Avoca/Prattsburgh enters Class D state Final Four: What to know, key players, prediction
GLENS FALLS – The Avoca/Prattsburgh combined boys’ basketball team has won 36 straight games and will put its undefeated record up against the very best that New York State Class D has to offer with a trip to the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls for the NYSPHSAA Boys’ Basketball Championships on Friday.
Avoca/Prattsburgh ripped through an 11-0 season in 2020-21, but was denied a chance to play for the state Championship due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The combined team then put together one of the most impressive seasons in recent history in 2021-22, going 25-0 with an average margin of victory of 36.8 points per game.
A/P goes into the championship weekend with of the most dominant performances of the season, having scored 100 points on four different occasions, including wins of 80 points, 90 points and 75 points. Offensively, Avoca/Prattsburgh has been a high-powered machine, failing to score 60 points in just one contest all season long against Section V, Class C champion York in the second game of the season.
On the other end of the floor, Avoca/Prattsburgh’s defense has been strong as well, allowing teams to score more than 70 points just twice all season. Avoca/Prattsburgh’s defense has also been one of its main contributors on offense, as the zone press has forced teams to play fast and creates turnovers and scoring chances for A/P that routinely lead to buckets.
How they got here: Breaking down Avoca/Prattsburgh's win over Westfield Academy
For subscribers: What you will find inside the new Rico's Pizza in the Hornell Plaza
What to know about A/P's semifinals foe
The opponent in the first game of the weekend for Avoca/Prattsburgh will be the Oppenheim-Ephratah-St. Johnsville Wolves. The Wolves come into the game with a 15-9 overall record, but have been on a tear over the last few weeks after recovering from a six-game losing streak. Mason Snell, Paetyn Logan-Dillenbeck, Colten Christensen and Owen Feagles are all averaging double-figures on the season for a team that has a balanced scoring attack. It is the main similarity between the two programs, as each team has more than a few contributors that can make the difference in a win.
Avoca/Prattsburgh also has four players who average double-figure scoring numbers in Pacey Hopkins, Sawyer Devoe, Macoy Putnam and Hayden Abbott. The game should be a high-scoring affair with so much talent on the floor, and even if multiple players do not reach double-digits, that will most likely lead to huge scoring outburst from individuals.
Key players for Avoca/Prattsburgh
Pacey Hopkins and Sawyer Devoe are key players, but they almost always seem to put up huge numbers. The biggest X-factor for Avoca/Prattsburgh will be Macoy Putnam. Putnam is the kind of player that can impact the game in any sort of style. He can be a lock down defender, he can put up big scoring numbers or he can dish out the assists and be the ultimate playmaker. And then there are some games where he does all three efficiently and Avoca/Prattsburgh is unbeatable.
If Putnam can put together all the aspects of his game and dominate his time on the floor, Avoca/Prattsburgh will be coming home with a state championship.
Time and place
The tip-off for the game will be a 11:15 a.m. Friday morning at the Cool Insuring Arena. The other semifinal game will be at 9:30 a.m. between South Kortright and Huevelton Central. The winner of the two games will meet on Saturday at 5:15 p.m. in the Class D state championship game.
Prediction
Avoca/Prattsburgh has all of the tools in place to win the game, and it is prepared to go to Glens Falls and take a state championship. I believe that A/P will return to Section V as the state Champions, starting with a 84-78 win in the first game against the Wolves.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Avoca/Prattsburgh ready for Class D NY state Final Four in Glens Falls
