SECTIONAL PREVIEW: NEW LEBANON BOYS’ & GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

The New Lebanon boys’ basketball team will continue their season on Wednesday as they travel to face Loudonville Christian in a Section II Class D sectional matchup. The Tigers have been seeded eleventh and will travel to face the sixth-seeded Eagles.

On the girls’ side, the Tigers have been seeded eighth and on Tuesday night will host ninth-seeded North Warren in the first round of the Section II Class D tournament.
 
Boys 

The Tigers are coming off a 5-12 overall, 5-11 in the Central Hudson Valley League season. Heading into sectionals, New Lebanon is going in the wrong direction, having lost their last six games of the season, including a season ending loss to Loudonville Christian. The Eagles are coming off a 13-7 season, including a 12-4 mark in the CHVL. In their final six games, Loudonville Christian has gone an impressive 5-1, including wins over Germantown and Waterford. In their first matchup this year with New Lebanon, Loudonville Christian won the game by 13, but in their second game--the final game of the season for both teams--New Lebanon fell by only 7.

New Lebanon comes in with three players who have scored over 100 points this season. Leading the way is 6' 4” sophomore center Bryan Potter. Not only is Potter a threat to score in the post, he is also tied for the team lead in three-pointers made. He is also by far the team leader in free throws attempted and made. Also chipping in is senior transfer Kodiak Mullins. Mullins is a tough attacking wing who has recorded six double-digit scoring games this season. The last member of the 100 point club for the Tigers is 6' 2” senior Jake LaBlanc, who does his best work around the hoop but has shown the ability to step away and knock down a shot as well.

Loudonville Christian also features three players who have scored over 100 points and two others who have topped the 90-point plateau. Cullen Overholt, a 6' 2” junior wing, is one of the elite scorers in the league and the entire area. He can score from anywhere on the court, including from deep, where he has a team-high 33 three-pointers, and also from the free throw line, where he’s made 96 of 122 free throws. Senior forward Jared Rebeor is another inside–outside threat, and at 6' 3”, he’s got plenty of size to be dangerous.

New Lebanon has some weapons, but they’ve struggled in their two contests against the Eagles this year. If they can slow down Overholt (20 and 18 points respectively in the two matchups), they’ve got a shot, but it’s a tough task. Potter has a good matchup in the post, but who else will step up for the Tigers? That question will be a key to this game.
 
Prediction: New Lebanon 39—Loudonville Christian 50

 
Girls
 
New Lebanon is heading into sectionals after a 7-14 overall, 5-10 league record and having won just one of their last seven contests. According to the results we have North Warren is heading into sectional play without a win. The two teams have commons opponent this year, Argyle. Against Argyle the Tigers fell by 17 while North Warren lost by 44. 
    
The bulk of the Tigers scoring falls upon the shoulders of junior forward Geneva Furlano. Furlano has scored in double digits 10 times this season. Alannah Carpinello a 6' sophomore center was second on the team in scoring having notched double figures in seven of the ten games she’s played this season. The other big scorer for the Tigers has been Jessica Colon who has all seven of New Lebanon’s three pointers this season.
    
North Warren is limited in scoring options with their main threat being senior Ashley Schloss. Schloss has scored in double digits three times this season and has 13 of her teams 16 three pointers this season.
    
Neither team comes into the contest setting the world on fire but out of the two New Lebanon has at least shown the ability to put together some things and pull out victories making them the favorite in this game.
 
Prediction: New Lebanon 39- North Warren 25