Niskayuna Basketball Is Headed For A Strong Finish

Niskayuna Basketball is looking for continued success going forward, as both the boys and girls teams enter a crucial point in their respective seasons. The boys team is currently at 7-9, and despite their record at below .500, they are a tough and gritty team and won’t let up without a fight. Leading the squad is guard Sam Booth, along with players like sharpshooter Ethan Gilson, Saif Chowdrey, Gavin Olsen, Kasper Matia and Daniel Smalls. This squad may be a bit inexperienced, but with 14 games under their belt, Coach Grasso’s team is looking to take things to the next level. Decisive victories against Guilderland and Columbia, both by a margin of 34 points, have displayed the potential this team has and showed that the Silver Warriors won’t play down to their competition. Even though they have lost 8 games, they have all been by close margins, with their biggest loss in a recent clash against Bethlehem by 16 points. Almost every loss has come down to the final minutes of the game, and closing out games will be an important factor, especially this year in a wide open Section II, where it feels like anyone’s game. Tough games lie ahead for the Silver Warriors against teams like Ballston Spa—the current best team in Class AA. But if the team can bounce back and get into the win column, Niskayuna will be a team to watch out for down the stretch.

Hard fought games have defined Niskayuna’s boys’ season so far, and the same can be said for the girls team, which is also  having a very successful season. They started the season out 5-2 with some important victories over Shaker and Columbia. Since that impressive start, they have had some tough losses, but an emphatic win over Guilderland and a nail-biting victory in a battle against Schalmont have positioned them to finish out the season strong. They are currently 8-8, and led by seniors Kathleen Birmingham, Ryan Famolaro, Aiylin Rutnik, and Jackie Reffelt.

Both the boys and girls teams will try to shake off their losses and get on a hot streak going forward towards the end of their respective seasons, as  they strive to claim Section II crowns. Best of luck to both teams as they look to close out strong!