Few opponents have pushed the Westhill boys basketball team in the dominant two-year run it has put together. And whenever it has happened, Jordan Roland and his colleagues have shown that they know how to answer.

Locked in a tight battle with Rochester Leadershipo Academy in Friday night’s state Class B semifinal at Glens Falls Civic Center, the Warriors answered stress with success, producing a timely late run that led to a 69-53 victory over the Lions.

By winning, Westhill sets up a chance at back-to-back state championships, along with a third title in six years, when it faces Section I champion Woodlands Saturday night at 9 p.m. Woodlands, like Westhill, pulled away in the second half in its semifinal, defeating Ogdensburg Free Academy 61-43.

This was the first time Roland had played in Glens Falls since his 32-point first half (41 points overall) buried Olean in the state Class B final one year ago.

Here, Roland didn’t have seven 3-pointers in the first half, but he kept accumulating big baskets from start to finish until he had registered 38 points. And once again, Tyler Reynolds offered ample support, celebrating his 18th birthday with 19 points despite foul trouble for much of night.

Leadership Academy, a charter school from Section V, had built up a 21-3 record with a deep, athletic lineup that was good enough to beat powers like Bishop Kearney during the season. And though it was making its first state final four appearance, the Lions were not afraid of the setting, nor of the more seasoned Westhill squad it was facing.

Just like so many times before, the Warriors leaned heavily on Roland and Reynolds from the outset, the pair combining for all but two points in a back-and-forth first quarter where Westhill battled its way to a 17-13 lead.

Soon enough, a pattern developed. Every time the Warriors tried to pull away, the Lions would not let them, the two sides trading runs even as Westhill stayed out in front.

Ahead by as much as eight in the second period, the Warriors carried a 35-29 lead to halftime, and again tried to get away in the third quarter, extending its margin to double digits, 44-34.

Again, RLA had an answer. Led by Shabazz Mosley, who finished with 26 points, the Lions reeled off eight consecutive points to get within two, 44-42, with two minutes left in the period. But that was as close it would get.

Sensing the danger, Roland hit a long 3-pointer, and Jeff Lobello followed with a big basket in the final seconds to help Westhill take a 49-42 lead to the fourth quarter.

And it didn’t stop there, the Warriors eventually going on a decisive 18-4 run that featured, among other big plays, 3-pointers from Roland and Reynolds. Meanwhile, on the other end, Dan O’Connell, Ryan Roland, Brian Daily, Mike Burton and Chase Gedney all helped Westhill’s stifling man-to-man defense wear the Lions down.