Lawrence Woodmere falls in Federation semifinal
Lawrence Woodmere Academy's Aidan Igiehon (22) puts up a shot against Fannie Lou Hamer's Bryant Gillard (32) in the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions Class B boys semifinal basketball game on Saturday, March 24, 2018, in Glens Falls, N.Y. Credit: Hans Pennink
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. — Lawrence Woodmere Academy hadn’t played a game since Feb. 25 and had its practice time reduced by the spate of nor’easters that closed the school for several days. Perhaps that explains why at times Saturday the Tigers’ offense was downright wintry.
“I didn’t think the layoff mattered,” LWA coach Jeff Weiss insisted. “We just played poorly on offense. Our shooting was horrific.”
Lawrence Woodmere Academy was especially cold from the perimeter in its 42-39 loss Saturday morning to Fannie Lou Hamer of the Bronx in the Federation Tournament of Champions Class B semifinal.
“Our offense just had no fluidity,” Weiss said.
Still, LWA (20-6) hung around with solid defense and scored five straight points to trail only 40-39 with 2:20 left. Aidan Igiehon, a 6-10 junior center being recruited by dozens of major Division I schools, converted a three-point play with a big-time spin move and guard Tyler St. Furcy, another junior with Division I offers, followed with a bank shot in traffic after a determined effort to grab the offensive rebound.
However, the Tigers did not score again. Hamer’s Charlie Davis (16 points, eight rebounds), was able to roll inside for a clinching basket with eight seconds left and Igiehon’s desperation three at the buzzer was way off.
Igiehon had a solid game with 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and St. Furcy added 10 points and six boards. Those two shot 50 percent (10-fo-20) from the field, but the rest of the Tigers combined to shoot just 6-for-26 and the team made only 1-of-9 from downtown. As a team, they shot 35 percent, compared to 48 percent for the Panthers.
“They showed our big guy some attention, just like in every game and they played good defense,” Weiss said. “But we gave up four defensive rebounds in a row early in the fourth quarter and that was a turning point. All year long our kids made shots. We didn’t make them today.”
