Generals defeat stubborn Vikings
Troy, NY – The Hudson Valley Vikings did a good job of disrupting the Generals’ flow, but the visiting Herkimer Five won the game 58-51.
A great team can have an off day and still win. The Generals did just that on Saturday afternoon.
Photo, right: Herkimer’s Dequan Jefferson is fouled late in the first half. His free throw put HCCC ahead 32-29 at the half.
Head Coach Matt Lee was pleased with the Generals’ effort. “We played hard for 40 minutes. We didn’t play well, but we played hard,” stated Lee.
The Vikings are always formidable, particularly in their own arena. Their home is the largest facility in which the Generals play. It is vast, with seating that expands to about 5,000 for high school Sectionals and other big events. The goals are free standing, as they are in the major college and pro arenas. Visiting teams have to adjust to the vast visual cues.
The home team jumped out to a 5-2 lead, but General Paris Parks and pals quickly got back on top. Parks fed Deandre Preaster for two, then Parks sank two twos himself, and the score was 6-5.
Photo, left: Paris Parks gives Herkimer the lead at 6-5
Herkimer then seemed to be getting their game in gear. Josh Henderson sank a three-pointer from the right of center. 13-5 Herkimer. But then the Vikings scored six unanswered points and the score was very close again.
The Green & Gold went on another scoring run. Mike McCray got the ball after some good passing by his teammates and hit for three. Preaster scored a field goal. Goey Charles nailed a three. McCray made a great steal and forwarded the ball to Charles. The tall senior scored, and it was 23-14 Herkimer.
Then the Vikings made a comeback. They played a determined and disciplined game. HVCC freshman Connor Maish came into the game averaging 15.3 points per contest and had another clutch performance, both from open play and from the line. Hudson Valley tied the score at 29-29.
Herkimer grabbed a halftime lead when a Henderson field goal and a Dequan Jefferson free throw made it 32-29.
Photo, right: Mike McCray scores a nice two
The second half saw the Vikings do more to throw the Generals off their game. They used several stalls to slow the tempo. Then they made several uses of a very unusual offensive formation. They formed a three-man wall, not unlike a soccer wall, that stood parallel to the sidelines in the middle of the offensive zone. It may have been the old "picket fence" from Hoosiers. Regardless, it proved to be a hindrance to the Generals’ motion-filled defense.
The visitors pulled ahead by seven, but the Vikings closed to 46-42. The score stayed close. With 1:25 to play, Herkimer led 53-49. Then Preaster made a great play to grab a defensive rebound. The Generals’ end game was effective, and the final score was 58-51.
The Generals are now 16-1, but the season is entering a very challenging period.
Massive week ahead
The Generals make the short trip to Utica on Wednesday, Jan. 25, to meet archrival Mohawk Valley. The strong MV Hawks’ record is 14-4. Tipoff time is 7:00 p.m.
The SUNY Delhi Broncos will visit Herkimer on Friday, Jan. 27. Herkimer is currently ranked fourth in the nation by the NJCAA, and Delhi is ranked ninth. The Broncos are the only team to have beaten the Generals this season. They won 70-65 in Delhi on December 8. Game time on Friday is 7:00 p.m. Herkimer fans will not want to miss that one.
Four videos are available below.
Nick Scribe, website writer
Scoring at HVCC
Herkimer: Davis 4, McCray 5, Henderson 10, Parks 8, Hidde 2, Charles 7, Jefferson 7, Preaster 15, Total 58
Hudson Valley: Metzold 3, Kruzinski 5, Taylor 6, Palmer 6, Parker 15, Maish 12, Brown 4, Total 51
Video: Deandre Preaster finds Josh Henderson, who scores a nice two
Video: Johnnie Davis rebounds and scores
Video: Dequan Jefferson scores two and is fouled – he sank the free throw
Video: Deandre Preaster scores off nice passes from Josh Henderson and Nick Higgins
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