Hoosic Valley's Alex McNeice is defended by Tamarac's Cody Sargood and Tom Galipeau during Friday's game at Hoosic Valley. McNeice, who injured his left knee during pregame warmups at Tamarac last season, reinjured that knee Friday night, but his teammates rallied without him, posting a 63-54 victory. (Photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

It was deja vu all over again for Hoosic Valley head coach Dan Calhoun, who couldn't bear to watch his best defender, Alex McNeice, writhing on the court in pain after tweaking his left knee with 27 seconds remaining in the second quarter of Friday's game against Tamarac.

But just like the Indians did a season ago, they rallied without him to post a big victory over the Bengals.

Kyle Pallozzi scored 22 points, Dan Halloran added 17 points and 11 rebounds and Kevin White provided a spark in the second half, scoring 12 of his 14 points after halftime and making six steals and six rebounds in the 63-54 Wasaren League victory.

Tamarac, however, took the early lead and were ahead by seven points when McNeice went down. Bryan Gorman scored 22 points - he made six of seven three-point field goal attempts - but Hoosic Valley held him scoreless in the fourth quarter.

Calhoun said McNeice will have his knee checked out Saturday and hopes his senior was just being overly cautious with his injury history. He did not return to Friday's game after being helped off the court.

Tamarac's Ralph Erickson spins around Hoosic Valley's Kevin White during Friday's game. Erickson finished with 14 points and made eight of nine free throw attempts for the Bengals.

The Bengals played most of the game with a five-guard front, as starting forward Wade Hansen ran into early foul trouble and was relegated to the bench. Shawn Eddy, who had been strong this season, was in streetclothes and did not play.

Tom Galipeau played well off the bench, grabbing nine rebounds for Tamarac, but the Bengals just couldn't match Dan Halloran's size on the inside, especially late in the game.

The Tamarac-Hoosic Valley games are always some of my favorites, no matter the sport, because intensity runs high between these neighboring Wasaren League rivals.

Bu as Calhoun tells his players, they are all rivalries.

"He tells us he wants to beat everyone just the same," Kevin White said.

We'll see how this game springboards Hoosic Valley into the rest of the regular season, as Granville and Hoosick Falls have a few games on them in the standings. But Kyle Pallozzi was quick to point out that the 2007-08 Indians team that wound up winning a Section II title also opened the Wasaren season 2-2.

For more on the game, pick up a copy of Saturday's edition of The Record.

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In other news, the Watervliet High boys topped No. 1 Class C ranked Voorheesville, 66-60 in a crucial Colonial Council contest.
Lansingburgh, Watervliet and Voorheesville are all bunched at the top of the standings and will be a very interesting race to the finish in the Colonial.

La Salle's Marquis Campbell hit a last-second three-pointer as the Cadets outscored Troy 34-10 in the fourth quarter to snatch a 56-53 Big 10 Conference victory from the Flying Horses.

The don't-look-now 5-1 Albany High boys topped Schenectady in the Big 10, continuing their ascent up the league standings.

The Hoosick Falls boys topped Greenwich, the 200th coaching victory for Mike Lilac, Jr.

The No. 5 ranked Class AA South Colonie girls topped Shaker, 64-41 in an important midseason Suburban Council contest. Our Ryan Kircher was there and he'll have the full scoop in Saturday's edition of The Record.

The No. 4 ranked Shenendehowa girls, one day after suspending six players, topped Columbia, 52-30.

The Albany girls needed overtime to to beat Schenectady, as the Falcons preserved their perfect (6-0) record in league play.