CANAJOHARIE - Antonio Fairley got off a second chance at a tying shot too late for the Canajoharie Cougars on Friday and Cambridge held on for a 52-49 win on the road in the opening night-of-the-postseason game that determined an opponent for the No. 1 seed in Section II's Class C boys basketball playoffs.
Fairley scored a game-high 22 points for Canajoharie (7-14), the No. 16 seed in a field of 21 teams. A fifth 3-point shot swished through the net from the right corner after he chased a long rebound on teammate Zach Herget's initial shot, but his release came after the final horn had sounded.
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The Cougars had led No. 17 Cambridge (6-15) though most of the game, but the visitors took a 51-45 lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. Cambridge would go without a field goal for the game's final four minutes and Canajoharie got back within two points entering the final minute of regulation play. Following a turnover, Canajoharie fouled twice to send Noah Burke to the foul line. Burke hit the first of two shots, making it a three-point game as Canajoharie regained possession.
Cougars coach Rob Fairley called a timeout to set up his team's last shot with 13.2 seconds o the clock, and Herget wound up shooting from the right elbow. The shot was off, but the coach's son corralled the ball and got back outside the arc for another chance to tie but time ran out ahead of his shot.
The first four Cambridge field goals had been three-pointers and the first two tied the score at 14 in the second quarter. Canajoharie then made a 10-2 run that produced its largest lead before Cambridge answered with eight straight points. Fairley did beat the halftime buzzer and that three-point shot put the Cougars up 27-24 at the break.
Fairley scored 15 of his 22 points before halftime, and fellow sophomore Dillan Randall added 15 points.
Tully Mahar led Cambridge with 13 points while Mason MacDougall had 12 on four 3-pointers, and Luke MacDugall had 11 with three 3s.
With the win, Cambridge advances to the round of 16 and earns a trip to Maple Hill (16-4) Tuesday for a game against the top seed and winner of eight consecutive games.
The game between neighboring Fort Plain and Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville was postponed due to a weather-elated school closing and has been rescheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. The winner of that game travels to Hoosic Valley Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Times Telegram: Cambridge knocks out Canajoharie boys in Section II playoffs
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