The View From Centercourt

Poll Ballots - 2011 Season Finale

As a pollster for the Buffalo News, I'm asked to send in my weekly ballots ranking the top ten large and small schools.  This is the last vote of the 2011 season.  Below is a look at where I have the teams ranked at season's end, and some of the rationale used to get there.

 

Large Schools

1. Jamestown (AA) - A spectacular breakthrough season for the program that was loaded with highlights and accomplishments. In my opinion, the biggest of all was coming from behind to knock off the undefeated Class AA state champions in overtime and advancing to the state championship.

2. Niagara  Falls (AA) - At the end of the day, I think the Wolverines were as good a team as most of us thought they were all season.  Their season included wins over Jamestown, Aquinas, Canisius, and McKinley (in a game they led most of the way by double-digits despite the worst free throw shooting performance since Dr. Naismith thought to hang bushel baskets in the air), and they gave the Red Raiders all they could handle in the Class AA final.

3. East (A2) - The Panthers registered wins over four different teams ranked in this top ten, won the most competitive large school league in Section VI, and played Aquinas closer than any other team in WNY besides NFHS.

4. Williamsville South (A1) - The only blemishes on the Billies resume are a three-point road loss at Jamestown and a double OT loss to East.  If not for Tremell Fisher banking a contested 3-p0inter, they finish number three.  The Billies set a school record for wins in a season, including triumphs over Canisius, Hutch-Tech, Timon-St. Jude, Williamsville North, and a pair of wins against Bennett.

5. Canisius (MMAA) - The Crusaders comeback win in the Manhattan Cup championship was a testament to the balance, depth, and cohesiveness that Canisius possessed this season.  Losses to Niagara Falls and Williamsville South, coupled with their only wins over a top ten school being the two against St. Joe's, keep them outside the top four.

6. St. Joe's (MMAA) - The wave of momentum the Marauders rode after knocking off Niagara Falls, helped them to roll Timon-St. Jude without Reggie Agbeko and build a 17-point lead on the Crusaders in the first half of the championship game.  Unfortunately for them, that momentum found its way into the wrong locker room at halftime.

7. Bennett (A1) - The Tigers split with Hutch-Tech, won both meetings with McKinley, and had a good showing in the Class A1 final against the Billies.

8. McKinley (AA) - Not even a move up to Class AA could keep the McKinley from a 12th consecutive appearance in the semifinals.  The only teams to defeat the Macks this season are all ranked ahead of them - Falls, East, and Bennett.

9. Hutch-Tech (A1) - After a slow start to the season, the young Engineers gained steam and beat the likes of East and Bennett, and held a ten-point fourth quarter advantage against Williamsville South in the semifinals.

10. Lancaster (AA) - The Redskins played Jamestown three times this season and lost by a combined 27 points...one point less than Williamsville North lost by at Jamestown.  Lancaster's season included sweeps of Clarence and Frontier, along with wins against Kenmore West and Williamsville North.

 

Small Schools

1. I-Prep at Grover (C) -Finished the season two wins shy of where they wanted to be, but were still an easy choice as the top small school in WNY.  The Presidents success this season included a Yale Cup II title, a pair of wins over Tapestry Charter, three wins against OTC Middle College, a victory over St. Mary's, and a trip to Glens Falls following a regional triumph versus East Rochester.

2. Cassadaga Valley (B2) - An early loss to Class D Panama and a league schedule that yielded two additional losses against teams in a lower class (C), kept Cassadaga Valley from being ranked until the final poll.  But the Cougars postseason run opened everyone's eyes up north to the quality of CCAA II and was one of the best stories of the season. 

 I really hope that in the near future, Southern Tier small schools start scheduling more games against opponents to the north.  It would provide more exposure for those teams and give fans and pollsters like myself a better gauge of where teams are really at.  It's unfair to label a northern school as overrated at season's end because they were ranked all season and lost to a school that wasn't.  It would be much more appropriate to label the Cougars and other teams from the CCAA as underrated...but how were we really to know? At the start of the season, we knew Cassadaga Valley had lost to Panama and Wilson had beaten St. Mary's. 

