DRIVE TIME
Rhinebeck’s Aidan Hack drives on Rondout’s Avery Coston during Section 9, Class B semifinal game Thursday night in Rhinebeck, N.Y. The Hawks defeated the Ganders 62-53 to earn a berth in today’s championship game against Spackenkill at SUNY Orange.
RHINEBECK, N.Y. >> A huge 12-0 run and a solid fourthquarter performance enabled Rhinebeck High to repel Rondout Valley’s upset bid Thursday, earning the Hawks a berth in the Section 9, Class B boys basketball championship game.
The Hawks (19-2) won, 62-56, and will play Spackenkill — the team that gave Rhinebeck its two losses — for the title 4 p.m. today at Orange County Community College. The Spartans held off Marlboro, 61-54, to advance.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game. They’re two evenly matched teams,” Rhinebeck coach Dave Aierstok said.
Jack Spencer had 23 points and seven rebounds and Rob Veith 22 points and six rebounds to lead Rhinebeck.
Avery Coston had 20 points and Ben Hikade 10 to lead Rondout.
The Ganders rallied from an early 10-point deficit and went on an 11-0 run in the third quarter to take a five-point advantage.
Joe Boland, who finished with eight points, hit a big 3-point field goal to end the third and another to start the fourth to ignite a 12-0 Rhinebeck comeback run. Veith followed with a three-pointer to put the Hawks ahead for good.
“I have to give Rondout credit. They fought hard. Our man-to-man defense did a great job,” said Aierstok, whose team shut out Rondout in the fourth quarter until there was 1:41 left to play.
Sparking the Hawks was a capacity, vocal crowd.
“The home crowd was awesome,” Aierstok noted. “They gave the guys an extra boost.” RONDOUT (56)—Hikade 3 2-2 10, Cancelliere 2 0-1 5, Pugliese 4 0-0 8, Huffman 4 1-2 9, Coston 7 2-3 20, Sherman 2 0-0 4. Totals 22 5-8 56. RHINEBECK(62)—Boland 3 1-2 8, Veith 7 2-2 22, Hack 1 0-0 2, Matthews 1 2-2 4, Spencer 7 9-11 23, Kronbichler 0 3-4 3, Martin 0 0-0 0, Hutchins 0 0-0 0, Oberly 0 0-0 0. Totals 19 17-21 62. Rondout .............................. 11 12 24 9—56 Rhinebeck ......................... 16 14 16 16—62 3-point field goals: Coston 4, Hikade 2, Cancelliere; Veith 5, Boland 2.