SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Racers of the American Basketball Association (ABA) held on to their third-place ranking in the East Conference White Division after beating the Herkimer Originals last weekend, 130 to 115. The Racers have a little less than a month before the end of the regular season. Single-elimination playoff games will begin in March.
Against Herkimer, Saratoga’s Tobias Holmes netted an eye-popping 42 points, draining 6 three-pointers and dishing out 7 assists. RJ Rosa added 27 points, John Ryals contributed 21, and both Isiah Grandison (16 points, 15 rebounds) and Shaheem Sanders (14 points, 16 boards) had double-doubles in the contest.
The Racers managed to win in convincing fashion despite losing a few regulars. TJ Jenkins was sidelined with an injury, while Joey Harden and Todd Spotswood both missed time due to deaths in their families.
The Racers are currently ranked #23 in the country and have an 11-5 record on the season. Their next game will be this Saturday against the 518 Ballers in Albany.
State Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) and Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner (D-Round Lake) welcomed the New York State Class C Football Champion Schuylerville Black Horses to the state Capitol earlier this week, honoring them with legislative resolutions passed in the Senate and Assembly. In December, the Horses defeated Salamanca 26-20 at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse to win their first state football championship in program history. Photo provided by Tedisco’s office.
The Saratoga Central Catholic boys varsity basketball team defeated Cambridge on Tuesday, 63 to 35. Image via the Saints Facebook page.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Can anyone beat Saratoga Central Catholic’s boys varsity basketball team?
The short answer to that question is “yes.” The Saints lost by 5 points to Berne-Knox-Westerlo on Dec. 8. But that’s Spa Catholic’s only loss of the year so far, and that loss was in a close contest with an undefeated team.
The Saints’ record is currently 15-1 overall and a perfect 9-0 in the Wasaren League, where Spa Catholic is well ahead of the competition. The boys b-ball squad has won 13 games in a row. Of the 85 teams listed in the Section 2 boys basketball rankings, Saratoga is #7. The New York State Sportswriters Association has them ranked #6 among Class C teams. So it’s safe to say that this season is shaping up to be one of the program’s best in recent memory.
The Saints are a relatively short team, relying on speed and three-pointers to accumulate points. But the secret to their sauce this season, according to Coach Shea Bromirski, has been their defense.
“We hold our opponents to around 38 points per game, which is one of the best in the section,” Bromirski said. “The kids have really bought into competing and putting forth a ton of effort on that end of the floor, which is really unselfish; it’s not an easy thing to do.”
Recent games have added compelling evidence to the claim that the Saints have one of the best defenses in town. On Jan. 28, the boys held Cambridge to only 35 points. On Jan. 17, they limited Hoosic Valley to 39 points. On the offensive end, Tyler Hicks led the way with 18 points while Ryan Gillis contributed an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double. On Jan. 14 against Waterford-Halfmoon, the Saints won 78 to 42, again excelling on both sides of the ball. In that game, Gillis netted 12 points and Hicks added 11. Before that, Hicks scored 19 in a 54 to 39 victory against Tamarac.
Hicks, said his coach, has emerged as a “complete player” this season, averaging more than 14 points per game and contributing on the defensive end as well. The senior guard has “a bunch of colleges that are poking around and looking at him because he’s turned himself into a really good player,” Bromirski said.
Gillis is a “throwback” who “doesn’t care about scoring,” Bromirski said. “He’s the backbone of our team. He’s quiet but he’s such a leader. He leads by example.” Gillis only has 9 turnovers all season. “He does all the little things that don’t show up in the box score, but then he does the stuff that shows up in the box score too,” said Bromirski.
Another big contributor this season has been David Redgrave, the team’s assist leader. Redgrave’s ball handling abilities have allowed Hicks to move off the ball, which Bromirski said better suits his skill set. “David is one of the biggest gym rats I’ve ever been around,” the coach said. “He’s playing somewhere all the time and when he’s not playing, he’s shooting and working on his game. He just loves basketball.”
Next up for the blessed Saints is a Friday home game on Jan. 31 against Greenwich at 7:30 p.m. Then they’ll take on Stillwater and Hoosick Falls to wrap up their stellar regular season.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) announced on Monday that general admission tickets, hospitality offerings, and reserved seats for the 2025 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at the Saratoga Race Course will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, February 13 at BelmontStakes.com/tickets.
NYRA also announced that it has adjusted this year’s presale “to ensure the most equitable opportunity for fans.” Beginning January 28, and continuing through January 31, prospective ticket buyers can enter a drawing at BelmontStakes.com to secure access to various presale opportunities. Those prospective buyers will then be selected at random and directed to select ticket preferences based on available inventory. NYRA said that entering the presale drawing does not guarantee an opportunity to purchase tickets prior to the general public on-sale, nor does it preclude fans from participating in the general public on-sale.
Last year, some prospective presale buyers said that when they tried to buy specific tickets, the Ticketmaster website suddenly said the tickets were no longer available. Others reported they were unable to buy tickets at all, despite having access to the presale.
