TROY — I’m not sure which I’ll remember

Star photo by Julie Lewis South Kortright’s Allison Gardner grabs a rebound between Chapel Field’s Bethany Sgandurra, left, and Katie Oskam during the Class D state championship Sunday at Hudson Valley Community College. The Rams won, 72-50, giving the school its first state title in any sport.

more: The atmosphere at Hudson Valley Community College on Sunday or the directions to the college given to me by Daily Star stringer Courtney A. Erickson.

On one hand, to see so many from South Kortright support their girls basketball team was incredible.

On the other, Erickson’s directions made me shout countless words that aren’t suitable for a family newspaper.

Let’s get to the good stuff first.

I’m not one who’s easily surprised, but when I looked up in the stands and saw a sea of blue behind the press table at Hudson Valley Community College, I was stunned.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]South Kortright has 95 students in grades 10-12. That number ranks in a tie for 100th among 159 Class D schools in New York state.

The population of Kortright in the 2000 census was 1,633. So we’re not talking about midtown Manhattan here.

Perry Novak, the sports editor for the Oneida Daily Dispatch who handles state rankings and all-state teams for most girls sports, attended all the games at HVCC this weekend. He said aside from Troy Catholic in a Class AA semifinal Friday, South Kortright had the most fan support of any team.

I estimated 800 SK supporters for Sunday’s title game.

"We have an awesome community," said SK senior Jessica Laing, whose 26-point, 18-rebound effort in the Rams’ 72-50 state-championship victory over Chapel Field earned her tournament MVP honors. "When we left Friday, our whole school was outside. Every grade made banners and plaques for us.

"They were cheering for us all weekend. Everyone was saying, ’Go girls’ or ’Go get ’em.’

"Teachers who never watched home or away games came to games. It’s just awesome to have that kind of support from our community."

And it wasn’t just South Kortright people, as Rams coach Harry Nissen pointed out. One of the first people to congratulate Nissen after SK’s 46-38 semifinal victory over Batavia Notre Dame on Saturday was Davenport boys basketball coach Lee Fisher. Fisher’s team lost, 58-43, the day before in a Class D state semifinal to eventual state champion C.G. Finney.

Gilberstville-Mount Upton girls coach Jim Johnson spoke briefly to Nissen before Sunday’s title game. Nissen also said he saw people from Davenport, Andes and Unadilla Valley, among others.

"It really was a community thing and we’re fortunate to have that," he said.

They were treated to some excellent basketball. This Rams team could have competed with any team in The Daily Star’s circulation area, including an Oneonta High team that lost in the Section Four Class A final.

That also includes Midstate Athletic Conference powers Unatego and Bainbridge-Guilford, who lost in the semifinals of the Section Four Class B and C tournaments, respectively.

I’m not necessarily saying the Rams were better than those teams, but they could have competed with them.

Laing is the best area player I saw this season. In a few years, Division II schools — and maybe even some Division I ones — are going to be disappointed they didn’t recruit her. If Laing continues to improve, she’ll be a standout at Division III Cortland State.

"The problem is, (Laing) can handle it well, she shoots well and has size," Chapel Field coach Sal Patane said. "That’s tough to deal with. She’s one of the better players we’ve seen and she complements the team well."

With Emily White’s performance this weekend, which included an 18-point, seven-rebound performance in the title game, she should garner some looks from Division III schools. She can defend and rebound, and she’s athletic enough to play collegiately.

Fellow senior Kassie Tiller was the team’s best perimeter shooter and a sure ballhandler. Sophomore starters Allison Gardner and Jordan Nichols were active defenders and could be counted on to hit an occasional jumper. Top reserves Jessica Cole and Patti Austin provided a physical presence when they were called upon.

All of them knew their roles, and they rarely ventured outside them.

"All the girls, we just got along so well," Laing said. "If we started screaming at each other, we wouldn’t take it seriously. We wouldn’t get ticked off at each other. I’m so proud of all of them."

Speaking of screaming and getting ticked off, allow me a few seconds to vent.

South Kortright’s state semifinal started at 9 a.m. Saturday. I arrived in the capital region at 8:20. One perfectly frustrating hour later, I walked into Hudson Valley CC, with three minutes left in the first half.

In 17 years in this business, I’d only arrived to an event late once, so I had a percentage of well over 99 percent.

I’m blaming myself for my tardiness because I listened to Erickson, who lives in nearby Schenectady and is better known in local circles as C-Bass. It’s a mistake I’ll not make a second time.

Here’s what he could have said: Take I-88 to I-90. Get off at the East Greenbush exit, take a left onto Route 4 and drive four miles. The college is on the right.

Instead, his directions made "War and Peace" seem like light reading.

I was in Troy at 8:40 and asked a man how to get to HVCC. He gave me pinpoint directions ... to Rensselaer! I guess I should cut the guy some slack, though, because Hudson Valley Community College sounds a lot like Rensselaer.

After two more stops for directions and hitting each of the 712 traffic lights in Troy, I finally made it.

All in all, a memorable weekend.

Much like this academic year for area teams and athletes. South Kortright’s first state in the school’s history was the sixth local state title in 2005-06.

Sidney’s football team won the Class C state title; Downsville’s girls won the Class D state soccer title and Cooperstown’s boys won the Class D state cross-country title.

In addition, Bainbridge-Guilford/Afton senior wrestler Eric Decker won the 160-pound Division II state title, and Sidney senior Katelyn Guerriere won the 55-meter hurdles state title in indoor track.

And we still have an entire spring season to go.

Rob Centorani covers high school basketball for The Daily Star. E-mail him at rcentorani@thedailystar.com.