Basketball playoffs: Saranac rides last run past Gouverneur, Potsdam advances

The 21-1 Chiefs will now advance to regional finals action against Section 2 Champion Albany Academy at Hudson Valley Communty College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

The seventh ranked Wildcats (23-2), who won their program’s first Overall Section 10 Championship in 34 years, gained the lead four times in Tuesday’s contest where the Chiefs’ decisive surge featured 3-pointers by Molly Dennis and Lia Parker from the top of the key and a swishing rainbow trey from the left corner by sophomore Brenna Ducatte for a 42-33 margin.

“I really don’t have a favorite spot. I like to shoot from all over. We have been a second half team this year and and we like to press and run,” said Ducatte who finished with a game-high 17 points and 8 rebounds and scored nine points in the Chiefs’ 16-5 fourth quarter charge.

Gouverneur gained the lead at critical times but each time the Chief’s answered immediately. Chloe Smith converted two runners down the lane to give the Wildcats a 18-16 lead with 2:09 remaining in the half but the Chiefs’ scored the last seven points including four by senior Sydney Myers for a 23-18 lead.

“Sydney Myers is a just a tremendous athlete who is all over the place. She is the heart of our team. And Brenna Ducatte is a great shooter,” said Saranac Coach Tim Newell.

“Conditioning has been a strength for us all year. We have been able to make runs late in the third and fourth quarters.”

Chloe Smith connected again for a 29-28 Wildcat lead late in third quarter but a Mchenna Brown free throw tied it a 29-29 for the quarter’s head.

Addy Conklin scored for Gouverneur’s final lead in the fourth quarter.

Smith, who was honored as a NAC Central Division Co-MVP as a senior, led the Wildcats with nine points followed by Elizabeth Riutta and Courtney Forsythe with six. Riutta and Lia Canell (2 points) each controlled seven rebounds and Addy Conklin tallied five points follows by: Caitlin Storie (3) and Meredith Bush (3).

Meredith Bush and Elizabeth Riutta also made the All-NAC Central First Team and Lia Canell made the second team. Addy Conklin received the team’s NAC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award.

“It was a game of runs. They had an early run and we played even to the half. We had a good run to take the lead going deep into the fourth. Saranac had the last run where they banked in a 3-point shot late and we could not recover,” said Gouverneur Coach Sean Devlin.

“It was a battle. We are very proud of our team’s accomplishments this season. These girls are back to back Class B and Central Division Champions. Last year they played for an Overall Section 10 Championship and this year they won that game. We are on a short list of teams who have done that in Gouverneur. We have had a lot of fun this year, this is a great group of girls. We appreciate all the time and work put into this. Our community and fans are the best. Thank you to them.”

Molly Dennis and Lia Parker each buried two timely 3-pointers scoring six points for Saranac which the Section 7 title in a 50-30 win over Ausable and suffered their only loss to Rice Memorial South of Burlington, Vt..

POTSDAM 55,

BEEKMANTOWN 44

Dylan LaMora scored 17 points and Ian VanWagner scored 15 points to lead the Sandstoners (12-12) past Section 7 champion Beekmantown in a state Class B first-round game at SUNY Potsdam.

The Sandstoners will play Section 2’s Catholic Central in a quarterfinal game at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.

Theodore Hughes added 10 for Potsdam.