I'll be tweeting live from tonight's Harry Tucker gym finale (for the boys, anyway) between Watervliet and Schalmont. You can follow along at my twitter feed: @TRealeRecord.

The JV game gets underway at 5:30 and the varsity game is supposed to begin at about 7:00 p.m., but given all of the festivities that are in line, that is subject to change.

--lmon

UPDATE, 7:56 p.m.: Schalmont has a 27-23 lead after the first half. The Sabres' Nick Reali and the Cannoneers' Jordan Gleason each have 13 points, but Reali notably has been hitting his free throws, while Vliet has been ice cold at the line - the difference in the first half.

Voorheesville will host the Colonial Council Coaches vs. Cancer girls basketball showcase on Saturday, Jan. 29.

The schedule is as follows:

Schalmont vs. Watervliet - 12 p.m. at the High School
Lansingburgh vs. Holy Names - 12 p.m. at the Middle School
Fonda vs. Cobleskill - 2 p.m. at the High School
Ichabod Crane vs. Mechanicville - 2 p.m at the Middle School
Ravena vs. Cohoes - 4 p.m. at the High School
Voorheesville vs. Albany Academy - 6 p.m. at the High School

Colonial Council t-shirts will be on sale for $15.00

Plan ahead if you want to be at the boys finale at Harry Tucker Gym in Watervliet on Friday.

All tickets will be sold in a presale that begins today at noon at the Watervliet High School gym entrance. Only 400 tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis for $2.00 each.

The junior varsity game begins at 5:30 p.m. and all fans are advised to arrive early for the pregame of the varsity game against Schalmont, which will feature former cheerleaders returning to sing the alma mater.

Well, that didn't take long at all.

I spoke to Troy High School football coach Jack Burger this morning, and he indicated that Canzeri's soft verbal to Villanova is now more firm - he will be a Wildcat in the fall.

As reported here yesterday, Canzeri had entertained late offers from Iowa and UConn, but Burger indicated that Indiana had also been in the mix.

"Villanova offers Jordan the opportunity to be an impact player right away," Burger said. The Wildcats compete in the Colonial Athletic Association of NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), but the Big East has extended an invitation for the 2009 FCS national champions to join the conference and the school has purchased property near its stadium, a move some see as a precursor to the stadium's expansion to meet Football Bowl Subdivision requirements.

Canzeri will make his decision official on Wednesday, Feb. 2 when he signs a National Letter of Intent at Troy High School.

We're getting closer and closer to hearing a college decision from Troy High School's all-state tailback Jordan Canzeri.

Canzeri reportedly already has a soft verbal to Villanova, which competes in the NCAA's Division I FCS (formerly I-AA), but according to HawkeyeInsider.com, he is still considering a scholarship offer from the Big 10's Iowa Hawkeyes. We are also told that the Big East's UConn, who played in the Fiesta Bowl, is also a contender for the talented athlete.

We'll likely know the final answer by next Wednesday at the latest. That is the day official commitments start pouring in.

Last week, it was weather. This week's it's academics. The New York State Regents exams are being administered this week, presumably along with local mid-term examinations, so the local schedule is pretty light all the way around.

Here's what's on tap this week.

Tuesday
Girls basketball - Waterford at Emma Willard, 5:30 p.m.
The Jesters have fallen off the pace in the Central Hudson Valley League after a 3-0 start that included a one-point upset over Loudonville Christian, going 1-4 in the interim. They can throw a wrench into the Lady Fordians' chances of catching Heatly, however, if they can pull off a home win tomorrow night.

Wednesday
Girls basketball - Tamarac at Hoosic Valley, 6:30 p.m.
Last week's scheduled showdown for the Wasaren League was postponed to this week, and then made even more important after Greenwich sent the Indians home on Saturday with their first league loss of the season. The Witches hold wins over both Hoosic Valley and Tamarac, but the winner of this game will now be alone in first place in the Wasaren.

Thursday
Wrestling - Watervliet at Lansingburgh, 6 p.m.
The Cannoneers have the opportunity to clinch their third consecutive Colonial Council championship if they can pull out a win over the Knights on their home turf.

