| | Richfield Springs’ Bekah Havens (right) works to dribble around New York Mills’ Kayla Hamblin during a Center State Conference Division IV basketball game, Monday, at Richfield Springs Central School. Havens had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, but the Indians lost, 48-43. (Photo by Mike Root) | |
State ranked No. 9 New York Mills clinched the Center State Conference Division IV (CSC IV) championship with a 48-43 victory over second place Richfield Springs, Monday, in a CSC IV girls basketball game at Richfield Springs Central School. The Lady Indians were able to contain senior phenom Samantha Szkotak in the first half, but she scored 21 of her 24 points after halftime. “They gave Sam a lot of trouble inside,” said Marauders head coach Andrea Dziekan. “And it’s hard to play against that and in order to win the game, you have to have someone step up besides Sam, and I thought Nicole Franklin – she scored 10 points for us at forward – she was able to get the dish down low, so I think that helped us very much so.” Richfield played a box and one defense, focusing on Szkotak the entire night. It was Bekah Havens’ assignment to stay in Szkotak’s pocket the whole game. “Bekah dogged her (Szkotak) all night,” Indians head coach Stacey Mayne said. “She stayed right with her, and it was very physical. She was getting knocked around on the picks, but she fought right through and other people stepped up to help when she got pulled off.” New York Mills never led from the mid-point of the second quarter until the beginning of the fourth quarter when Courtney Kain opened the period with a basket that broke a 31-31 tie. Brittany Oakes tied the game again on a jump shot for the Indians, but Mills went on a 7-2 run to take a 40-35 lead. Richfield then scored the next six points to take a one-point lead with 2:29 remaining. However, the Indians could only manage two more points the rest of the way, and Szkotak hit two game-clinching free throws with four seconds left to make it a two-possession game. “The whole team had to come together,” Dziekan said. “We’re a little tired. We had Rome Catholic Saturday and our girls showed a little tiredness in the first half. And they (Richfield) are a good team. She’s (Mayne) got great guards. She’s a good coach, and we knew it was gonna be a tough game for us.” Szkotak added 10 rebounds and five assists, and Franklin added five steals and two blocks for the Marauders, who improved to 14-3 overall and 9-0 in the division. Havens had 17 points, 10 boards and three blocks for the Indians, who fell to 13-5 overall and 8-2 in the CSC IV. Katie Moshier had 12 points and 15 rebounds, and Shelby Seamon had three steals. This was the second meeting of these two teams, and Mills won by five points earlier in the season at home. The Indians and Marauders don’t play each other again in the regular season, but could meet again in the playoffs. “We could see them again in sectionals, and I think we have to take the positives out of that, that we can compete with any team in our section,” Mayne said. “I think it’s hard to beat a team three times in one season. So next time we play them, maybe we’ll end up on top. The last game was just like this, it came right down to the wire.” Richfield plays at Old Forge, Thursday, at 6 p.m.
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