Millbrook girls basketball state championship: 'Now we know we're No. 1'
TROY - Now they know.
Millbrook rolled over so many opponents this season it was difficult to figure out how good this group really is. That question was answered emphatically on Sunday at Hudson Valley Community College with a dramatic 55-46 win over a Newark Valley team that came in with the same level of confidence and momentum.
The Blazers are New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C champions.
“Now we know we’re No. 1,” Millbrook forward Emily Grasseler said. “It’s the best feeling. Our whole season we beat teams by 30 and 40 points so when you win by five or six, it feels like you’ve accomplished so much more. The adrenaline you get with that kind of win is unreal.”
It will not fade quickly, either.
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“We found out we’re 10 times better than I could have ever imagined,” Blazers forward Natalie Fox said. “Watching that team and how they all performed (Saturday) was like, in a way, frightening, but we’d never admit that. So we were all a little bit nervous coming in and behind the scenes we were maybe unsure, but once we stepped on the court it was like, ‘Oh, my God, we are just as good as this team if not better. We just started playing our game and controlled them. We found out we are the best team in Class C.”
It’s the program’s second title, first since 2018.
The Cardinals were impressive all season, but especially in their semifinal win over Duanesburg with Millbrook watching in the stands. Nerves were an issue early and Newark Valley closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to grab a 13-11 lead.
It wasn’t a big deal.
“After watching them yesterday we were unsure,” Millbrook coach Adam Peek said. “I’ve seen a couple of their games and thought it would be a tough game to win. I think the girls realized after the first quarter they are as good as Newark Valley on any given day. And we were.”
There were five lead changes and three ties in the first half. Fox quickly found a groove and helped the Blazers grab a 33-28 lead at the intermission.
Millbrook survived a cold snap in the third quarter as Newark Valley short-circuited a potential comeback by committing eight turnovers. Beth Bosan provided a spark off the bench and had the Blazers up 45-35 heading into the fourth.
That’s when it got weird.
Millbrook went 1 for 10 with a pair of turnovers in the first six minutes of the quarter. The Cardinals were less than efficient at the other end and got no closer than six, but emotions were very high.
“That was the most stressful quarter of my life,” Fox said. “I was shaking uncontrollably. When the ball was bouncing out of the basket it was bouncing all the way back to the other team. It was so unlucky. It was so nerve-wracking and stressful, but we got it under control at the end and made our foul shots.”
Grasseler and Ella Wilson hauled in big rebound after big rebound in crunch time and the Blazers went 7 for 10 at the line to close out the victory.
What it means
Don't be surprised to see another state title in a year's time.
Fox is a sophomore with size and hands who is being pursued by major colleges. She's back. Grasseler is the perfect complement inside. Wilson is a reliable scorer with range. Bosan is a catalyst at both ends. All of them are juniors and will be returning.
There will be holes in the starting lineup to fill when Maddy Harkenrider and Kaleigh Tompkins graduate, but if Millbrook can find some depth, they will go into next season as the favorite in Section 9 and New York State.
Player of the game
Fox's reputation grew exponentially over the weekend. She was named tournament MVP, getting 15 points, nine rebounds and four blocks in the championship game.
By the numbers
Millbrook: (24-2): Harkenrider finished with three points and two assists. ... Grasseler had 14 points and eight rebounds. ... Bosan delivered 14 points and four steals. ... Wilson finished with nine points and three assists.
Newark Valley (24-2): Makana Gardner collected six points and 11 rebounds. ... Hannah Ferguson had eight points. ... Taylor Benjamin added 10 points. ... Gracie Gardner delivered 13 points and eight rebounds. ... Jasmine Graham got five points.
Quotable
"The last quarter neither team wanted to put the ball in the basket," Peek said. "It was a battle of attrition. We needed to take care of the rebounding and limit them to one shot and hope to get a couple of baskets. The foul shots made up for some of that. We haven’t been the best shooting team all year. We don’t give up fast breaks. We try not to give up put-backs. You’re going to have to earn it against us.
"I’m very excited for the kids, especially after the past two years where they weren’t able to do the competitive tournaments at the end. It’s nice to see kids competing and being normal again so I’m happy for them."
"This is a totally different team," Grasseler said of the Blazers' second title in four years. "It’s a fresh start and we proved Millbrook could do it again with a different set of kids. It wasn’t just one year that we had a good group. This is something Millbrook has been building for a long time."
Mike Dougherty can be reached at mdougher@gannett.com, or on Twitter @hoopsmbd.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Millbrook wins state Class C girls basketball championship