Friday
Boys basketball - Schalmont at Watervliet, 7 p.m.
After 73 years, it's the end of the line for Harry Tucker Gym mark-I as the boys team plays its final game inside the cramped confines. They move to Harry Tucker Gym mark-II in a couple of weeks.

Saturday
Girls basketball - Colonial Council crossovers at Cohoes
Crossovers, no matter which league does them, always produce some interesting matchups, and this should be no exception here. We're likely to get a rematch between Holy Names and Watervliet, and there's a possible Albany Academy/Cohoes matchup as well. We won't know for sure until later this week.

I got the opportunity to talk to so many wonderful and exceptional individuals while researching today's feature on the transition from the old gymnasium at Watervliet High School to the new facility that's in the final stages of construction. There were so many amazing stories and heartfelt memories that I wanted to be able to publish them all. Alas, one can only fit so many words onto paper without writing a book on the subject, but thanks to modern technology, I'm pleased to be able to present the thoughts and recollections of some of those people I had the honor to speak to.

Memories

Jim Chartrand, Watervliet alum: “When we were little kids, eight or nine years old, that was the place to be. A big night out for us was to watch the high schoolers play basketball.”

George Mardigan, former coach: “I played in that gym as a high school kid in the 60’s and then I coached in it into the turn of the century. A large portion of my life was spent in that gym. You got to know the little things about the place, just like they talked about in the old Boston Garden where you’d know after you played there long enough just where the dead spots were.”

Brian Fruscio, Albany Academy coach and Watervliet alum: “I remember playing in the season tip-off tournaments, when Coach Mardigan would bring in some of the biggest schools in the area, and we got some wins over some of them, teams like Colonie, Gloversville, and Utica Free Academy.”

Joe Hogan, former coach: “(Former Ravena coach) Howie Tucker said his kids loved to play there because the court was smaller and they didn’t have to work as hard. On the other hand, when we went elsewhere, our kids enjoyed having more room to operate in.”

Crystal Carroll, Watervliet alum: “When I played, we had to split the gym with the JV and we got half of an already small court to use for practice. We only had seven people on the team back then, too, so that made it pretty difficult to practice five-on-five. Girls basketball was just so far behind back then.”

Walter Bowden, Watervliet boys coach: “I can remember coming as a real young kid coming to see the teams while I was growing up. I've got a lot of memories of the 1981 team that was the first Watervliet team to go to regionals, and I was part the string of eight consecutive Colonial Council titles. That was a very special time with some very special teams."

Stories

Mardigan: “Andre Cook’s family couldn’t get themselves into one of his home games, so one of his brothers climbed one of the pine trees that used to be up in front of the big windows and watched the entire game from there.”

Hogan: “John DiBiase's 53-point game was incredible. When he reached 40, people were literally coming out of the stands. I was getting ready to take John out of the game at that point, and Draper’s coach yells down the baseline from the other bench telling me, ‘don’t you dare take him out of this game until he hits 50.’ I think he was right, if we’d taken him out we could have had a riot on our hands.”

Meg Ebenhoch, Booster Club president: “We’ve had a cable running out from the camera that the coaches use to shoot game tape to a TV at the concession stand so that we can watch the game. It tends to impress some of the visiting fans who think we’ve got our games live on television. One night, Coach Mardigan took one too many technicals and promptly came out to the concession stand to watch the game while buying candy for some of the kids.”

Chartrand: “The game against Schalmont in 1982 was a game I’ll never forget. That was the one we had to win in order to stay in first place and we had to go through overtime to get the victory. Then, we clinched the title in our gym (against Voorheesville). Jim Clough, who was a football player, came into the game, and ironically, he was the one that was fouled and the whole thing came down to him shooting two shots. Fans were literally covering their eyes, and everyone remembers that he had to bank the first one in. I don’t think anyone remembers that he swished the second one.”

Atmosphere

Gordie Johnson, girls basketball coach: “Our gym is a huge home advantage for us because it gets loud and it can get hot in there. It can be a pretty intimidating place.”

Mardigan: “We battled on that court with some great Schalmont teams. In the late 1980s, we played them in a game at home, and Dinny Cahill, one of the best referees in the area, pulls me aside and tells me, ‘Butch, I need to have someone ejected.’ So I tell him to just point the guy out and we’d have our athletic director take care of it. He points to a policeman, who was there to provide security for the game! We had to pull this guy aside and ask him to be a little less rowdy in doing his duty.”

