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Clifton Park
CeCe Mayo is the lone senior on the Shaker girls’ basketball team and is the star attraction. Tuesday night, Mayo’s contributions in the fourth quarter were limited, yet the other four Blue Bison starters managed to persevere.
Shaker’s defensive performance was strong throughout and its work attacking Shenendehowa’s 2-3 zone proved vital down the stretch as the Blue Bison registered a 53-47 victory over the Plainsmen in Suburban Council Blue Division action.
Shaker (17-1 overall, 15-0 league) hosts Saratoga Friday. A win against the Blue Streaks will lock up a No. 1 seed for the upcoming Section II Class AA playoffs.
“It gives us an extra boost of confidence as we go into these last few games and then into sectionals,” Mayo said. “It does feel good to move up the rankings. I can’t complain.”
Mayo, while thrilled with Tuesday’s win, stated the decision over Shenendehowa (17-2, 13-2) means nothing in regards to the upcoming sectionals.
“Since we are able to perform like this now, I do know we’re capable of doing it in the sectionals,” she said. “Those are the games that really matter.”
Mayo only tallied two of her game-high 18 points during the fourth quarter, but she did have a pair of crucial assists that set up baskets by junior Lexi DeBeatham and sophomore Maddy Malacki, a 3-pointer, that staked the visitors to a 46-35 cushion midway through the final quarter.
“The high-low play she had (with DeBeatham, who chipped in seven points) was tremendous,” Shenendehowa coach Joe Murphy said of Mayo. “When she does that, they’re very tough to defend. They have shooters across the board. When she’s willing to pass, it makes them that much more difficult to stop.”
“We have played against teams that play zone against us and I think we’ve done a great job in that high-low situation,” Shaker coach Ron Beaudoin said. “I told CeCe she had a couple of drives that she was going into double and triple-teams. People are there for you. Trust in them to make the shots. They did.”
Malicki, who contributed 13 points, made another 3-pointer in the final minute of the third quarter when Beaudoin sat Mayo trying to avoid the senior picking up a foul. Shyla Sanford (11 points) added a bucket on a lefty drive in the final seconds of the third quarter to provide the visitors a 37-31 advantage.
Sanford also limited Shenendehowa junior point guard Cameron Tooley to 10 points, her second lowest output of the season.
“Shyla’s defense was filthy. I can’t even describe it,” Beaudoin said. “Maddy hits two huge 3-pointers and then a kid like Lexi DeBeatham, who is 5-foot-6, going in against the trees and scoring baskets. Rebounding has been an issue, but we do play excellent defense.”
Before the game, Beaudoin had a message for Sanford.
“Cam Tooley is the point of emphasis for their attack. If you can stop her, we have an excellent chance to win,” Beaudoin said. “Cam Tooley is a great player and she’s been going off lately. Shyla really wants to play defense. That is so nice to have.”
Shenendehowa shot 9-for-26 (34.6 percent), to go along with 10 turnovers, in the second half.
“Not a recipe for success,” Murphy said. “CeCe was able to sag in and help inside and we weren’t able to make them pay. Shyla did a great job on Cam, so you have to give 100 percent credit to them on the defensive end. They are a great defensive team.”
“Our motto is, ‘defense wins championships, defense wins games.’ We live by that, honestly,” Mayo said.
jallen@timesunion.com • 518-454-5062 • @TUSidelines
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