Moriah Class C Boys Basketball game

BY RYAN HAYNER

Press-Republican

TROY — Rowan Swan’s go-ahead putback in the closing seconds of overtime

Sunday put Moriah one defensive stand away from victory.

The Vikings initially succeeded as the

Warriors potential game-winning bucket rimmed out.

But Jaxon Mueller was there to clean up.

Mueller capped a superlative performance with his own putback with three seconds left to lift Stillwater past Moriah, 55-52, in the NYSPHSAA Class C boys’ basketball regional final at Hudson

Valley Community College.

The Vikings’ ensuing in-bounds pass sailed out of bounds, and a last-ditch half-court heave to tie came up well short, sending the Section II champion

Warriors into next weekend’s semifinal matchup against Section VI’s Salamanca.

“I’m proud of our accomplishments,”

Moriah coach Brian Cross said. “Our kids played hard all year, got to play the last 3-4 games without masks, which was nice. If you had told me at the beginning of the year we’re going to make it to the regional finals, I would have been more than happy.

“I wish we could have gotten a little more out of it for our seniors, but we had a good season.”

Mueller finished with a game-high 22 points and 17 rebounds for Stillwater (223), which is playing in its first state tournament since 2006.

“He was tough inside. We kind of figured out a little better in the second half, we doubled him and made it more difficult for him,” Cross said. “But we had a lot of chances around the rim that we didn’t finish — so it’s that kind of game – can’t afford to miss the easy ones around the rim.”

Lukas Lilac scored 14 points for the Warriors, with CJ McNeil adding 10 points, six assists and five rebounds.

Moriah seniors Bryce Sprague and Will Rohrer scored 20 apiece to lead the Vikings. Sprague collected six rebounds, four steals, three assists and three blocks. Swan — playing through a first-quarter ankle injury — had five points and nine rebounds.

Rohrer was instrumental in keeping the game close in the first half with a collection of jumpers, runners and drives. He scored six of the Vikings eight first-quarter points and scored six straight in the second quarter that briefly gave Moriah a 20-15 lead.

Mueller, however, scored six of Stillwater’s next eight points for a 23-22 halftime advantage.

“They buckled down on Bryce pretty good,” Cross said. “Will made some shots that kept us in the game early on.”

Although neither team was able to take control in the second half, Stillwater did manage a six-point lead early in the fourth quarter. Sprague keyed a 10-2 Moriah run with eight points — including two traditional three-point plays — for a 45-43 edge.

Neither team made a field goal in the final three minutes of regulation. Lilac knocked down a pair of a pair of shots from the charity stripe to give Stillwater a one-point cushion and Brady Olcott responded with his own game-tying free throw.

Sprague came away with a late steal, but Moriah (21-2) was unable to get off a decent look before the end of regulation, setting up the dramatic overtime ending.

“We needed one more rebound,” Cross said. “Tough game.”

–Stillwater 55, Moriah 52 (OT)

Moriah (52)

Rohrer 8-4-20, Sprague 6-8-20, Swan 1-3-5, Cooper 2-0-4, Demarais 1-0-2, Olcott 0-1-1, Fleury 0-0-0. Totals: 10-16-52.

Stillwater (55)

Mueller 11-0-22, Lilac 4-6-14, McNeil 3-4-10, T. McDonough 2-4-8, Wichelns 0-1-1, Hotaling 0-0-0, J. McDonough 0-0-0. Totals: 20-15-55. Halftime- Stillwater, 23-22. RYAN HAYNER/P-R Photo

Moriah’s Bryce Sprague (33) gets hounded by Stillwater defenders Jaxon Mueller (50) and Carter Wichelns (55) during a NYSPHSAA Class C boys basketball regional final Sunday at Hudson Valley Community College.