Chartrand: “Coach Mardigan would have the custodians turn the heat up to ‘record levels.’ Add all the fans that were there, and that made it pretty hot in there. He was always confident in our conditioning, that we’d be able to play through that, and hopefully the other team would wear down in the heat.”

Fruscio: “We had a student section in the end zone that was simply unbelievable. I still remember in the 10th grade staring down at the court from the entryway about to come out for the game and just being able to hear the fans.”

Bowden: “This is very much an old school gym. The crowd is kind of on top of you, and for a big game, there's nothing like it. It can be a very intimidating place an opponent to come in to play. We've got very knowledgeable fans here in Watervliet that have been following the game for a long time."

Mardigan: “The windows always used to provide a bit of a unique home-court advantage for the freshman and JV teams that would play earlier while the sun was still out. If you weren’t used to it, the way the sun poured into the court could be very difficult to handle.”

Steve Gigliello, Holy Names coach: “Visiting teams need to keep their composure, because you can get rattled easily in that gym. It’s a tough place to play." 

Ebenhoch: “There was always so much spirit in there. When the boys are playing and the girls aren’t, or vice versa, it can get pretty packed and loud in there with the teams supporting each other.”

Carroll: “You could play shuffleboard or croquet in Watervliet and you'd still get all kinds of people who would come out to watch.”

People

Chartrand: “Mardigan hated to lose and so did I. I think that’s why we got along so well. If you look in the dictionary under the term ‘sore loser’ I think you’ll see pictures of us. To play for Coach Mardigan in that building was an honor. He had a tremendous amount of influence on us, not just as a basketball coach but as a man who would teach you life skills.”

Bowden: “Instead of moments, I think of people. I think about people like Coach Mardigan and Harry Tucker. Those two gentlemen are ingrained into this community. They are legends and deservedly so. What they've done for this community can never be topped.”

The New Building

Fruscio: “I’m thrilled for the kids of Watervliet. I’m sure at one time our gym was considered state-of-the-art, but that time has passed. With all of the other schools in the area getting their own brand new gyms it’s Watervliet’s time to get a new gym of their own. I hope the kids understand and appreciate the opportunity they are getting.”

Hogan: “They really needed (the new gym). Until they made the initial improvements to Tucker Gym, they always needed a bigger space because the program was so successful. The community needed a gym like this and it’ll help the program tremendously. I just wish them the very best. It’s a close knit community, and the citizens take lots of pride in it.”

Carroll:  “It's amazing. I'm glad the city has made it possible, but I'm also kind of shocked by it. I loved the old gym, but you have to grow with the times and embrace new things. There's still a lot of nostalgia for the old place."

Bowden: “It's bittersweet. We're excited about the new gym because it's a first class facility, but there are so many memories about this gym that we're leaving. There's so much history and tradition there. There's a lot of nostalgia for the old gym mixed in with the excitement for the new one.”

Tuesday and Friday are the big nights for prep basketball, and we're now on three consecutive Tuesdays and Fridays that have been somewhat disrupted by the weather. A number of school cancellations have resulted in yet another round of athletic contests postponed.

Maybe we'll be able to talk about actual games on this blog in about April or so.

The contests affected by today's closures:

Boys basketball
New Lebanon at Waterford
Heatly at Doane Stuart
Schuylerville at Hoosick Falls
Hawthorne Valley at Loudonville Christian
Averill Park at Burnt Hills
Berlin at Germantown
Rensselaer at Cairo
Hoosic Valley at Tamarac

Girls basketball
Burnt Hills at Averill Park
Tamarac at Hoosic Valley
Hoosick Falls at Schuylerville
Cairo at Rensselaer
 
Although the Albany Academies and Christian Brothers Academy were closed today, their basketball games are still going on as scheduled. Ah, the benefits of being a private school.

I'll be live blogging tonight from Columbia High School as the powers of the Suburban Council collide in a huge dual. Can the Plainsmen run their Suburban streak to 52, or can the Blue Devils pull the upset and claim the spotlight? Match-by-match coverage right here at the Reale Deal, as it happens. Stay tuned to this page, and refresh for updates throughout the contest.

