A strong offensive performance and multiple key shots helped Colonie grab a win over Schenectady in the Class AA semifinals on Tuesday night at the Glens Falls Civic Center by a final score of 72-61.
Early on, the game was close, but Colonie held onto the lead for the majority of the time thanks to spot-on shooting from stars Isaiah Moll and Bryce Waterman. However, unlike most of their games, it was not Moll who took over on the offensive side of the ball, but it was Waterman. He was lights-out all night long, hitting four three-pointers in the first half alone and scoring 16 points in that same time period.
At the same time, the 6-foot, 7-inch Moll was providing their scoring inside, using his height to get easy layups to extend Colonie’s lead, giving them a double-digit lead at the break.
“Maybe a little bit too much creativity, but it was good. Not exactly the way we normally do it,” Colonie head coach Ken Dagastino said.
In the second half, Schenectady was not ready to fall. They kept scoring with the very strong offensive play of Cameron Coles, who had 15 points in the second half. Despite this, the Raiders of Colonie seemed to get a clutch basket whenever they needed it, not allowing Schenectady to get too close where they could potentially tie the game or even take the lead.
It would not be until the last few minutes of the contest that Colonie would fully put them away following some key baskets from Moll and Brendan Mulson, who played the role of an unsung hero, scoring nine points, but they all seemed to be clutch points when Colonie needed them.
Scoring, Moll and Waterman would finish with 23 points each. Mulson was the third-highest scorer with nine. Schenectady would be led by Coles, who finished with 27 points on the night. Tyrone Jenkins finished with 18, and John Ryals finished with seven.
Colonie will now move on to the Class AA finals, taking on Bethlehem. That game will be played Saturday at the Glens Falls Civic Center. Tip-off is set for 8 PM.
