Patience, Rebounding Anchor OFA Plans Vs Saranac Central Tonight

Returning to the New York State Class B Tournament after a one-year hiatus; the OFA Lady Blue Devils will looking to reap the benefits of an extremely challenging season schedule as they host Section 7 Champion Saranac Central tonight at 6 p.m. at SUNY Potsdam.

The Devils (14-8) won the Section 10 Class B crown as the top seed while Saranac Central reversed two regular season losses to defeat Northeastern Clinton 63-53 in the Section 7 Championship. The Lady Chiefs secured their first sectional title since 2003 and earned retiring coach Chad Keysor his 300th career win.

The emotional nature of the Chiefs' title re-emphasizes the importance of a smooth start for the Devils who fell behind Class A Champion Malone 22-4 in Friday's 55-36 loss in the Overall Section 10 Championship game.

Coach Mark Henry cites stopping dribble penetration, the patient running of quality sets on offense and rebounding as the other main priorities in the matchup with the 17-4 Chiefs. Guard Megan Bowman averages 13.3 points per game, Mychelle Favreau follows at 8.2 points per game and Jade Pellerin (team-high 23 three-pointers) and Steph Linder follows at 7.2 points per game for the Chiefs who hit 52 3s on the season.

"They have a very good guard in Megan Bowman who scored 20 points against NCCS so we need to stop her dribble penetration," said Coach Henry.

"They are physical and played only man to man defense so we need to be patient and run good sets. Elissa St. Germain will not be playing so we are looking for someone to step up, especially on the boards."

St. Germain, an All-NAC center-forward, will miss her third straight game after suffering a sprained knee against Potsdam in the Class B title game. She enjoyed a step-up senior season averaging 10.8 points per game and filling a large offensive scoring void created by ankle injuries which slowed 2009 Central League MVP Megan Morrison throughout the regular season.

Morrison (12.9 points PPG) has been able to display the wide range of her offensive and defensive abilities in the postseason mixing her jump-shooting talents with her drives with either hand. She scored 18 points against Malone and 25 against Brushton-Moira in the Class B/C game. Mackenzie Cole has enjoyed an offensive emergence in the postseason delivering a 15-point 10 rebound double/double in a 55-50 Class B semi-final win over Canton and a career-high 14 rebounds against B-M.

Lindsay Drummond, who joined Morrison and St. Germain on the 2010 All-NAC Central Team, carries a 10.9 PPG scoring average into the game and came through with 14-point efforts against Canton and Potsdam when Morrison drew special attention by gadget defenses. OFA has buried 65 threes on the season led Morrison with 27, Drummond with 16 and eighth grader Meg Dodge with 15.

Dodge has replaced St. Germain in the starting lineup which is rounded out by guard Chelsea Martin who ranks with the fastest players in Section 10. As a high-energy statistical magnet, she averages team highs with 4.4 assists and 3.3 steals per game and 4.1 points game and 4 rebounds per game. Forward Rosie Giglio has taken over the sixth player position in the Devils' personnel rotation.

Tonight's winner advances to the regional finals against the Section 2 Champion Watervliet 38-27 winners over Mechanicville on Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College.