The Bishop Maginn Griffins won perhaps the biggest game in school history yesterday, defeating perennial powerhouse Mount Vernon to advance to the state final game for the second consecutive year. They fell to Mount Vernon in the 2007 championship game.

Today's game starts at 2:45 pm and if you can't make it to the Civic Center, turn on TW3 - the game will be televised.

The Griffins will try again, this time against Niagara Falls - another longtime power. The Wolverines were state finalists from 2004-2006. It won't be easy to win two games in two days (especially with Niagara Falls' pep band blaring in the background).
Should Maginn win, they would be the first section II team to advance to the Federation Tournament since Schenectady went in 2001. The Maginn/Niagara Falls winner plays the PSAL champion out of New York City - either Lincoln High or Boys & Girls high school. Those two teams are battling it out right now at Madison Square Garden.

Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and Paul Hewitt (Georgia Tech/Siena) were among many college coaches in attendance yesterday. Boeheim was looking at Peekskill's Mookie Jones, who is coming his way for the Orange next year as well as Jamesville-Dewitt's Brandon Triche, who just might be. Hewitt supposedly was taking a gander at Maginn's Buie - whose stock went WAAAY up after yesterday's performance. He's still got a state championship game and two high school seasons yet to go!

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Congratulations also to the Mechanicville Red Raiders, who fell short in the class C title game last night. I saw the Raiders play Watervliet on coach Walter Bowden's first night guiding the Cannoneers. Watervliet won, and I never would have guessed the Raiders to be a championship-caliber team back in December.
However, they really buckled down after that loss and went on a great run - you can't hold two losses to class A titan Albany Academy against Mechanicville.
Coach Joe Loudis will be back here in a few weeks to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

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Fox23 FoxBox update - we are kicking ass and taking names over in the Fox23 High School Sports Show voting - we thank Mayor Corning and our loyal readers for their support in the matter.
From Fox23 as of 1:15 pm on Sunday:

Which area newspaper does the best job of covering high school sports?

Amsterdam Recorder	11%
Albany Times Union	22%
Daily Gazette	3%
Glens Falls Post Star	15%
Leader-Herald	2%
Saratogian	3%
Troy Record	44%

You can give us a vote by clicking here.

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Check back for updates on the Maginn game throughout the afternoon.

3:27 pm: With 3:53 to go in the second quarter, Maginn leads 23-14. They've been cruising so far, crashing the boards hard and using that press to its full extent.

3:39 pm: The Griffs hold a 28-20 advantage at the break. James Torres has 10 points and the Griffs have held the Niagara duo of Rashon Tabb and Kelvin Agee to 3 points, all on free throws, in the first half. Tabb and Agee combined for 42 yesterday.
Buie and Shimeek Johnson have been quiet in points, but big on defense so far. Bunduka Kargbo has also done a fine job leading the Maginn break and dishing out the ball.

4:07 pm: With under six left in the fourth, Maginn leads 49-31.

4:27 pm: Maginn is bringing a title back to Albany - they crushed the Wolverines, 68-37. It's the first in school history and the first AA/A title for section II since Schenectady won in 2001.


-- Will Montgomery