Familiar opponents appeared throughout the Westhill boys basketball team’s quest to repeat as state Class B champions, from league rivals in the sectional playoffs to Seton Catholic, whom it beat for the second year in a row in the regional finals. Yet it was that familiarity that may have doomed the Warriors when it returned to Glens Falls Civic Center Friday night and took a 63-58 defeat to Goshen Burke Catholic in the state Class B semifinals. This was, after all, much the same Burke Catholic squad that Westhill conquered 60-51 in the 2010 state championship game on that same Glens Falls court. Four Eagles starters were back from that team, including Brendan Miller, who said he kept the box score of that state final to remind him of how much that loss hurt – and to motivate himself, and his teammates, for revenge in the rematch. That motivation was evident from the opening tip. Setting a frantic pace, the Warriors and Eagles traded baskets before Burke used a 10-0 run late in the first quarter to surge out in front, 18-10. By the early portion of the second period, Westhill trailed 26-15. But Nathan Nigolian ignited an 8-0 run that helped Westhill climb close late in the half. The Eagles were just as bold in its response, moving its lead back to nine before Nigolian’s basket at the buzzer made it 34-27 at the break. It stayed that way through a sloppy third quarter where both teams turned the ball over often. Only the work of Justin Biles, who had 15 of his 19 points in the second half, kept Westhill close. Biles’ trio of 3-pointers ignited a run early in the fourth quarter that crept the Warriors within one, 47-46, with less than five minutes left. Burke would not give this one away, though. Richard Douglas drained a 3-pointer to make it 50-46, and after Nigolian’s pair of free throws made it 50-48, Zach Rufer countered with another big 3-pointer that made it 53-48. Despite the Eagles missing a series of late free throws, Westhill would not get closer than three points the rest of the way, and Rufer’s successful foul shots with seven seconds left put Burke into the state final. Biles and Nigolian, who finished with 18 points, accounted for more than half of Westhill’s production. Kevin McAvoy added 11 points, and no other Warrior had more than one field goal. Rufer led Burke with 28 points as teammate Dante Cowart added 15 points. Further adding to the Warriors’ questions of what might have been, the Eagles went on to beat state no. 1-ranked Potsdam 62-52 Saturday night to earn the state championship that, 12 months ago, Westhill had claimed for itself.