POTSDAM — As any coach in Section 10 knows, it’s very difficult to defeat an opponent three times in one season.
The Malone girls basketball teams did so, compiling a winter-season sweep of the Massena Red Raiders to repeat as Section 10 Class A champions. The Malone boys, however, found out just how difficult it is to log a sweep and dropped a 44-41 decision to the Massena boys in the second game of the night at SUNY Potsdam.
The top-seeded teams from Malone began the two-game set at SUNY Potsdam’s Maxcy Hall on Monday evening with the Huskies girls turning in a 48-42 victory for their fourth Class A crown in the past five years. No playoff games were held during the COVID-19 stricken season of 2020-21.
Both winning teams will take part in the Section 10 Overall championship series, which begins with the boys semifinals on Feb. 28, with the girls the following the next night on March 1. The Overall championship will be held March 3 at SUNY Potsdam.
The Malone girls and Massena boys will also represent Section 10 in the upcoming NYSPHSAA playoffs. The Malone girls will travel to Liverpool for a 6 p.m. game on March 8, while the Massena boys will remain in the area and take on the winner of the Section 2 versus 3 contest in a 1 p.m. game on March 11 at SUNY Potsdam.
GIRLS GAME
MALONE 48, MASSENA 42
The Huskies went in front 7-0 early only to have the Red Raiders (10-11) rally and tie the game at 7-7. Malone worked its way to a slim 10-9 lead after the opening quarter, then increased its advantage to 26-19 at the half.
Malone opened up the second half with a 5-0 spurt, but Massena senior Chyler Richards scored the final five points of the quarter to pull the Raiders to within five points, 33-28, entering the final eight minutes of action.
Massena trimmed its deficit to one point, 34-33, early in the third only to have the Huskies go on a 9-0 run and up their lead to 10 points, 43-33. The Raiders attempted to cut the lead back down, but each time the Huskies had an answer and did enough damage at the foul line to preserve the victory.
Sophomore guard Chloe LaBelle paced the Huskies (15-6) with 16 points, while classmate Alyvia Roberts followed with 11 points. Freshman guard Raegan McArdle finished with a nine-point outing, including one of the team’s two 3-pointers.
Richards led the Massena effort with a game-high 19 points, including three of the Red Raiders’ 3-pointers, while sophomore Sophia Greco finished with 11 points.
BOYS
MASSENA 44, MALONE 41
The Red Raiders ended the Huskies run at consecutive Class A championship titles at four and held the high-scoring Malone squad in check, especially from behind the 3-point line, where the Huskies failed to connect.
Massena worked its way to a one-point lead, 7-6, after the first quarter, but the Malone boys responded in the second quarter and led 18-16 at the half. It was in the third quarter that the NAC Central Division champs had plenty of issues, as the Raiders doubled the Huskies’ output and led 34-27 entering the final eight minutes of the game.
The Huskies tried to rally but only cut their deficit by four points and their 16-5 season came to a close.
“We had a tough shooting night,” said Malone coach Tim Lamay. “ We struggled to get into an offensive flow all night.”
That fact didn’t upset the Red Raiders and they took advantage to produce the win, with three players reaching double figures.
Sophomore Taylor Mitchell led the Massena offense with 13 points, as DeShawn Walton and Colin Patterson both followed with 12-point efforts.
Malone’s First Team All-Northern selection, Jace Hammond, produced a game-high 20 points to lead the Huskies offensively, while no other Malone player reach double digits.
BOYS BASKETBALL
SECTION 10
CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP
At SUNY Potsdam
Massena 44, Malone 41
Massena: Mitchell 5-2-13; Walton 5-2-12; Patterson 4-4-12; J. Firnstein 1-0-2; C. Firnstein 1-0-3; Barnes 1-0-2; LaBrake, Lucey. Totals: 17-8-44.
Malone: Poirier 2-1-5; Mulverhill 0-1-1; Hammond 5-10-20; Perry 0-1-1; McArdle 0-1-1; Osborn 0-1-1; LaClair 1-1-3; Johal 4-1-9; LaVare, Wescott. Totals: 12-17-41.
Massena 7 9 18 10 – 44
Malone 6 12 9 14 – 41
3-point goals: Massena - 2 (Mitchell, C. Firnstein).
Records: Massena (13-8), Malone (16-5).
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SECTION 10
CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP
At SUNY Potsdam
Malone 48, Massena 42
Massena: M. Firnstein 1-1-3; Cameron 0-1-1; Greco 4-0-11; Mayer 1-1-3; Richards 8-0-19; LaDuke 2-1-5; Montacelli, Baxter. Totals: 16-4-42.
Malone: Sosa 1-3-6; King 2-1-5; Av. Lilliock 0-1-1; laBelle 6-4-16; McArdle 5-0-9; Roberts 4-3-11; Al. Lilliock, Baker. Totals: 17-12-48.
Massena 9 10 9 14 – 42
Malone 10 16 7 15 – 48
3-point goals: Massena - 6 (Greco 3, Richards 3), Malone - 2 (Sosa, McArdle).
Records: Massena (10-11), Malone (15-6).
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