Plattsburgh's Bailey Hewson (10) goes up and around Ausable Valley's (12) for the score on a 47-42 loss to Ausable Valley. It would be another night of Champlain Valley Athletic Conference girls's Basketball action, this time from the Plattsburgh High School, and it would see the Hornets tipping off against the Ausable Valley Patriots. The game would be tight as both teams found the basket at a good clip and tied at 12 after the first quarter. Both teams would keep up their good scoring in the second quarter, but the Hornets would be a little better in the quarter at 13-11 and take the 25-23 lead into the break. When the teams would return for the third quarter, the defense would step up for the Patriots, and they would have a 10-6 quarter and take the 33-31 lead into the final quarter. In that final quarter, the offenses on both sides would return, but the Patriots would be better on this day with a 14-11 quarter to seal the 47-42 victory. Gallery

Ausable Valley's (3) with the three from the corner over the defender for the score. Gallery

Plattsburgh's Alyssa Hemingway (14) with the layup that she puts over Peru's Resse Duprey (5) for the score. It would be the opening night of the Champlain Valley Athletic Conference season for the Plattsburgh Hornets, and the Peru Nighthawks would renew their rivalry again on the hardwood. The game would start well for the Nighthawks as they would jump to a 19-12 lead after the first eight minutes. In the second quarter, the Nighthawks would stay hot as they would have a 19-14 quarter and take the 38-26 lead into the intermission. When the teams returned for the third quarter, they played an even third quarter, with the Nighthawks winning the quarter 11-10 and taking the 49-36. In the fourth quarter, the Hornets would do their best to get back in the game with a shutdown defense, and they would win the quarter 10-2, but it would not be enough on this night as the Nighthawks would get the 51-46 win and the Nighthawks would go to 3-0 on the season while the Hornets fall to 0-1 on the season. Gallery

Peru's Violet Berry (10) with the three from the wing for the score as the Nighthawks get the 51-46 victory. Gallery

It would be the last game of the weekend 2-day championships from the Clinton Community College and the Section VII Basketball championships and it would feature the #1 Chazy Eagles and the #2 Boquet Valley Griffins battling for the Girls Basketball Class D title. The game would be low-scoring and tight through the first quarter as the Eagles would have a slight 9-8 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Griffiths would find their shot and start to pull away from the Eagles with an 11-5 quarter and take the 19-14 lead into the intermission. When the teams returned for the third quarter it would be a complete flip of the last quarter as the Eagles would have a 15-9 quarter giving the low by slim lead as they went to the fourth quarter at 29-28. In the fourth quarter the game would go back and forth with the lead being traded a few times through the quarter but when the final buzzer would ring the Griffiths would have a 12-9 quarter and secure the 40-37 victory and the 2024 Section VII Class D title. With the win the Boquet Valley Griffiths advance to the NYSPHSAA Class D Tournament and will have a quarterfinal game on March 9th at Clinton Community College against the winner of section II for the right to go to the state final four the following weekend at Hudson Valley Community College. Gallery

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Moriah's Hannah Gaddar (40) and Ticonderoga's (3) battle over the ball off the rebound that led to a jump ball. It would be the second game of the day from the Clinton Community College and this time it would be for the Section VII Class C Girls Basketball finals in front of another great crowd. It would get off to a slow start as both teams were feeling the pressure of the championship game and the upset-minded Sentinels would have the slim lead at 8-6 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Vikings would start to find their shot and groove on the court as they would have an 11-6 quarter and take the lead at 17-14 as the teams broke for the intermission. When they did return though the Sentinels would come back regrouped and focused as they would have a 13-8 quarter and take the slim 2-point lead at 27-25 as they entered the championship quarter in that quarter the Vikings would answer the bell and shut the Sentinels with a 12-6 quarter and get the Section VII C Girls Basketball title with a 37-33 victory. In the winning effort for the Vikings Hannah Bedore would lead the way with a 13-point afternoon. Next for the Vikings will be the NYSPHSAA Class C Tournament and game back at Clinton Community on Saturday, March 9th against the winner of a game between the winner of Section X and II for the right to go to the state final four at Hudson Valley Community College. Gallery

Ticonderoga (3) with the lay-in for the score over the contested attempt by Moriah's defender. Gallery

Saranac's Madison Gaginer (22) with the block shot as Northeastern Clinton's Callie Racine (41) drivers to the hoop along the baseline. It would be the last game of the opening day of the Section VII Basketball Championships and it would feature #1 Saranac Spartans and the #2 Northeastern Clinton Cougars for the Class B Girl's championship. It would be a slow start for both teams as the Spartans would have a slim low-score lead of 6-4 after the first quarter. The offenses would start to wake up in the second quarter as the Spartans would have a 9-6 quarter and a 15-10 lead at the intermission. When the team returned for the third quarter it would be an even matchup with more scoring but the Spartans were still slightly better with a 14-13 quarter and took the 29-23. In the fourth quarter, the Cougars would try everything that they had to be able to get over on the Spartans and would outscore them 13-10 but it would not be enough as the Spartans would get the 39-36 victory. In the winning effort, the Spartans would end the Cougar's undefeated season and go to 19-3 on the season as Brenna Ducatte would lead the way with 13 points. With the win, the Saranac Spartans will enter the NYSPHSAA Class B Girl's State Tournament and will play the winner of Section II in the opening round on Wednesday. Gallery

It would be the battle of the tens as Northeastern Clinton's Bailee LaFountain drives toward the basket and scores over Saranac's Molly Denis as they were making their fourth-quarter charge. Gallery