Maple Hill boys basketball returns to the summit of Class C

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — The Maple Hill boys basketball team is the embodiment of the phrase “defense wins championships.”

The Wildcats overcame a 12-point halftime deficit to take down Duanesburg in the Class C sectional championship game Friday night at Cool Insuring Arena. Scott Hanrahan’s bunch allowed just 14 points in the second half, while getting some timely buckets from senior forward Brady Cole, en route to a 44-43 win.

This marks Maple Hill’s second section title in the last three seasons.

“They will out wins,” said Hanrahan. “They never give up on each other, and they never give up on themselves. They know that we have to win games defensively, and defensively, in the second half, we were able to do that once again. I’ve been fortunate enough; I’ve gotten to do this before (experience a section title). These guys haven’t. It’s important for them. I’m so happy for them, ’cause they’ve put in the work.”

Cole’s team-high 14 points earned him tournament MVP – 12 of those points came in the second half.

“It was our big goal coming into the year,” said Cole. “We won (the) Patroon (Conference) against a tough Hudson team. Come in here against a tough Duanesburg team; win sectionals. I mean, this is just what we’ve all been dreaming for for this season. Now, we get to dance some more.”

After Maple Hill raced out to a 7-0 lead to start the game, the Wildcats hit a major offensive lull, and Duanesburg capitalized, outscoring Maple Hill 29-10 over a span of 14:13.

Senior Ethan Thompson and junior Jansen Proulx stepped up big for the Eagles in the absence of the section’s leading scorer, Jeffrey Mulhern, who was out due to injury. Thompson netted 10 first-half points and Proulx 11, as Duanesburg took a 29-17 lead into the locker room.

But Cole asserted himself offensively out of the break, turning in eight points in the third quarter, which helped Maple Hill trim its deficit to five by the start of the final stanza.

The Wildcats opened the quarter with a rapid, 6-0 burst after a three-pointer from Jake Fish and an old-fashioned three-point play from Nick Novak; the latter play put Maple Hill in front 35-34 – its first lead since the opening quarter.

The lead would grow to as many as six points for the Wildcats in the quarter, until Proulx brought Duanesburg back within one following a trey ball with 1:01 remaining in the game.

Duanesburg got the ball back, trailing 44-43 with the shot clock turned off. But Maple Hill came up with its biggest defensive stand of the night, forcing a turnover that would prove to seal the victory.

Cole was the only Wildcat to reach double figures in scoring, but Fish was right on the cusp with nine points. Proulx and Thompson finished with 17 and 16, respectively.

Maple Hill (19-4) advances to the state tournament, where it will await the champion out of Section 10. That game will be played Tuesday out at SUNY Potsdam at 6:45 p.m.

Duanesburg concludes its season with an overall record of 20-4.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NEWS10 ABC.