LADY RIDERS MOVE INTO SECOND ROUND Greg Dedrick ccSCOOP Sports Editor 02-26-09 - The Ichabod Crane Riders girls’ basketball team defeated Gloversville for the third time this season on Tuesday night, knocking off the Dragons 48-37 in the first round of Section II Class A play. The Riders got scoring contributions from ten different players, none of whom got into double figures, but it was good enough for the win. Ichabod Crane got off to a slow start in the first quarter. Alli Pullen scored on a steal and a lay-up on the first possession of the game, but ICC was only able to score one more bucket the entire first quarter. Defensively, the Riders gave up five field goals, including two three-point field goals, one of which was a fadeaway turnaround triple at the buzzer.

In the second quarter, the Riders picked up some energy and got their scoring going. Hannah Smith scored on a step-through in the low post to get the scoring started. Pullen scored 4 points in the middle of the quarter, and Smith converted down low one more time, this time with just six seconds left to send the game to the half tied at 17.

Coming out of the half, the Riders kept of their strong play and blew the game wide open. Smith again scored, this time off an offensive rebound, and Elena Ooms followed that up with a drive to the hoop. Senior Rachel Dellehunt scored on an offensive follow-up, and the Riders were out in front by 6. On the defensive side, the Riders played well throughout the quarter, but it was one play in particular that gave them a boost. After a steal by the Dragons looked like it would result in an easy fastbreak lay-up. ICC’s Shana Barry sprinted across the floor and swatted the lay-up attempt out of bounds to prevent an easy hoop. With the score at 28-24, the Riders finally took full control. Barry hit a long jumper, and Sarah Wheeler followed that with a free throw. After a defensive stop, the Riders ran an inbounds play that got Barry a look from deep, and she buried the three-pointer for the last score of the quarter.

Wheeler got the fourth started by scoring 5 of the quarter’s first 7 points as the Riders eased to the win, outscoring their opponents 14-13 in the final quarter. Four other players scored in the quarter to help out.

Smith and Wheeler each scored 8 points in the win, while Rebecca Smith added 7 points and 11 rebounds. Pullen scored 6 points, all in the first half, while Barry added 5, all in the third quarter.

The win sends ICC into the second round where they will square off with second-seeded powerhouse Averill Park from the Suburban Council on Friday at Averill Park.