Haden Abbott's hot shooting day sends Avoca/Prattsburgh back to Class D state final

Avoca/Prattsburgh is headed back to the state championship game.

Haden Abbott had the hot hand. His game-high 21 points helped the Titans win Saturday's New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D semifinal decisively, 64-41, over Section III's Hamilton on Saturday afternoon at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls.

Avoca/Prattsburgh coach Brian Putnam's Titans are the reigning NYSPHSAA Class D champions with a bulk of their 2022 title team still on the roster. The Titans, riding a 17-game winning streak, are the three-time Section V Class D champions.

"They're driven," coach Putnam said to NYSPHSAA after the game. "We talk about it all the time. They just hate to lose. I think that drives them. They're goal-oriented and here we are again."

What it means

Avoca/Prattsburgh (24-2) is seeking a fourth state champion between the Avoca and Prattsburgh programs.

Avoca won a state championship in 1989 — the middle of a three-year state final four run with losses the 1988 semifinals and a setback in the 1990 title game. Coach Putnam played on Prattsburgh's 1991 state championship team. The merged 2022 Titans won the Class D state final 70-58 over Section X's Heuvelton.

Coach Putnam's Titans are 62-2 with three straight Section V Class D titles since Avoca and Prattsburgh merged three seasons ago.

Hamilton coach Tom Blackford's Emerald Knights ended the season 22-4. Reese Snyder led the team with 12 points.

What's next

Avoca/Prattsburgh will defend its title against Section IX champion Chapel Field Christian (20-5) in the NYSPHSAA Class D championship game at 3 p.m. Sunday. The Lions edged Section II's North Warren 47-46 in the semifinals.

Player of the game

Haden Abbott

The Avoca/Prattsburgh senior set the pace. Abbott singe-handedly matched Hamilton with a 17-point first half and finished with 21 points on 9 of 19 shooting. All three of his 3-pointers came in the final three minutes of the first half. Abbott also pulled down four rebounds.

"It's been amazing. Doing it once is ... a crazy experience, but being back here again, the experience really helps with that," Abbott told NYSPHSAA. "Being a two-time state champion would mean everything to me."

Game balls

Macoy Putnam

The junior point guard had a calm but masterful performance. Putnam's vision and ball handling was the strength of Avoca/Prattsburgh's transition offense. He was even the first line of attack of the Titans' full and half court traps that caused 20 turnovers. He finished with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

Jamel Crowder

The senior forward caught fire in the third during his 16-point performance. Crowder made three 3s during a third quarter stretch that helped Avoca/Prattsburgh extend its lead.

Sawyer Devoe

The senior forward cleaned the boards and provided efficient finishes at the rim with his 10-point, 18-rebound outing.

"When my boys are hitting shots and everything, that's all I have to do, and that's really all I like to do. I'm not focused on scoring. I'm just grabbing boards," Devoe said.

Key moments

Avoca/Prattsburgh played outstanding defense, forcing Hamilton to shoot 36% with adept full court press and half court zone traps. The stops aided the Titans' transition offense and evaded Hamilton's tricky 1-3-1 defense.

Macoy Putnam's dunk sparked a 15-5 second quarter run. Haden Abbott made a trio of 3s in the final 2:41 to give Avoca/Prattsburgh a 28-17 lead into the half. In the third, thanks to a pair of 3s by Jamel Crowder and some Putnam transition buckets, A/P scored 18 points in the first five minutes of the third before building a 52-33 entering the fourth.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased on-site for $10 or in advance through Seat Geek for $13 including fees. Parking is available in several nearby lots.

Livestream

All of the NYSPHSAA games will be streamed by the NFHS Network, which charges $11.99 for a monthly subscription.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Avoca/Prattsburgh beats Hamilton, back in state basketball final