They had an AMAZING season and made HISTORY this year!
March 18, 2022 | Photos by Sam Wilson, salamancapress.com and @SalamancaBB
- First Sectional Championship since 1968
- First NYS Far West Regional Championship in school history
- First NYS Final Four appearance in school history
Cool Insuring Arena, Glens Falls, NY – On Friday, March 18, 2022, the Warriors made their first trip to the state semifinals in program history and showed, unequivocally, they belonged on that stage. They just didn’t get the finish they dreamed of.
Section 2’s Stillwater outscored Salamanca 23-10 in the fourth quarter to emerge from a back-and-forth contest with a 64-56 victory.
“Both teams played incredibly hard, it was a heck of a high school basketball game,” Bennett, the sixth-year Salamanca coach, said. “Both teams were physical and aggressive and gave everything they had for 32 minutes. I’m proud of our guys, I’m proud of how well they represented our school. I’m sick to my stomach that we weren’t able to get the win because they played so hard and they gave us everything that they had, but give credit to Stillwater. That’s a very good team, certainly deserving to be here.”
Salamanca finished the season at 17-8 after winning four playoff games for its first sectional title since 1968 and first-ever trips to regionals and the state final four.
“I’m just so proud of them,” Bennett said. “They’re the most accomplished basketball team in the history of our school and it’s earned. That’s who they are. To make it here and represent us the way that they did and play so hard, they weren’t scared of the moment, the first moment in school history that we’re up here.
“They embraced it and just made me really proud to be their coach.”
View the complete article by Sam Wilson, Sports Editor for Olean Times Herald & Salamanca Press here:
https://www.salamancapress.com/sports/basketball/salamanca-suffers-heartbreak-in-glens-falls/article_2b5e2a4e-8cb0-5840-b1a4-1914ceb9eeb1.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share
Lucus Brown had another exceptional season, averaging 21.2 points/game against some of the best competition in the state. • NYSPHSAA All-State Class C Tournament Team • Sect VI, Class C Tournament MVP (@centercourt42) Oh, and he’s just a sophomore. The sky is the limit for LB! 
Harley Hoag worked harder than anyone to earn a huge role on our team this year. He led the team in rebounding, played great defense, and averaged nearly 13 points/game! • CCAA West-1 Second Team All-Star 
Hayden Hoag finished the season with 163 assists, a program record! Our floor general led a top-5 offense in WNY, and played outstanding defense as well. • CCAA West-1 Honorable Mention • Big 30 Senior All-Star Game selection 
Coach Bennett and his staff helped lead our team to its first Sectional Championship since 1968, our first Far West Regional Championship in school history, and our first NYS Final Four appearance in school history. • CCAA West-1 Co-Coach of the Year
