Streaks rebound in win
Better play on boards keys victory against Suburban Council foe
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Section II seeding meeting for girls’ basketball is quickly approaching and Saratoga Springs was looking to give the committee something to think about beyond just the first couple of seeds.
The Blue Streaks entered Friday’s showdown against Suburban Council rival Shenendehowa coming off a loss Tuesday to state-ranked Colonie — a setback that really bothered the Blue Streaks.
“We were angry,” Saratoga Springs junior forward Carly Wise said. “We knew we were better than that and we got beat off the boards, so we worked these last few days coming into Shen and prove that wasn’t us. We knew we could beat Shen. I have personally never beaten them in lacrosse or basketball ever at the varsity level. I wanted it bad, I wanted it for the team and everyone was all in. We were really ready for this.”
Wise topped a balanced offensive showing by delivering 20 points and 17 rebounds as the starters scored all the points in a thorough 60-43 victory over the Plainsmen. Senior star Natasha Chudy, who surpassed the 1,400-point plateau during the game, was honored pregame for her nomination as a Mcdonald’s Allamerican candidate. She contributed 12 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
The Plainsmen (13-4 overall, 7-3 league), ranked No. 14 in the latest Class AA state poll, struggled on offense in the opening half and made just 4 of 27 shots to trail 33-14 at intermission after Chudy drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer. Shen was clobbered on the glass.
“That was great,” Wise said. “We knew we had height on them and we were going to use that to our advantage. We have
been working really hard together, using the two-man game going high to low. We’ve been working on it all year and were going to put it in this game.”
The cohesive effort at both ends certainly was on display in the opening quarter when all five starters scored as the Blue Streaks (11-6, 7-4) led 18-10.
For the game, senior guard Lauren Lafountain tallied 10 points, junior forward Ella Gennoy chipped in with nine points, 10 rebounds and three assists and junior guard Logan Allen added nine points.
“We have been working on getting everyone contributing. To do it tonight was awesome,” Saratoga Springs coach Robin Chudy said. “I have been stressing that we needed everyone. I am so proud of what we did. Everyone did a great job.”
“I think we focused so much on our teamwork. That was the only way we were going to beat a really good team, and Shen is a really good team,” Natasha Chudy said. “I think it was the reason we won, because we worked so well together.”
“To have such a team game where everyone gets points up, everyone touched the ball and it was moving super fast all the way up the court every time is what
we’ve been working for,” Wise said. “We are all super close outside of basketball, and that chemistry really helps.”
Shenendehowa tried to rally in the third quarter behind the play from reserves Abby Stuart (teamhigh 12 points) and Kate Milham (nine points), only to see Lafountain knock down consecutive
3-pointers as the Blue Streaks led 53-31 through 24 minutes.
“I think this win gives us a lot of confidence. It proved if we work hard as a team and push ourselves, we can do anything,” Natasha Chudy said.