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UPDATE, 9:18 p.m.: Shen 36, Columbia 28. That does it. A decision (12-5) for Almaviva gives Shen the dual victory. The final bout of the evening features Columbia's Angelo Kress against Shen's Jim Carucci.



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UPDATE, 9:10 p.m.: Shen 33, Columbia 28. A big win for Shen as Greene falls for the first time this year, to a technical fall against Kelley. That puts the Plainsmen in firm control, and they can put it away with a win at 135 as they send Dave Almaviva out against Columbia's Tyler Lybalt.

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UPDATE, 9:05 p.m.: Columbia 28, Shen 28. Miller avoids being taken down on his way to a 6-4 decision, tying things up. Unbeaten Matt Greene now goes for Columbia at 130 against Nick Kelley for Shen.

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UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: Columbia 28, Shen 25. The Blue Devils counter with a major decision of their own, by Southard, 16-3. Four matches left, the next one will be a doozy. Two of the  best grapplers in the state, Brendan Morgan for Columbia, Max Miller for Shen at 119.

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UPDATE, 8:45 p.m.: Shen 25, Columbia 24. Shen takes their first lead on a major decision for Corey Ali. A big one now at 119 as Corey Southard from Columbia battles Shen's Zach Joseph.

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UPDATE, 8:37 p.m.: Columbia 24, Shen 21. Only the second bout to go the distance, Porter picks up an 8-4 decision to cut the Blue Devils' lead in half. Now at 112, Corey Ali for Shen battles Matt McHugh.

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UPDATE, 8:26 p.m.: Columbia 24, Shen 18. A big pin for Gilmore-Vanhosen at 1:43, then Columbia forfeits at 96 pounds to Shen's Kevin Parker. Now wrestling are John McHugh for Columbia and Jesse Porter for Shen at 103.

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UPDATE, 8:23 p.m.: Columbia 18, Shen 12.  The Plainsmen get their second straight pin, this one for Almaviva at 3:07. The big men go at it now, as El Shaddai Gilmore-Vanhosen for Columbia and Cole Lampman for Shen, both talented heavyweights, do battle.

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UPDATE, 8:17 p.m.: Columbia 18, Shen 6. Easily the most contentious match so far. Fusco dominated throughout but was frustrated by his inability to pin McPhillips until the 3rd at 4:39. Lots of potential fouls both ways went uncalled. Now at 215, Columbia's Sean Cahill takes on Shen's Mike Almaviva, and Almaviva jumps out to an early 5-0 lead.

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UPDATE, 8:05 p.m.: Columbia 18, Shen 0. The home crowd shouts "AGP!" for Garrigan-Piela after he gains a near fall in the 2nd OT and then an escape in the 3rd OT to take the 8-4 decision. Now at 189 is Shen's Tony Fusco, taking on Payton McPhillips.

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UPDATE, 8:02 p.m.: Heading to overtime at 171 after Ashley is awarded 2 points at the buzzer for a reversal, tying this one at 4.

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UPDATE, 7:57 p.m.: We've got our first tight match of the night as Ashley and Garrigan-Piela go into the third tied 2-2. Neither wrestler has gained an upper-hand throughout this one.

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UPDATE, 7:51 p.m.: Columbia 15, Shen 0. Adriance controlled nearly the entire match, allowing Duffy a pair of escapes while looking for a pin to win 11-2. Next at 171 is Levi Ashley for the Plainsmen and Alex Garrigan-Piela for the Blue Devils.

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UPDATE, 7:44 p.m.: Columbia 11, Shen 0. Wallace wins by technical fall at 5:28, 16-1. Next up is Columbia's Brian Adriance against Shen's Dan Duffy at 160.

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 UPDATE, 7:40 p.m.: Wallace is in control after two periods. He holds a 14-1 lead.

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UPDATE, 7:34 p.m.: Columbia 6, Shen 0. Malcom visibly tired in the third period, and Wronoski earns the pin at 5:18. Next at 152 is Columbia's Evan Wallace and Shen's Mike Drabona.

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UPDATE, 7:30 p.m.: Wronoski takes a 7-3 lead after the first period after a quick reversal and near fall. He pounces on Malcom early in the second and racks up a 12-6 edge after a couple of near falls.