Also, an advertisement on the Belmont Stakes tickets website fooled some buyers by featuring a green “Continue” button that linked to another site asking for credit card information. A message above the advertisement that read “paid banners below are not related to Belmont Stakes Ticket Sales” appeared to have been added later.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s only January but baseball activity has already begun in Saratoga Springs.
Skidmore College’s pitchers and catchers reported for duty on Monday, just a day before the team’s 2025 captains were announced. First Baseman Sam Kornet, Catcher/Infielder Trey Bourque, and Pitcher Peter Martin have been named this year’s leaders. All three players are seniors.
The 6’6” Kornet had a slash line of .308/.448/.567 last season in 104 at-bats. Bourque hit .310/.395/.507 last year in 142 at-bats. He was also selected to the American Baseball Coaches Association Region 3 All-Defensive Team. Martin had a career-best 4.26 ERA in 2024, striking out 13 batters in 19 innings.
Skidmore’s first game of the season is on Feb. 23, when they take on SUNY Old Westbury in the first of 13 straight away games that include 8 games at the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Florida. Their first home game, in which they are expected to play at their brand-new $3.4 million turf baseball field on Daniels Road, is against Vassar College on Mar. 21.
The Thoroughbreds have won 4 Liberty League championships, their most recent being in 2012. In 2023, Catcher Jackson Hornung became the first Skidmore athlete to be drafted by a professional team when he was selected in the 16th round (484th pick) by the Toronto Blue Jays. Hornung was named to the Northwest League All-Star Team last year after completing his first full season with the Vancouver Canadians, Toronto’s High-A affiliate.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — If you plan on buying a general admission ticket to this year’s Belmont Stakes Day, prepare to pay up. Ticket prices have increased by 50%, according to a news release from the New York Racing Association. In 2024, general admission to Belmont Stakes Day was $50. This year, it’s $75.
Despite that increase, general admission prices have held steady for the remaining days of the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival. In 2024, a general admission ticket for Friday was $30. This year, it’s still $30. And in 2024, general admission for both Thursday and Sunday was $10. This year, it’s still $10.
Spa Catholic beat Hoosic Valley last week, 57 to 39, for their 11th straight win. Image via the Saratoga Central Catholic Saints.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Central Catholic varsity boys basketball team won again last Friday, defeating Hoosic Valley 57 to 39. The Saints were led by Tyler Hicks with 18 points, while Ryan Gillis added an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double.
The victory was the 11th straight for Spa Catholic, which hasn’t lost a game since December 8. Their record now stands at 13-1 overall on the season, and an undefeated 8-0 in the Wasaren League.
The win against Hoosic (which was the second time the Saints have beaten the Hawks this season) further cemented the Saint’s #1 spot in Wasaren, dropping Hoosic to third place and elevating the 6-2 Mechanicville to second place.
On Friday, January 24, Mechanicville will face the Saints for the first time this season.
The Ballston Spa girls varsity basketball team defeated Schenectady on January 14 by a score of 70 to 14. Image via the BSPA DAWGS Facebook page.
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa girls varsity basketball team visited the Electric City earlier this month, shattering Schenectady like a broken light bulb, 70 to 14. All ten dawgs contributed to the scoreboard, highlighting the team’s unselfish ball movement and playmaking.
The team fared less well three days later, however, falling to Niskayuna in a close contest at home, 47 to 43. In that game, B-Spa was behind by a dozen heading into the fourth quarter, before battling their way back to a 4-point loss.
Following the win and loss, Ballston Spa’s record stood at 8-4 on the season overall and 3-4 in the Section 2 Suburban Council. Their next game arrives on January 28 at home versus Guilderland.
A promotional image for the upcoming MVP Arena High School Basketball Challenge. Image via MVP Arena.
ALBANY — The Ballston Spa varsity boys and girls basketball teams will compete at MVP Arena in Albany next month in a two-day high school basketball skills challenge. The Scotties will be able to strut their stuff on the same court that hosts Siena College and NCAA games.
The schedule for the event is as follows: Friday, February 7: Albany vs. Ballston Spa – 5 p.m. (girls) Albany vs. Ballston Spa – 6:30 p.m. (boys) Saturday, February 8: Voorheesville vs. Ichabod Crane – 5 p.m. Lansingburgh vs. Troy – 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are currently on sale via the venue’s website.
From left to right: 518 Ballers Owner Vance Parella, Ike Sheppard, Keith Edmonds Jr., and Saratoga Racers Owner Keith Harrington. Photo via the Saratoga Racers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Local American Basketball Association (ABA) teams the Saratoga Racers and 518 Ballers crowned Ike Sheppard “King of the Court” after he won a 1v1 tournament held in Albany on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Keith Edmonds Jr., a member of the Ballers, was named runner-up in the contest.
The tournament showcased some of the Capital Region’s top players, including Saratoga Racers Zach Radz (a former Tracy McGrady Ones Basketball League New York Regional champion and national finalist), Tyjon Gilmore, and Todd Spotswood.
Racers owner Keith Harrington said that 100% of the tournament’s proceeds will go towards the Racers and 518 Ballers.
“It was a blessing that we were brought together to promote our teams, the ABA, and Capital Region basketball,” Harrington said in a statement.
