PLATTSBURGH —The old cliché of saving your best for last applies to the Northeastern Clinton boys’ basketball team.
Colton Castine’s 23 points on Saturday led the way in the second-seeded Cougars’ solid 61-51 win over top-seeded Saranac Lake in the Section VII Class B championship game at Clinton Community College.
The victory sends the Cougars (10-12) into today’s NYSPHSAA regional game against Section II power Stillwater at Shenendehowa High School at 5 p.m.
Stillwater has a 23-1 record on the season and is ranked second in the state among the Class B schools.
Saturday’s NCCS win came on the heels of a 72-38 decision over third-seeded Saranac in the semifinals and avenged a 58-45 setback to Saranac Lake during the regular season.
“I am so proud of this team,” NCCS coach Luke Connell said. “We have worked hard all season and it hasn’t always paid off when it comes to our record.
“We found our rhythm towards the end of the regular season, which is always needed at sectional time. We have been working on our zone defense, which has increased the boys’ confidence on the floor.”
All season long, the Cougars have had to make up for a lack of height by playing with great effort. That was again the case on Saturday.
NCCS was strong on the offensive boards and took a 30-20 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Red Storm (12-10) did cut their deficit to 45-39 after three, but the Cougars outscored Saranac Lake, 16-12, in the fourth to seal it.
Jordan Brown added 12 points, including three three-pointers, and Max Rabideau 11 points, including two three-pointers, for the Cougars.
“Colton Castine had 23 points and 16 rebounds, 11 of which were offensive rebounds,” Connell said.
“I also was especially proud of our bench. They did an excellent job of providing energy to the team. It was a great win because everyone contributed in one way or another.”
Castine was consistent all game with 11 points in the first half and 12 in the final two quarters.
Caleb Akey tossed in 22 points and Nik Denkenberger 18, including a trio of three-pointers, for Saranac Lake as they accounted for 40 of the Red Storm’s 51 points.
Both players did their best to keep their team in it over the final two quarters with Akey scoring 14 second-half points before fouling out and Denkenberger 11.
Akey and Denkenberger combined for seven-of-eight from the foul line over the final two quarters and were responsible for 25 of Saranac Lake’s 31 second-half points.
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NCCS 61, Saranac Lake 51
NCCS (61)
Brown 4-1-12, Prairie 1-2-4, Marshall 3-0-6, Turner 0-0-0, Magoon 1-3-5, Castine 9-5-23, M. Rabideau 3-3-11. Totals- 21-14-61.
Saranac Lake (51)
Clark 0-0-0, Wilson 1-0-2, Cirikovic 1-0-2, McCarthy 2-0-5, Akey 8-5-22, Goetz 1-0-2, Denkenberger 5-5-18. Totals- 18-10-51.
Halftime- NCCS, 30-20.
3 point goals- NCCS (5) Brown 3, Rabideau 2. SLCS (5) Denkenberger 3, McCarthy, Akey.