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UPDATE, 7:23 p.m.: We start at 145 pounds. Both schools have given themselves options, with Columbia choosing Jake Wronoski, while Shen will go with Davion Malcom.

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UPDATE, 7:06 p.m.: The mats have been moved, the lights have been dimmed. The main event is going to get underway after the national anthem and the introductions.

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UPDATE, 6:45 p.m.: We're still working through the JV matches. Looks like the varsity will be ready to go at about 7:00 p.m. or so.

The weather is continuing to wreak havoc with sports schedules in the southern part of our region. The following games on tonight's schedule involves at least one school which was closed today.

Boys basketball
Chatham at Maple Hill
Germantown at New Lebanon
Greenwich at Hoosic Valley
Hawthorne Valley at Doane Stuart
Berlin at Waterford
Greenville at Rensselaer
Catskill at Green Tech

Girls basketball
Loudonville Christian at Germantown
Emma Willard at Berlin
Maple Hill at Chatham

Wrestling
Colonie at Averill Park
Ichabod Crane at Mechanicville

The Maple Hill at Chatham girls game had originally been scheduled for yesterday, so it has now been postponed a second time. The new date is Tuesday, January 25.

Also rescheduled is the Chatham at Maple Hill boys game, that will now take place on Monday, January 24.

Today's snow and ice storm has shut schools around the area, and as such the entire slate of games scheduled for today in the Big 10, Suburban Council, Colonial Council, Patroon Conference, Wasaren League, and the CHVL, and involving Albany Academy and Green Tech have been postponed.

We have been made aware of two contests that have already been rescheduled. Today's postponed Patroon Conference girls basketball contest between Maple Hill and Chatham has been moved to tomorrow at Chatham High School at 7 p.m., preceded by the JV game.

Also, the big Shenendehowa at Columbia wrestling dual has been moved from Wednesday to Thursday. JV will begin at 6 p.m. with the varsity showdown to follow.

If you know of a makeup date for one of today's other contests, please let us know: drop us a line at sports@troyrecord.com.

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UPDATE, 1:12 p.m.: Just spoke with Christian Brothers Academy head coach Dave Doemel. CBA at Bishop Maginn will also be made up tomorrow, with the varsity game scheduled to begin at about 7:30 p.m.

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UPDATE, 1:18 p.m.: More make-up dates rolling in. The Wasaren League girls basketball game between Cambridge and Hoosick Falls which was supposed to take place tonight in Hoosick Falls has been moved to Saturday, January 29 with a 6 p.m. JV start.

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UPDATE, 5:20 p.m.: Talked to Watervliet girls coach Gordie Johnson just a few minutes ago. His team's pivotal game in Mechanicville is going to have to wait until the very end of the season. The Red Raiders and Cannoneers will instead due battle on Tuesday, February 15.

With no games tonight due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (and a possible winter storm moving in to wreck tomorrow's schedule), let's take a look at the games of interest in high school sports this week.

Tuesday
Girls basketball - Granville at Tamarac, 6:30 p.m.
The Bengals fell off the pace being set by Hoosic Valley in the Wasaren League when they fell to Greenwich last week. They have an opportunity later in the week to pull themselves back into the race when they take on the Indians, but first they must deal with the Golden Horde and junior Emily Fuller, who has a hot hand at the free throw line and is deadly from beyond the arc.

Girls basketball - Watervliet at Mechanicville, 7 p.m.
The Cannoneers are reeling. After winning their first eight games this season, they have since dropped three in a row to some top teams in the Colonial Council: Cohoes, Ravena, and Holy Names. 'Vliet was without their star point guard, Ailayia Demand, for the first two of that stretch thanks to a suspension, and Demand only saw action in the second half against Holy Names. Will her return to the starting lineup against the Red Raiders, another team with their sights on the Colonial Council title, spark the Cannoneers, or will the slide continue?

Boys basketball - Albany Academy at Albany, 7 p.m.
The Cadets had been undefeated against local competition, running through games against Lansingburgh, Bishop Maginn, and Green Tech before dropping a 75-67 game at Schenectady on Friday. The independent Cadets will be looking to snap a two-game losing streak against the Falcons in their final game of the season against a team from the area.

