Potsdam beats OFA, clinches Central Division
@$ID/NormalParagraphStyle:POTSDAM — The road to winning a third straight Northern Athletic Conference Central Division championship was marked by — what else? — stifling defense by the Potsdam boys basketball team Friday.
After holding Massena to just 33 points on Wednesday, the Sandstoners held Ogdensburg Free Academy to only one more in a 51-34 victory to claim the outright division title with a 7-1 record. The victory avenged Potsdam’s only division loss, to OFA on Jan. 16.
Potsdam (16-2 overall, 7-1 Central) led just 24-20 at halftime, but held OFA to just four points in the third quarter and to only four in the fourth before a late buzzer-beating three-pointer by Tyler Knowlton.
A balanced Potsdam offense featured 10 points and eight assists by point guard Lee Buchanon, one of four Sandstoner seniors, including Josh Adams, Mike Chambers and Camron Waters - OFA (13-5, 5-3) managed nine points from Pat Cosmo and eight points from Breton LaRose. But the OFA pair combined for just four points after intermission.
Potsdam’s Owen Mitchell supplied all 10 of his points and seven rebounds in the first half. Josh Adams finished with seven points and 13 rebounds,
MASSENA 64, GOUVERNEUR 36
@$ID/NormalParagraphStyle:The Raiders (14-4, 6-2) clinched second place in the division with a victory at Gouverneur. Zach Rusaw scored 16 points for Massena.
Joe Labelle added 13 points and Xavier Viskovich with 11.
@$ID/NormalParagraphStyle:For the Wildcats (3-15, 0-9), Mark Horne scored 13 points.
HERMON-DEKALB 65, HAMMOND 19
Hermon-DeKalb senior Dylan Amo became the school’s all-time leading scorer, in boys or girls basketball, as the Demons rolled past the Red Devils in DeKalb Junction.
Amo snatched a steal at midcourt and drove down the middle for a layup with 2:16 left in the first half to break the school record set by 2007 graduate Brittany Whitton, who finished with 1,252 points. Amo finished with 26 points in his final regular season home game.
Amo added 12 rebounds. Macauley Snell supplied 14 points for the Demons (11-6, 8-4). Zach Cleveland added 13 points.
Nolan Martin scored nine points for Hammond (3-14, 2-9).
HARRISVILLE 51, LISBON 37
Tanner Duggan and Tim Fowler each scored 12 points as Harrisville (12-6, 10-2) clinched the West Division title with a victory over Lisbon (11-7, 9-3) at Harrisville.
The Pirates took control by outscoring the Golden Knights 19-8 in the first quarter.
Kyle Binion led all scorers with 18 points for Lisbon. Adam Felt hit four 3-pointers en route to 14 points.
HEUVELTON 77, CLIFTON-FINE 44
Aaron Cobb generated a season-high 16 points to help Heuvelton to the West Division victory at Heuvelton.
The Bulldogs opened up a 19-11 first quarter lead and made it 39-22 at halftime as 10 players reached the scoring column. Dedrick Johnson followed with 13 points while Jon Sloan added 10.
Steven Robinson scored 22 points for the Eagles. Anthony Reed added 11.
MADRID-WADDINGTON 46, CHATEAUGAY 44
Madrid-Waddington handed Chateaugay its first loss in the NAC East Division since 2006 with a victory at Chateaugay that clinched a share of the division title.
Colin O’Bryan and Greg Thompson scored the final four points for Madrid-Waddington (17-1, 11-1). Chateaugay’s Mike Boyea missed a 12-footer at the buzzer.
Alex Brock scored 15 points for the winning Yellow Jackets. Boyea finished with 20 points for Chateaugay (17-1). Eric Fleury scored 12 points.
NORWOOD-NORFOLK 55, ST. LAWRENCE 51
Norwood-Norfolk spoiled St. Lawrence’s bid for a perfect North Division season with a victory at Norfolk that was the regular-season finale for both squads.
The Flyers (6-12, 4-4) turned the game around with a 25-12 third-quarter surge. Jordan LaShomb led all scorers with 18 points for Norwood-Norfolk. Barrett Thomas added 10 points.
Donovan Patraw and Zane Ramsdell scored 15 points each for the Larries (11-7, 7-1), which has already clinched the North Division title.
The Larries lead 32-23 at halftime.
BRUSHTON-MOIRA 86, SALMON RIVER 41
Devan Miller tossed in 20 points as the Panthers ran out to a 42-24 halftime lead for the victory in Brushton.
Adam Martin added 17 points, followed Colton Garrand with 13 and Loren Traynor with 10 for Brushton-Moira.
Josh Hynes paced Salmon River with 19 points.
MALONE 90, CANTON 44
Mitch Gallagher delivered 26 points as the Huskies put together a 29-1 run in the fourth quarter for the interdivisional victory in Canton.
Jon Dunlavey supplied 12 points, and Nate Monette and Bruce Monette supplied 10 points each.
Garrett Kinnen paced the Bears (7-11) with 13 points, followed by Evan LaPoint with 12 and Bryant Wentworth with 10.
