Twenty one wins and still perfect. To be perfect and Section III Champs, the New York Mills (21-0) Marauders boys basketball team needs one more win to make it perfectly clear that they are the best in Class D the section has to offer. Monday night's 60-45 win over a stubborn bunch of Sackets Harbor Patriots has the Marauder Nation striving for perfection as well.
In two previous post season wins over Lyme and Copenhagen the big boys were the big dogs for the Mills
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Tonight the heavy toting on offense was done by swingman Jeremy Miller, who torched the 11th ranked Pats with 21 points, 9 in the first half and 12 in the second, to help hold the Frontier League D Champs at bay.
The Marauders were dominant at times, but had to continue to strive for perfection by working deep into the fourth quarter to put Sackets Harbor ( 17-4) away. The state's #1 ranked Class D team will take on Syracuse Academy of Science on Sunday to see who rules Section III.
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(Mills point guard Matt Dziekan (3) ranges over Sacketts Harbor's Zach Allen (23) for a second half basket.)
Despite being from the North Country, these two old foes know each other well. The Marauders and Patriots are no strangers to each other. Monday night was the 9th time they have met in the last 11 years and the 6th time in the last 11 years that the Marauders and Patriots have met in Section III tournament play.
With the semifinal win under their belts, the Marauders have a 4-2 record against the Pats. The Marauders have not lost to a Section III Class team since a January 2009 meeting with the Patriots at Beekman Gym when Sackets Harbor won 58-55. It would not be that close at CNS.
Coach Mike Adey and company will be looking to win their fourth Section III Championship since 2005 and back to back crowns as well.
If this were a heavyweight prize fight fans would have been calling for a TKO as the Mills broke out to a 19-4 lead after one quarter. It got late early for Sackets Harbor who would chase the Marauders for the rest of the night.
(Jeremy Miller (32) drives the baseline for a second half New York Mills bucket.)
Edgardo Colon got off to a fast start scoring 6 points before the Pats had their warmup jerseys tucked behind them on their bench. The lighting quick guard broke the ice, hitting two free throws just :26 ticks in.
Matt Dziekan started out fast, as well, beating everyone upcourt to tuck one in off the glass and make it 4-0. The senior guard ended up with 11 points on the night, 7 in the first half, to go along with 4 steals.
The steals and tough defense are a big part of the Marauders game. New York Mills had been holding opponents to just over 36 points per game. Only 3 times this season has an opponent scored over 50 points on the Mills.
Beau Fletcher broke the ice for the visitors from the North Country to make it 6-2 with 6:30 to go in the first quarter.
(Here comes the big guy...New York Mills forward Fred Russ (50) breaks the pressure of Sackets Harbor's Beau Fletcher (3) late in the ball game.)
Fred Russ, one of the Mills 'twin towers', put one in, from in close, to push the lead to 8, 12-4, as the first quarter wound down with New York Mills leading by 15 big points. Speaking of the number 15, Russ ended up scoring 15 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.
Before fans of the maroon and white got back from the concession stand, the Marauders had raced out to a 21 point lead, 27-6, on the strength of another Russ bucket inside.
Jeremy Miller continued to shine, hitting three straight free throws, as NY Mills cruised into the break up 31-18.
What could Patriots Coach Jeff Robbins say to his troops to get them to believe? Not much when the inside outside boys were all riled up after the break. Fred Russ and Jeremy Miller highlighted a quick five point burst to build the lead back up to 18, 36-18, just two minutes in to the third.
Zach D'Allessandro, who averaged almost 18 points per game, said enough is enough scoring 9 of his 14 points in the second half, when he showed his form from behind the arc hitting 4 three's to help his team stay alive.
(Zach Allen heads upcourt in second half action.)
Beau Fletcher cut the lead to 12, 37-25, as he heated up in the second half scoring 7 of his team high 16 points.
Speaking of heating up, Derek Sweitzer started a Pats rally by fighting his way past the big Mills frontline to scored 6 of his 8 points in the second half.
A perfectly launched three by D'Alessandro gave the Patriots faithful reason to raise their voices, as the lead was down to 11, 43-32 as the third quarter came to a close.
Matt Welsh found his way free, in close, to push the lead back to 13 before #4 in maroon hit from three again and just like that the lead was just 10, 45-35.
The Pats refused to quit and got as close as 8 points in the fourth before the team with the perfect record closed this Semi-Final matchup out in perfect fashion to win pulling away, 60-45.
The CSC Division IV Champs are off until Sunday, at noon, when they tangle with Syracuse Academy of Science (19-2), ranked 12th in Class D, for sectional honors.
New York Mills 60 Sackets Harbor 45
1 2 3 4 Total
Sackets Harbor 4 14 14 13 45
New York Mills 19 12 12 17 60
LEADING SCORERS:
Sackets Harbor:
Beau Fletcher 16
Zach D'Alessandro 14
Derek Switzer 8
New York Mills
Jeremy Miller 21
Fred Russ 15
Matt Dziekan 11
Edgardo Colon 6
Matt Welch 5
Ed Schulze 2
