One team is on its third trip to the state semifinals. The other is making its first state semifinal appearance in more than four decades. Greece Athena will face Section II champion Niskayuna on Thursday. Here’s the breakdown:
GREECE ATHENA TROJANS
(23-2 / Monroe County III / No. 3 NYSSWA)
vs.
NISKAYUNA SILVER WARRIORS
(19-5/Suburban Council/No. 7 NYSSWA)
Visions Veterans Memorial Arena, Binghamton.
Thursday, March 20 4:15 PM
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Greece Athena defeated Greece Arcadia (76-50) to open the postseason and Gates Chili (66-60) to reach the Section V AA2 title game. The Trojans then topped Canandaigua (73-54). Athena outlasted Penfield in a triple overtime thriller to clinch a spot in the Class AA regional where the Trojans beat Health Sciences (56-55). Niskayuna opened the postseason with a victory over Queensbury (61-41) before beating Bethlehem (50-44) to reach the Section II final. The Silver Warriors then defeated Troy (57-46) for a second straight sectional title before avenging a loss in last year’s regional with a 52-43 victory over West Genesee.
Scoring offense: Greece Athena (69.8), Niskayuna (63.8)
Scoring defense: Greece Athena (55.6), Niskayuna (52.3)
Trends: Greece Athena has won 11 of its past 12 games. The Trojans have held their last three opponents to 55 points or fewer in regulation. Niskayuna has won seven straight and not allowed more than 46 points in its four postseason games.
Players to watch for Greece Athena: Dominic LaMar Sr. (10.4 PPG, 7.5 RPG); I’zick Reaves Sr. (17.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.3 SPG); Ne’Sean Fowlks Sr. (11.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.0 SPG); Russell Ellis So. (11.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG); I’zayah Reaves Sr. (9.6 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 SPG); Travis Mack Sr.
Niskayuna: Daniel Smalls Jr. PG (25.0 PPG, 6.0 APG, 2.5 SPG, Suburban Council MVP, program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,250 points); Ethan Gilson Sr. G (13.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, program’s all-time leader with 227 3-pointers); Brady Olsen Jr. F (missed time with a broken wrist, averaging nearly a double-double); Garrett Gillooley (4.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG); Poem Shaten (6.0 PPG, 7.5 RPG).
Coaches: Mike Setzer (Greece Athena), Mike Grasso (Niskayuna)
History 101: Athena is making the program’s third trip to the state semifinals. In 2015 under then-head coach Jim Johnson, Anthony Lamb and the Trojans beat Valley Stream South (XIII), 61-36 before falling to Scotia-Glenville (54-49) in the finals. Lamb went on play at the University of Vermont where he earned America East Player of the Year and helped the Catamounts to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. Lamb later saw time with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors of the NBA. He is currently playing overseas. In 1992 with Don Brown at the helm, the John Wallace-led Trojans beat Ithaca, 58-44 in the semis and Liverpool, 60-37 to claim the NYS Class A title. Wallace went on to star at Syracuse University where he was a starter on the 1995-96 Orange squad that advanced to the national finals. He later played seven years in the NBA.
Niskayuna last reached the state semifinals in 1978 when, under the direction of Tom Howley, the Section II champs beat East High, 61-49 in a game that was played at Webster Schroeder High School. Howley’s squad then defeated Jamesville-Dewitt (III), 75-55 in the state final played at the Rochester War Memorial.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class AA championship game against either Tappan Zee (I) or Binghamton (IV).
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