more points (16) in the fourth
quarter than Saranac (15) did over the last three quarters.
“We’re a mentally strong team and we know what it takes to win,” Leonard said. “We have been in positions like this before.”
Junior guard Layla Pellerin
paced the Spartans with 13 points and junior forward Madison Gagnier added 10 points.
A victory Saturday would put the Bears into the state final four for the second straight year.