VOORHEESVILLE — Voorheesville’s game with Cobleskill wasn’t great offensive basketball; it was defense that won the game for the Blackbirds on Tuesday.

Voorheesville held off a tough, scrappy Cobleskill team, 47-37.
"It was a defensive game," said Voorheesville Coach Don Catellier. "We played well and held them under 40, which was our goal. They are physical and they are not a bad team. They work hard."

The Blackbirds shut down the Bulldogs top two scorers — Dunea Lockwood and Ryan Greene — holding them to six points each.
"They are two of the better scorers in the league," Catellier said.

The coach praised his son, Andy, for his defense on Greene, and Justin Arico for his defense on Lockwood.
"Defense win," Catellier said. "The last four games in a row we’ve held a team under 40 points. Cohoes was the time a team has scored over 40 points."

The Blackbirds lost to Cohoes, on Dec. 21, for their only loss in the Colonial Council this season.

Close victory

Tuesday’s game was close throughout as the Blackbirds couldn’t pull away until the fourth quarter.

Voorheesville led, 25-19, at halftime but just 34-32 at the end of the third quarter.

Cobleskill outscored the Birds, 13-9, in the third frame to pull within two points.

But the Blackbirds held Cobleskill to just five points in the fourth quarter and scored 13 in the final stanza to pull out the win.

The Birds got two baskets in the first minute of the quarter to build their lead up to six.

Evan Christner scored the second for the Birds on a nice inside basket.

Cobleskill got a free throw but that was all the offense the Bulldogs could muster in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.

Greg Klopfer then made a three-pointer to give the Birds an eight-point lead, 41-33.

The Bulldogs then got back-to-back baskets from Aaron Ray to cut the lead down to four points.

But Voorheesville clamped down on defense and did not give up any more points after Ray’s second bucket with 3:12 left in the contest.

In the meantime, the Birds made six free throws to seal the win.
"Balanced scoring"

Catellier, Klopfer and Nick Duncan each made two foul shots down the stretch.
"Offensively, Nick and Andy were great," Coach Catellier said.

Andy Catellier led the Blackbirds with 16 points. Duncan added 15 points and Christner scored six while Klopfer and Mike Hopper each chipped in with five points.
"We got balanced scoring," Catellier said. "Klopfer’s been struggling. He might be pressing a little bit. At practice he can’t miss. He’ll get it back. I’m not worried at all."

Duncan led the Birds with 10 rebounds and he also blocked three shots. Christner and Hopper also joined the block party, blocking three shots as well. Andy Catellier also had a block for the Blackbirds.
"I’m happy," Coach Catellier said. "We’re starting to play great. And we’ve got to be when we play [Albany] Academy on Friday. I told the kids in the lockeroom that Academy is still the champion till someone goes into their gym and beats them. If we do win, we’ll be four games over everyone."

The Albany Academy game marks the beginning of the second round through the league for the Blackbirds. They follow up Friday’s trip to Albany with a home game against Lansingburgh on Tuesday.
"We’ve got one more round," Catellier said. "We made it through the first half with one scar. We can still be better, especially on offense. We can improve still."