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Fonda-Fultonville stops Watervliet for Class B title

Hidde leads Braves to first sectional crown since 1970

2010 Section II Class B Champion Fonda-Fultonville Braves

Glens Falls – The drought is over.  The Fonda-Fultonville boys basketball team downed Watervliet 62-54 in the Section II Class B final at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Sunday to clinch the program’s first sectional title since the 1969-1970 season.

Seth Hidde scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the top-seeded Braves (22-0 overall) and keep their perfect season alive.  “It feels great,” Hidde said on winning the title. “That was a good team effort for us on both sides of the ball. Both teams played well, but it was a good feeling to get a sectional title after coming up short the past few years.”

FFCS was making its fourth trip to the Glens Falls Civic Center in the last five years. This season was the first time the Braves advanced to the finals, and they made the most of it.  Hidde scored six of the Braves’ first eight points to help FFCS jump out to an 8-2 lead. He also scored six points, while keying a 12-0 run in the third quarter to help the Braves distance themselves from the Cannoneers.

“A lot of guys were finding me with good passes,” Hidde said. “Our chemistry was flowing all game. Everyone had their heads up looking for people, and we were dishing the ball around, making good passes for easy shots.”  Hidde finished with 12 points in the quarter; including two three-point plays to help FFCS outscore Watervliet 27-15 in the period and take a 52-35 lead into the fourth quarter.

“Seth [Hidde] is a great player and a phenomenal athlete,” Fonda-Fultonville coach Eric Wilson said. “It was nice to see him break out a little bit and get some opportunities where he caught the ball in good spots. He was finishing his shots and had some huge rebounds for us. It’s nice to see him step up for us in a game like this.”

FFCS never allowed Watervliet (18-4 overall) to get into its trademark run-and-gun transition offense, holding Section II’s top scoring team 17 points under its average.  “It was a total team effort,” Wilson said. “The kids came out focused, and I think we had a pretty good game plan going in, and we executed it.”   (…)

FFCS silenced its critics during the run to the Class B crown. The Braves beat three Colonial Council teams, a league in which they’ll be moving to next season, as well as local rival Johnstown.  “Since we are in a lower league, people don’t think we’re that good,” Hall said. “But we’re definitely good, and we proved it tonight.”

Hidde was named the tournament’s most valuable player.  “That caught me off guard,” Hidde said with a laugh. “I didn’t see that coming, but it’s definitely a good feeling.”  He was joined on the all-tournament team by teammate Brandon Mercado, Watervliet’s Jordan Gleason and Nick Durocher, Johnstown’s Ian Yost, and Schenectady Christian’s Chris McCarty.

FFCS advances to the regional semifinals where it will face Section VII champion Plattsburgh (17-4 overall) on Friday at 6 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College. The winner moves on to face Section X champion Potsdam (18-2 overall) in regional finals on Saturday at HVCC.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the group of guys in there,” Wilson said of his team. “They deserve this. They have worked so hard this year and have been committed and dedicated. They work hard every day in practice. I’m happy for them.”

written by admin \\ tags: Achievements, Montgomery Co., Sports, Village of Fonda