Averill Park girls win 46-31, chase sixth straight Section II title
TROY, N.Y - Averill Park girl’s basketball has grown accustom to the Section II Championship game, but Head Coach Sean Organ isn’t focused on last season, or the season before, or the season before that.
“What happened last year and what happened before that has absolutely no impact on what happens Saturday,” said Organ. “These guys know that. They are out to get that championship based on what we have done this year.”
Averill Park finds themselves returning to Hudson Valley Community College Saturday to win their sixth straight Section II Championship after Wednesday’s 46- 31 win over The Academy of Holy Names.
“We have a lot of first year players who are new to their roles,” said Organ. “Our kids have worked really hard to get back to this spot and we know we have a really tough opponent in Queensbury.”
Queensbury won Wednesday afternoon’s matchup over Amsterdam prior to Aver-
ill Park’s win. Averill Park will face Queensbury Saturday at 12:45 p.m.
“It feels amazing, we’ve been working so hard this season,” said Averill Park’s Anna Jankovic. “We have two days to prepare for them and we will be ready.”
Averill Park took the lead early with a 10- 0 run to kick things off. Amelia and Kelsey Wood and Jankovic all contributed points to hop out to that early lead. Once the Lady Warrior’s took that lead in the very first quarter, they never fell behind.
Averill Park led 12- 6 at the end of the first quarter with Holy Names’ Saniyya Adams scoring four points early to help cut the Lady Warriors lead in half at the end of the quarter.
Holy Names was able to come to within a possession when Averill Park led 14-12 in the second quarter, but Averill Park’s Olivia Kelley and Jankovic helped distance the Lady Warrior’s from Holy Names.
The first half ended with Averill Park leading 25-16. Averill Park earned a lot of quick points off of turnovers in the half, attributed to their defense which was noted in their quarterfinal win over Ballston Spa last week.
In the second half, Averill Park utilized their speed and athleticism to drive up the court quick, and penetrate the Holy Names’ defense. Both Freshman Michelina Lombardi and Amelia Wood showed impressive moves to get below the Holy Names defenders and get the layups they needed to extend the lead.
Of all the athleticism and important baskets the Lady Warriors made, the free throw line proved to be an issue for Averill Park, who converted five of 12 in the first half and redeemed themselves in the second half by going six for eight.
“It’s a by product of how hard we worked,” said Organ. “You’ve got to make free throws. When you are playing defense as hard as they were playing defense and getting up and down thecourt, you’ve got to make those shots. When you’re in a tight lead, you’ve got to convert.”
“The feelings are overwhelming right now, we worked so hard this season to get here,” said Kelsey Wood. “With our team being so young it really means a lot.”
As the Warrior’s prepare for their sixth straight Section II championship, Organ and his team reflect on their season and what makes this season’s Averill Park girls basketball team so special.
“We are all great friends and we have a great connection,” said Kelsey Wood. “Our defense is really starting to pick up which is going to help us on Saturday.”
“They are a tight group,” added Organ. “They accept the suggestions and things we ask of them. They come to practice with a smile on their face and they have such a sense of enthusiasm for the game of basketball — they are gym rats.”