CBA's defense helps lock up another Suburban Council boys' basketball victory

NISKAYUNA—Christian Brothers Academy improved to 17-0 overall and 12-0 in the Suburban Council on Tuesday night, using a second-half clamp-down to turn back host Niskayuna 65-54.

Brothers guards JJ and Austin Osinski combined for 42 points—JJ pouring in a game-high 22 after a 13-point third-quarter burst and Austin adding 20, eight of them in the final eight minutes. Yet it was the defense, anchored by three two-sport standouts who starred in the football secondary, that decided the outcome.

Junior safety JT Vogel—recently named Times Union Large School Defensive Player of the Year—joined classmates Amare Coffil and Jack Hulett in hounding Niskayuna into 9-for-24 shooting after halftime. The Silver Warriors finished 16 turnovers to CBA’s five, including only one over the game’s final three quarters.

“We’re a defensive-first team,” Vogel said. “With me, Amare and Jack out there, we’re going to be super physical and not let them breathe.”

Niskayuna (12-6, 8-4) never led, trimming a 55-52 deficit on Jake McDonald’s fifth triple of the night. The Warriors, however, misfired on their next two possessions, and Coffil’s driving bucket pushed the margin back to five. CBA then sank 8 of 9 free throws in the closing 31.8 seconds to seal it.

Coach Mike Grasso praised the victors’ offseason commitment to defense. “They’re tough, physical kids,” he said. “You have to give them and Coach Cancer a ton of credit.”

McDonald’s sharpshooting kept Niskayuna within striking distance, while Brady Olsen’s 15 points led the Warriors until two late technicals ended their night prematurely.

CBA returns to action Friday at Bethlehem; Niskayuna visits Columbia the same evening.