From 1-19 to champions, Peru wins Class A crown

PLATTSBURGH | Peru capped a dramatic turnaround Friday, Feb. 27, rising from a 1-19 season a year ago to claim the Section VII Class A boys basketball championship with a 52-45 victory over Plattsburgh High at Clinton Community College. The title was Peru's first sectional championship since winning the Class B crown in 2018. Deacon Whitmarsh delivered the defining play late in the fourth quarter. With Peru holding a 47-45 lead, the junior intercepted an errant pass near midcourt and finished with a two-hand dunk, igniting the crowd and sparking a closing 5-0 run. Jordan Osborne sealed the outcome by converting three free throws in the final moments. Trent Taylor scored on back-to-back possessions to push Peru ahead 47-42 late in the fourth quarter before Plattsburgh answered with a 3-pointer from Preston O'Neal to cut the deficit to two. But Whitmarsh's steal and dunk, followed by Osborne's free throws, put the game out of reach. "Especially after going through a 1-19 season last year, it was just difficult getting the group back and playing together as a team because our confidence was low coming into the season, and we had to shift that," Whitmarsh said. "I feel like (the dunk) gave our team and the fans momentum, so it just kind of brought us all together." Whitmarsh finished with 11 points, sharing team-high scoring honors with Taylor and Mo Diatta. Camden Sweeney added eight points, and Osborne finished with seven. "They're so strong and physical," Whitmarsh said of Taylor and Diatta. "Rebounding really helped us in the game, getting those put-backs and extra baskets for us." Troy Bushey led Plattsburgh High with 19 points, scoring 17 of the Hornets' 20 first-half points. He connected on three 3-pointers in the opening quarter as Plattsburgh built an early lead. Peru advanced to face the Section II champion in a NYSPHSAA Class A regional on Saturday, March 14, at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy. At publishing time, the top-four seeds — Hudson, Glens Falls, Lansingburgh and Averill Park — remain alive in the Section II Class A semifinals.

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From 1-19 to champions, Peru wins Class A crown

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