Top-seeded Newburgh beats defending champion Middletown 60-52, reaches Section 9 girls final

Top-seeded Newburgh Free Academy defeated fourth-seeded Middletown High School 60-52 Thursday night in the Section 9 Class AAA semifinal, advancing to face second-seeded Our Lady of Lourdes at noon on Saturday at Monroe-Woodbury High School, Midhudsonnews reported March 6, 2026. The Goldbacks will meet Lourdes, which beat Kingston in the other Class AAA semifinal.

The game was tight through three quarters, with Newburgh leading 25-23 at halftime before opening a decisive advantage in the fourth. Newburgh outscored the Middies 23-16 in the fourth quarter and, as Midhudsonnews put it, "pulled away" to secure the win.

Terri’Nashjae "TT" Burden led Newburgh with 19 points. Middletown’s primary offensive weapon, Jayden Ferguson, scored 36 points, including five 3-pointers, and poured in 11 points in the fourth quarter while trying to keep the defending champions alive.

Midhudsonnews carried a video of the semifinal and a photo credited as "Picture of Michael Heit." An Instagram caption accompanying coverage emphasized the result: "The top seeded Goldbacks defeated defending champion Middletown 60-52 Thursday night in the Section 9 Class AAA girls basketball semifinal."

The victory ends Middletown's run as defending champion in Section 9 Class AAA this season and propels Newburgh into Saturday’s title game at Monroe-Woodbury High School, where the Goldbacks will play Lourdes for the sectional crown at noon. Lourdes reached the final by beating Kingston in the other semifinal Thursday night.

Coverage of the semifinal and multimedia were published March 6, 2026 by Midhudsonnews. The site included the game video and photo, plus local headlines and newsroom contact information on the page. The Newburgh win sets up a weekend regional showcase between two top seeds, with Newburgh aiming to convert a late fourth-quarter surge into a sectional title.