SEASON IN REVIEW: HUDSON BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

03-22-09

We here at ccSCOOP will be taking a look back at this past winter’s basketball seasons for each of our six schools that competed. We’ll be reviewing how the season went and how the players played and taking a look at some key points of the season, including our picks for the team’s most valuable player and the squad’s most important game and a lookout for future stars. First up are the Hudson Bluehawks.

Hudson finished up its regular season going 12-8 overall and finishing at 11-7 in the Patroon Conference. Their league record was good enough to put them in fourth place in the league when all was said and done. The Bluehawks’ regular season helped guide them to sixth seed in the Section II Class B tournament, where they hosted eleventh-seeded Schuylerville, but Hudson’s season came to an end at the hands of the Black Horses.

The Bluehawks started the season off with a tough road loss to rival Ichabod Crane, but after that initial setback, things started to go well for Hudson as they reeled off five straight league wins. After the quick start, things quickly settled down, and the Bluehawks played inconsistently, dropping five of their next six contests. Hudson won two of their next three games before junior starting center Jacori Anderson was released from the team, but the Bluehawks rallied and finished up their season on a strong note, which included knocking off Cairo-Durham twice in two days in February. Hudson finished their regular season on a 5-1 streak heading into sectionals.

In sectional play, Hudson started off quickly against Schuylerville, jumping out to a three-point lead after one and extending it to 14 heading into the half, but they could not hold on. The Black Horses fought back and capped the game with an 18-8 fourth quarter, bringing the Hudson season to a close.

Coming up big this season for Hudson was senior transfer Barry King. After the loss of star Lyle Hughes to graduation, the Bluehawks needed someone to come in and make up for the departed scoring, and King was up to the task, averaging more than 12 points a game. In desperate need of consistent play, senior guard Justin Brantley oftentimes took over the point guard position and helped calm the team, while averaging just under 9 points per game. Before exiting the team for disciplinary reasons, Anderson was a monster on the boards for Hudson, while also averaging over 10 points per game. Two players who really stepped up for the Bluehawks, especially after the departure of Anderson, were Darien Moore and Larell Roberts. Both players averaged just over 9 points per game this year.

Hudson boasted a deep roster and is set to lose five players. The losses of King and Brantley are big for obvious reasons, but the other three will also be crucial losses. Gershom Keith was not a big scorer, but he provided excellent perimeter defense. James Swanigan, at 6' 5” was the tallest player on the Hudson roster. Charles Thomas provided strength and depth off the bench for Hudson.

Next season could be a good one for the Bluehawks, especially if Anderson returns to anchor the middle. Even if he’s not back, Talib Barksdale is a big body and a great athlete who can compete inside. Roberts and Moore are both inside/outside threats at the wing forward spots, while Nevin Sheldon showed glimpses of being a top-level point guard in the Patroon Conference. Jeff Crank, a junior varsity call-up for sectionals, should also play a key role next season after being by far the top talent on a good JV team.

Most Valuable Player: Justin Brantley (Senior)
It would have been easy to go with King, who led the team in scoring, or with either Moore or Roberts, who stepped up big time, but it was Brantley’s combination of scoring, outside shooting, defense, and calming point guard play that led us to him as our selection.

Biggest Game: Monday, February 2, against Cairo-Durham
In their first game without Anderson, the Bluehawks matched up with one of the top overall and defensive teams in the league, but they were able to come away with a win. Down by three going into the fourth quarter, Hudson battled back for a victory. That game was the second of five wins to end the season.

Most Improved: Darien Moore (Junior)
Moore started the season well, but with Anderson gone he stepped up and scored in double figures in five of his team’s final seven games, including a 32-point effort against Taconic Hills.

Best Returning Player: Darien Moore (Junior)
The argument could be made for Roberts, a freshman, or Sheldon, a junior, but Moore played the best of the three all season long and finished strongest, leading us to believe he should be the top player on a very well-balanced team next year.

Up and Comer: Jeff Crank (Junior)
Moore proved his worth this year, and although Roberts is listed as a freshman, we’ve heard rumors he may only have one year of eligibility left. I really like Sheldon and think he’s an exciting play maker on both ends of the court, but Crank was a stud on the JV team and had a good sectional game. He can score inside and out, pass, handle, defend, and rebound. He doesn’t have great height, but he’s strong and should be a big-time player next season.