SEASON IN REVIEW: GERMANTOWN BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor
03-29-09
We here at ccSCOOP have been taking a look back at this past winter’s basketball seasons for each of our six schools that competed. We've reviewed the four teams in the Patroon League. Now we move on to the Central Hudson Valley League--starting off with Germantown.
The Clippers, who boasted a young roster that did not include a single senior, got off this season on the right foot, reeling off eight straight Section II wins to start the season 8-1. Following the fast start, the Clippers quickly dropped back-to-back league games but bounced back with four straight wins. Germantown played solid basketball the rest of the way, dropping two more league games to finish 12-4 in the Central Hudson Valley League. That mark gave the Clippers a share of second play. Overall, Germantown went 15-5 and were awarded with a seventh seed in the Section II Class D tournament.
Despite their low seed, the Clippers played some of their best basketball in the post-season, starting with a first-round win over St. Johnsville. Two years ago, St. Johnsville were the Section II champs and were strong again last year. This year, their season came to an end in the first round at the hands of the Clippers, 50-41. In the quarterfinals the Clippers were matched up with third-seeded Fort Ann but were able to pull off the major upset. After falling behind in the first half, Germantown used a 22-8 fourth quarter to pull out a 56-44 win and catapult themselves into the semifinals. In that semifinal game, Germantown hooked up with second-seeded Sharon Springs but came up short against the eventual Section II Class D champion. Germantown came out of the gates slow and could never recover, falling 68-57.
This year’s version of the Clippers boasted an interesting roster with no seniors, three juniors, five sophomores, and two freshmen. Three Clippers topped the 300-point plateau this year, while no other player scored over 100 on the year. It was a trio of sophomores leading the way. Wing Cody Broast led the team in field goals and free throws made and tied in free throws attempted—all while scoring more than 17 points a game and being limited to single digits just once. Forward Thomas Griffin also had a big year, being held to single digits only once while averaging more than 16 points a game. Guard Larry Niebling led the team in three-pointers made and free throw percentage en route to averaging more than 14 points per game. Although not big scorers, Mike Wyant, John Diehl, Dan Thomas, Brandon Jason and David Lyons made significant contributions defensively.
The future looks bright for the Clippers since they are set to return every player from the team that was a second-place finisher in the league and Section II semifinalist. All three of their top scorers return for their junior season, which means they have two more years of scoring ahead of them.
Most Valuable Player: Cody Broast (Sophomore)
Any of the top three scorers could have been picked here, but we went with Broast who was the highest scorer and most consistent offensive threat this year. At 6' 2”, his size was also valuable on the defensive end and in rebounding.
Biggest Game: Saturday, February 28, against Fort Ann
The young Clippers made a statement by knocking off Adirondack League powerhouse Fort Ann, the team that also happened to be the third seed in the Class D tournament. The victory propelled the Clippers into the semifinals while showing just how dangerous they were and could be in the future.
Most Improved: Larry Niebling (Sophomore)
Although he started well and had a stretch of three games late in the year where he was held to single digits, Niebling showed his worth in the team’s final CHVL game of the year and their three sectional games, averaging 16 points and 2 threes a game.
Best Returning Player: Cody Broast (Sophomore), Thomas Griffin (Sophomore), Larry Niebling (Sophomore)
Through the course of the season, Broast may have been the top overall player, but each player had his moment and certainly will next season as well. Niebling handles the ball and shoots it well, Broast scores from all over the court, and Griffin is an aggressive slasher.
Up and Comer: Thomas Griffin (Sophomore)
Broast got most of the accolades for his scoring, and Niebling got a lot of talk for being the primary ball handler and long-range specialist, but don’t sleep on Griffin. He doesn’t have great height, but he’s already very strong, especially for a sophomore. A good three-point shooter, as his range continues to develop, the argument for who will be CHVL MVP their senior year will almost certainly come down to teammates, Broast and Griffin.
