By Keith Harrington
Less than a week ago the Granville boys basketball team was comfortably sitting in second place and just a game behind league frontrunner North Warren. What a difference a day can make. Consecutive losses have pushed the Golden Horde back into the clutches of the battle for the final spots in the Adirondack League race.
Warrensburg came into Granville and used a stellar defensive performance and some clutch shooting from Brady Cheney to knock off the Golden Horde 52-41 Tuesday night.
“They played with a lot of intensity tonight. We again made some silly turnovers that cost us,” Granville coach Brian Jennings said. “For some reason we can’t get away from those.”
The Golden Horde jumped out to a 5-0 lead but the Burghers answered with a 6-0 spurt of their own. The teams battle back and forth for the rest of the period with Warrensburg leading 15-13 at the end of the first eight minutes.
Warrensburg put the defensive clamps on in the second, outscoring Granville 9-3 to lead 24-16 at the half.
The Golden Horde came out with a higher level of intensity in the third quarter. Granville opened on an 8-0 run led by the inside play of leading scorer Liam Farrell to tie the game at 24-24. The Golden Horde took a brief lead in the stanza, but the Burghers led 37-34 heading to the fourth.
“That was the goal. To pound it inside. If the the three-pointers are falling that’s great, but if they’re not you kind of live and die by the three-point shot,” Jennings added.
In the fourth Warrensburg found their touch from long range. Brady Cheney nailed a couple of huge 3-pointers and the Burghers hit just enough free throws down the stretch to keep the Golden Horde at arm’s length.
A key moment in the contest came when Granville sharpshooter Trey Senevey went down hard on a shot attempt and was injured. Senevey was not able to return, allowing Warrensburg to pack the paint to shut down Granville big men Farrell and Will Jennings.
“Trey was playing really well tonight and it was just unfortunate. Hopefully he’s okay and gets back,” Jennings said.
Steve Schloss led Warrensburg with 22 points. Cheney added 15 and Evan LaPell 11.
Farrell scored 13 points for the Golden Horde. Nate Williams chipped in 12 and Senevey 10.
Warrensburg improved 8-3, 13-5. to Granville fell to 7-3, 9-5.
Photo Credit-Nate Woodruff
