From last to first, Peru captures Class A

PLATTSBURGH — With Peru holding a 47-45 lead late in the fourth quarter, junior Deacon Whitmarsh jumped in front of a Plattsburgh pass and streaked toward the basket.

He dunked the ball, the fans cheered and the Nighthawks were on their way to a Class A championship.

Jordan Osborne knocked down crucial free throws to help Peru end on a 5-0 run to defeat the Hornets 52-45, winning the 2026 Section VII Class A championship Friday.

“I like to say that we’re a team that’s going to fight till the end,” Osborne said. “We’ll fight to the end, and we just kept on punching, and we were able to just get it done tonight.

“Electric dunk by Deacon. That was amazing.”

The win caps a turnaround for the Nighthawks that went 1-19 last season. They currently stand at 15-6 on the year.

“Especially after last year — going through a 1-19 season is just difficult. Getting the group back and playing together as a team because our confidence needed improvement,” Whitmarsh said.

It was a back and forth game as both teams went on runs. Plattsburgh started the game hot with Peru answering in the second. The Hornets went on a 10-0 run in the third before the Nighthawks answered back. However, Plattsburgh held a 35-34 lead going into the final frame.

“We needed a lot of grittiness there,” Osborne said. “We have had a rough pattern of starting off slow, but we progressively pick it up. So I wasn’t too discouraged, but I just knew we had to keep on going at them. I think the better team prevailed.”

The biggest thing Peru did was handle play defensively to limit the Hornets getting clean looks.

“Coach said, you know, put a hand up in their face because they’re a really good shooting team,” Whitmarsh said. ”So we had to get out on them on the long ball. And, you know, they got some bigs that can really rebound the ball, so we had to box out to get the rebounds.”

Whitmarsh and Trent Taylor led Peru with 11 points. Plattsburgh was led by Troy Bushey with a game-high 19 as he scored 17 of the team’s 20 first-half points.

With the win, Peru advances to a Class A Regional Final against Section 2. The game is scheduled for March 14 at 3:30 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College.

Before they head off, they’ll return to Clinton Community College for the Champions Challenge against Class B winner Saranac Lake Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

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Peru 52, Plattsburgh 45

Plattsburgh (45)

Lautenschuetz 0-1-1, Rios 2-2-6, Kowlawoski 0-0-0, Gommel 0-0-0, Labombard 0-0-0, Zamora 0-0-0, Dejesus 0-0-0, O’Neal 3-0-9, Colburn 3-0-6, Abernathy 0-2-2, Rodriguez-Donaldson 0-2-2, Bushey 5-5-19. TOTALS: 13-12-45

Peru (52)

Ledwith 0-0-0, Whitmarsh 5-1-11, Santor 1-0-2, Osborne 2-3-7, Sypek 0-0-0, Cooper Sweeney 0-0-0, St. Denis 0-0-0, Taylor 5-0-11, Rogers 0-0-0, Sweeney 3-0-8, Delaronde 1-0-2, Peters 0-0-0, Diatta 5-0-11. TOTALS: 22-4-52

Halftime- Peru, 25-20

3 point goals- PHS(7)- O’Neal(3), Bushey(4) Peru(3)- Taylor(1), Camden Sweeney(2)