Wednesday
Wrestling - Shenendehowa at Columbia, 6 p.m.
The two powerhouses of local wrestling clash on the mat in East Greenbush. The Plainsmen come into the showdown as the top ranked team among large schools in New York State, but both are undefeated in dual meets this year. Can the 12th-ranked Blue Devils, led by undefeated Matt Greene at 130 pounds and coming off a first place showing at the Chris Hernandez Memorial Tournament in Yonkers this weekend, score the upset, or will Shen, riding a streak of 51 consecutive Suburban Council dual wins, roll toward sectionals with their top ranking intact?

Thursday
Boys basketball - Bethlehem at Shenendehowa, 7 p.m.
There aren't an awful lot of teams that have the potential to give the Plainsmen a good game. The Eagles, jockeying for position with Mohonasen at the top of the South Division in the Suburban Council, are one of those teams, but they will depend on a big game from seniors Jordan Sperber and Scott Clas if they are going to keep pace with Shen. The Plainsmen still undefeated in conference and boasting a number of talented players on their roster who could burn you if you give them the opportunity.

Friday
Boys basketball - Schuylerville at Hoosick Falls, 6 p.m.
This one is remarkably simple. Unbeaten in conference Schuylerville against one-loss in conference Hoosick Falls in a contest that could well determine the Wasaren champion. The Panthers have been waiting for this rematch ever since they fell by one to the Horses in Schyulerville on December 15. If they win, it's back to square one in the race for the title. If they lose, the Horses are probably going to ride away with the championship.

Boys basketball - Mohonasen at Shaker, 7 p.m.
A big matchup between a pair of outstanding squads. The Blue Bison's only losses on the season are to Shenendehowa and Colonie, while the Warriors will be desperate for a victory, especially if Bethlehem loses to Shen the night before. The real treat for the fans? Both of these sides know how to score in bunches, so expect a shootout at Shaker.

Girls basketball - Holy Names at Cohoes, 7 p.m.
Two teams that had been looking up at Watervliet for much of this season now find themselves tied for the Colonial Council lead. Both tallied wins over the Cannoneers in the last two weeks, and the winner of this game will control their own fate for the Colonial Council title. The Tigers will be looking for big nights from My'Asia Alston and Bailei Tetrault to earn the win, while Holy Names turns to Sarah Agan and Mary Kate Murray in search of the season sweep over Cohoes.

Girls basketball - Tamarac at Hoosic Valley, 7 p.m.
The Indians have two hurdles to clear to claim the Wasaren title. The first is Greenwich, a team the Indians defeated by 26 points back in December, and the other is Tamarac, who lost by 30 to Hoosic Valley on their home court on December 14. If the Indians are going to be stopped, the Bengals are going to have to go to Schaghticoke to make it happen, but sophomore Cassidy Chapko is tough to handle from the outside, and senior Taylor Sullivan is tough to battle on the glass.

Girls basketball - Albany at Bishop Maginn, 7 p.m.
The Lady Falcons will be looking to put a serious clamp down on their Big 10 lead when they travel to Lincoln Park to face the Griffins. Following Maginn's upset loss at CCHS last week, Albany now has a two-game lead on the rest of the Big 10, as Maginn and Schenectady each have two losses in the conference. The Lady Falcons can put away the Griffins with a win, but Bishop Maginn can throw the Big 10 race into doubt if they can snag the victory.

Girls basketball - Shenendehowa at Bethlehem, 7 p.m.
Just as in the boys' contest the previous night, the girls' matchup features a pair of teams at the top of their division in the Suburban Council, including an undefeated Shenendehowa. The Eagles are trying to keep pace with Colonie in the South Division, and the Plainsmen, led by Emily Weber, Allie Setter, and Mary Kate Cusack, present a huge challenge for the Eagles.

Saturday
Girls basketball - Taconic Hills at Maple Hill, 7 p.m.
The last time Katie Roth and the Wildcats took on the second-place team in the Patroon Conference was last week when they traveled to Greenville. They promptly destroyed the Spartans to the tune of a 53-15 final. Talented both offensively and defensively, Maple Hill's closest conference game of the season thus far came in Craryville against the Titans, a game they won by "only" 27 points. If you want to see the Wildcats in a game that may have some semblance of drama to it, this one could be the only one left before sectionals.

