Toga Holds Off Late Shen Push, Wins Round 1

November 29, 2018

Saratoga Springs 62, Shenendehowa 53

Anyone that knows me realizes that 'marquee matchups' in November are games that I usually avoid going to. That being said, Shen/Saratoga on a well-timed lighter Thursday night... how can you say no? In a game that featured stars on both sides and nearly an individual milestone, it turned into a supporting cast heavy storyline as the host Blue Streaks received timely contributions to win an early season test between two Section 2 Class AA contenders.

Bella Stuart (Shenendehowa 2020)

In the season opener for both teams, nerves were evident early as both teams sputtered offensively early as they were trying to feel each other out. The action picked up midway through the 2nd quarter when Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross signee) knocked down a midrange jumper, the Blue Streaks' first field goal of the quarter, to give them a 13-10 edge. Shen briefly tied it at 15 on a Bella Stuart three, but Saratoga reeled off 11 quick points - the first 7 from standout 2020 Dolly Cairns - with only a three from Cat Almeida (Shenendehowa 2019; Quinnipiac signee) in response. Shen narrowed their halftime deficit to 26-20 on a Meghan Huerter basket before the break.

Though it took until then to get her first points, the basket opened up for Huerter coming out of the locker room. She knocked down a three to start the 2nd half, and after Abby Ray (Saratoga Springs 2021) answered with a basket, Huerter drilled two more threes in succession, giving Shen their first lead at 29-28 with 4:47 left in the 3rd. After relinquishing the edge, the Plainsmen momentarily regained it on an Almeida layup, but then Saratoga turned the tide. Kayla Lahart scored to give Saratoga a lead they'd never give back, and then Cairns & Flaherty had a stretch of dominance. Being faceguarded all game either against man-to-man or a triangle & 2, they were able to get loose late in the 3rd. Flaherty scored from both inside & outside the arc, then Cairns added 6 points of her own before Flaherty knocked down a three, quickly expanding Saratoga's lead to 48-34 late in the 3rd.

Kerry Flaherty (Saratoga Springs 2019; Holy Cross signee) led all scorers with 19 points.

Shen stopped the bleeding with a Simone Walker 3 point play to end the quarter, and the momentum carried into the 4th. Huerter knocked down her 4th three of the half, sparking a 10-2 spurt capped by a Jess Wagoner (Shenendehowa 2019; Caldwell signee) basket to cut their deficit to 52-47. After Saratoga extended the margin back to 9 on a Cairns floater, Shen reeled off 6 straight in a final push, with a parking lot Huerter trey making the score 56-53. With the Blue Streaks floundering offensively for a period of time, it was Abby Ray once again who delivered in response, burying an open three to give them a 59-53 lead. Shen was unable to convert on the ensuing possession, and Flaherty made three free throws over the next two Saratoga possessions to curb any ideas of a last minute push.

Flaherty led all scorers with 19 points in the victory, with 13 coming in the 2nd half. That puts the Holy Cross signee at 995 points for her varsity career. Cairns added 18 for Saratoga, with 14 coming in the middle quarters that her team was able to largely control. Ray chipped in with 9 points, none more timely than the late three. Meghan Huerter led Shen with 17 points, including the 2nd half shooting display that saw her connect on 5 threes in the final 16 minutes. Almeida joined her in double figures with 10, and Wagoner contributed 9.

Meghan Huerter (Shenendehowa 2021) hit 5 threes after halftime and led them with 17 points.

Jeff's Notes

- It's fair to say that Saratoga's supporting cast was a big question going into this winter. This isn't because of talent by any stretch, as Abby Ray is a very solid player in her own right and the Blue Streaks have 8th graders up with loads of potential in Natasha Chudy & Lauren Patnode. However, the youngsters aren't 'varsity battle tested' yet, and Abby has always been a scrappy, athletic pass/create first guard that doesn't often look to score herself. Well, Abby made strides as far as offensive confidence and gave her squad just what they needed when they needed it. It wasn't just the late three - she scored 9 points, knocking down shots when left open as the game wore on - but that three was undoubtedly the biggest individual shot of the game. Shen, opting for a triangle & 2 against Cairns & Flaherty for much of that stretch while also throwing the press on, did a good job being physical in ball denial and stalling the Blue Streaks' offense for a time. Just when you started to sense some frustration creeping in and the comeback trail nearly complete for Shen, Abby's shot gave them the breathing room and boost they needed. She'll need to continue to be a willing scoring threat and is a major key to Saratoga's success this winter, but not only was this a very good sign for her & the team, it's something that she has the ability to build off of.

Abby Ray (Saratoga Springs 2021) played an important role in their win Thursday.

- As far as combinations go, there just isn't one in Section 2 - and at this point, you could make the case for upstate NY as a whole - that are as dangerous as Dolly Cairns & Kerry Flaherty. In this game, they showed exactly why. They combined to score 37 (Flaherty 19, Cairns 18), but it wasn't necessarily about the number as they've combined for more than that on plenty of occasions. It was how quickly they were able to get going together and change the outlook of the game. They battled through the first half without much room to breathe. Cairns had 10 at the half, but only one field goal (8/9 FT), and Flaherty had 6, with two field goals coming on transition layups. Shen took a lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter... but all it takes is a minute. A Flaherty bucket turned into another Flaherty bucket, which turned into a Cairns bucket, another Cairns bucket, and Cairns free throws off a drive. That turned into a rare open look for Flaherty from behind the arc. In under half of a quarter, the game went from 31-30 Shen to 48-34 Saratoga. Suburban Council teams have been dealing with this for years now - they were no secret, and Shen was prepared. But all it takes is the slightest daylight, the confidence went up, and they were off to the races. Fun to watch.

Dolly Cairns (Saratoga Springs 2020) had another strong performance to start her 4th full varsity season.

- As a competitor, you never want to lose. That being said, if you're Shen, this certainly wasn't a 'bad' loss. None in November are. They took a major hit to graduation, with Cat Almeida the only returning starter and four 2018 graduates playing collegiate ball. At the same time, they're a squad deep with young talent, so there are many lineup options and things left to be determined as the season goes on. They'll likely have several players step up for them at different points. In this game, along with Meghan Huerter having the aforementioned big 2nd half, what stuck out to me was Bella Stuart giving them good minutes off the bench and Jess Wagoner's activity & production in the post. At any given time, it could be Almeida, Simone Walker, Anna Milham, Jill Huerter, Rylee Carpenter, you name it... and when Kaitlyn Watrobski returns from injury, that adds yet another option. They sputtered offensively early but stayed in it on the defensive end. When they absorbed the Saratoga run and fell behind by 14 late in the 3rd quarter, they showed some toughness by responding & battling back to within 3 late in the game. Tough draw for a team in the process of figuring itself out, going on the road against a true contender in Saratoga, but not only were there teaching moments throughout the game, there was growth. They have all the makings of a team that grows through the season and 'peaks at the right time'. They're good now and will win more than their share, but as this group of players continues to mesh, look for Shen to be particularly dangerous.

Simone Walker (Shenendehowa 2020)