To say that I was spoiled this week is an understatement.

Friday night, CBA's gymnasium was packed to the roof as rival and league-leading Bishop Maginn came to Colonie in a crucial Big 10 showdown.

The Brothers got off to a roaring start, Andrew Stire and DeAndre Kennedy-Ebron blocking two consecutive shots on Maginn's first possession off the opening tip. CBA then put up a quick 5-0 lead and the crowd nearly blew the top off the building.

Then, Bishop Maginn blew past the Brothers on the fast break and dominated the game for the next three quarters. James Torres netted a three-point play to put the Griffins ahead by 16 early on in the fourth quarter and the game looked all but over.

Something snapped on that CBA bench, because the Brothers fought back with 20 unanswered points to take a four point lead (57-53) with one minute remaining in the game. The teams battled back and forth on the foul lines, with Maginn inbounding the ball with 5.5 seconds left, down by 3. Khaliq Gross found Shimeek Johnson outside the arc, and Johnson drilled the game-tying, buzzer beating trey to send the game to overtime.

Johnson scored 6 points in overtime, just enough for a 71-69 victory over bitter rival CBA.

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I'm not sure what was more impressive, CBA holding the No. 5 team in the state scoreless for 6 minutes while scoring 20 of their own, or Johnson's clutch shot after the Griffins had seemingly blown an easy victory.

Either way, it was quite a game and I'm also unsure if it topped Tuesday night's battle between Hoosic Valley and Cambridge, where HV's Pat Lanoue hit buzzer-beating shots at the end of the third AND fourth quarters - the fourth quarter shot clinching an upset win for HV.

Bishop Maginn's Terron Victoria goes for a basket against CBA's Malcolm Austin (15) in a game at the Washington Ave. Armory in December. (Photo - Tom Killups - The Record)

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Here is how that 4th quarter unfolded at CBA (Maginn in Blue)

Torres FG + FT (37-53, Maginn)

Creighton 3

Torres 0/2 FT

Austin FG + FT

Stire FG

Maginn TO

Austin 3 ptr

Stire block->Mantas steal->Ritter FG

Kargbo 0/2 FT

Kennedy-Ebron FG (Misses FT)

Maginn TO

Austin FG (54-53 CBA)

CBA TO

Austin FG + FT (57-53 CBA)

Johnson 2/2 FT

CBA TO

Kargbo 1/2 FT

CBA TO

Buie fouls out (20.5 seconds remain, 57-56 CBA)

Austin 1/2 FT

Maginn TO (16.5 seconds)

Gross 1/2 FT

Maginn TO (8.5)

Victoria fouls Mantas (5.5 seconds)

Mantas 2/2 FT (60-57 CBA)

Johnson 3 ptr (60-60 - no time remaining)

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Maginn's Achillees' Heel is their half-court offense. The Griffins have a hard time slowing the tempo down, moving the ball around and finding an easy shot for two points. Long story short, Maginn could probably beat the Harlem Globetrotters, but they'd have a hard time against the Washington Generals.

This nearly killed them when they tried to protect that 16 point lead in the fourth quarter by changing the tempo and trying to punch it in. A few missed free throws did not help.

On the flip side, CBA showed a ton of heart in making a 20-point rally against a team that talented. The Brothers proved yet again that they can hang with Maginn, but they just may not have enough to get past them. Time will tell if these two play again in the AA sectionals.

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For comparison, here is that fourth quarter from Schaghticoke on Tuesday (Cambridge in orange)

Horton FG (39-34 HV)

Herrington FG + FT

Bromirski FG

Cambridge TO

D'Auita FG (41-39 Camb.)

Pallozzi 3 ptr

Cambridge TO

Bromirski FG

Lanoue FG

Kugler 3 ptr

Bromirski FG

Kugler 3 ptr (50-45 HV)

McNeice fouls out

Bromirski FG

Kugler FG

Bromirski FG

Cambridge TO (1:13)

Lanoue FG

Bromirski 3 ptr (54-52 HV)

Bromirski 2/2 FT (54-54)

Lanoue FG (56-54 - no time remaining)

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As always, we look forward to your questions and comments. Drop us a line at troyrecordsports [at] gmail.com

Was anyone else at both the Hoosic Valley/Cambridge AND Bishop Maginn/CBA games?

If only all the sectional games are this exciting...

--Will Montgomery