Max Weaver hits 1 of 2 foul shots with 2.1 seconds left in the 4th quarter. Troy can't get a shot off after the timeout and the Brothers escape, 66-65.

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UPDATE: 9:10 p.m.:  High drama as Troy has tied it at 65. CBA ball with 23.9 left in the 4th.


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UPDATE, 9:02 p.m.: Fans getting loud as the game gets late. Troy is trying to keep pace, but it's the story of the 1st period again. Every time Troy gets close, a three-pointer gives CBA more breathing room. 62-58 CBA with two minutes left.

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UPDATE, 8:54 p.m.: Raheem Felder's floor shooting and Javion Ogunyemi's foul shots are keeping the Flying Horses alive. With 5:01 left in the game, they trail the Brothers 55-52. Anything can happen in a close game.

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UPDATE, 8:48 p.m.: This is the part of the game where the Flying Horses need to keep it close to have a chance to pull off the upset. They trail by eight with 8 minutes left to play, and the Brothers are starting to look like the top squad they have been all year, calmly sticking to their game plan.

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UPDATE, 8:46 p.m.: Troy has led for much of the 3rd period, but CBA is now on an impressive 13-4 run and have taken a 6 point edge, 51-45.
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UPDATE, 8:23 p.m.: Raheem Felder cuts to the hoop and lets it go as time expires in the first half. It goes in, giving Troy a 33-29 lead on the undefeated CBA Brothers at halftime. The Flying Horses have not backed down despite a number of three-pointers by CBA throughout that first half that could have been somewhat demoralizing - Troy would catch up or take a small lead, and a CBA three would tie it or put the Brothers ahead. Excellent play in the first half by both of the Millinghaus brothers, but CBA's Christian Signor and Joe Krong have been big from beyond the arc as well.

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UPDATE, 8:18 p.m.: Troy is up 25-23 with 3:40 left in the first half. CBA's outside shooting was hot in the 1st period and early in the 2nd, but it has since gone cold as they have missed 3 in a row from the outside.

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UPDATE, 8:11 p.m.: Troy has taken the lead early in the 2nd period after trailing 11-4 in the 1st. It is 19-17 Troy with about 7:30 left in the 2nd.

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UPDATE, 8:03 p.m.: Hot shooting early by CBA has them up 8-4 early on.

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UPDATE, 7:55 p.m.:  Underway at CBA after a bizarre end tot he JV game. CBA appeared to hit a game-tying 3-pointer from just over half court with 1.3 seconds left, but the CBA coach had called timeout. They did not convert after the timeout and Troy JV held on for a 53-50 win.

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Check back here at about 6:45 p.m. I'll be live blogging from McGraw Gymnasium at Christian Brothers Academy for tonight's Big 10 matchup between the Flying Horses of Troy High and the CBA Brothers.

Feel free to leave your own commentary below.

The Watervliet Cannoneers are closing out their long time gymnasium with a boys' game against Schalmont on Jan. 28 and a girls' game against Cobleskill on Feb. 1. The new facility opens later in February.

The Record is searching for former Watervliet players, former students, and current fans who can share their favorite memories, moments and games that have taken place in the old gym.

Responses will be published in The Record's print and on-line on Jan. 23. They can be listed in the comments section below or e-mailed to treale [AT] troyrecord.com

If you're planning to take the drive to Christian Brothers Academy on Friday to take in the Big 10 boys' basketball clash between CBA and Troy High, you're going to need to make plans in advance.

The Academy has announced that all tickets for the game will be pre-sale tickets only. There will be no tickets available at the door, and Section II passes will not be honored for this game.

Tickets had been scheduled to go on sale yesterday, but the cancellation of classes due to the overnight snowstorm has postponed the on-sale date to this morning. Tickets may be purchased in the CBA main office. For more information, contact Rich Scully at the CBA athletic department; 452-9809, extension 115.

We'll have live coverage from CBA starting at 6 p.m. right here on this blog and through our Twitter feed @TroyRecordSport.

Check for complete coverage this weekend on TroyRecord.com

The Wasaren League boys basketball matchup between Hoosick Falls and Granville has been rescheduled due to closures at both schools caused by Wednesday's snowstorm. The game will be played on Saturday, January 15 in Granville. The JV game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m. with the varsity game scheduled to begin 15 minutes after the JV concludes.