3. Lackawanna (B1) - In February, I said that I couldn't see the Steelers winning Class B1 because of different issues that had plagued the team during the season and a strong competition within the bracket.  Not only did they win Class B1, they did so by stunning unbeaten Dunkirk in a convincing performance, before looking even stronger against Newfane and dominating them in the fourth quarter.

4. Wilson (B2) - Even without one of their marquee players, the Lakemen advanced to the Class B2 final and dueled with Cassadaga Valley until the bitter end.  The co-champs of the N-O had wins against St. Mary's, Newfane, Cleveland Hill, and swept CSAT.

5. St. Mary's (MMAA) - For a third straight season, the Lancers were the top small school in the MMAA after routing Archbishop Walsh to earn that distinction.  In nonleague games, St. Mary's had wins against Newfane, Clarence, Hutch-Tech, Depew, Cleveland Hill, and City Honors.

6. Tapestry Charter (C) - Wore opponents down by dictating the pace of games, including against Maple Grove, who they outscored 26-10 in the fourth quarter of a comeback victory.  The speed and depth of the Thunderhawks might not have been enough to upset I-Prep, but they pushed them until the game's end. 

7. Dunkirk (B1) - From the two times I saw them play this season, they were clearly a very talented team with a dynamic player.  Things may have gone differently for the Marauders if they were more battle tested and a little less confident from so many lopsided wins.  Still a top ten team with a pair of wins over Olean this season.

8. Newfane (B1) - Co-champs of the N-O after spilitng regular season meetings with Wilson.  Advanced to the Class B1 title game with a commanding win against ECIC IV champ Tonawanda, and then shot 2 of 18 from behind the arc when they got there. 

 9. Maple Grove (C) - The CCAA III champs were on their way to the Class C title game, before succombing to a Tapestry rally.  A win over Olean gets the 2010 Class D state champs this spot over...

10. OTC Middle College (C) - the 2010 Class C state champs, who lost to Olean by ten this season.  They were competitive all three times they played I-Prep, but I can't rank them any higher than ten when the Kats best win was in November, and the next best win was against City Honors...who beat OTC in the rematch.

 

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Jamestown's Ben Drake is Coach of the Year

 

  When the Red Raiders headed to the locker room trailing 38-19 to begin their season at Niagara Falls in the Cataract City Classic, Jamestown head coach Ben Drake had to make some adjustments.  Whatever he said to his team during that intermission was a message that was well received and stayed with the team for the remainder of the season.  Jamestown came out in the second half and battled to within four points before losing an eight-point decision.  They were a completely different team in the second half, and it was a glimpse of what lied ahead for the Red Raiders.

 

Jamestown played the rest of the season like they came out in the second half of its loss to Falls, loose and aggressive...the indelible mark of its coach, Ben Drake.  After winning its tournament in December with a victory over Williamsville South, Jamestown rolled through ECIC I to claim its first league title in four years.   The team's only loss in league play came at Williamsville North, with leading scorer Jaysean Paige noticably absent from both the starting lineup and bench.  After the game, I spoke with Drake.  He informed me that Paige was left in Jamestown for a violation of team rules, and that when he was ready to comply with the same standard set forth for the rest of the team, he would be welcomed back.  It may have been a hard result to live with, but it was an easy decision to make.  Drake is a high character coach who won't compromise what the team stands for.  Paige's one-game suspension may have cost his team a win that night, but likely enabled them to make the championship run that followed. 

 

The Red Raiders embarked on a run following that game that included nine straight wins, and four straight wins by at least 28 points, including an emphatic victory in the rematch with Willaimsville North.  Jamestown hung 102 points on Clarence in the quarterfinals, before knocking off Lancaster for a third time in the semifinals. 

 

In each of its next three games, Jamestown would trail in the fourth quarter.  The Red Raiders came from behind to defeat their nemesis, Niagara Falls, for the first time in program history and repeat as Section VI champs.  After taking a night to celebrate with his team as they soaked him with water in the Buffalo State locker room, Drake looked forward. 

 

In a true testament of his commitment to giving his program its best chance to succeed, Drake drove to Syracuse on the day of his team's regional game with Irondequoit in Rochester.  It was there that he watched Albany CBA, the opponent of the Far West Regional winner, register a 32-point win to advance to states.  Once his scouting in Syracuse was complete, Drake headed to Rochester for Jamestown's state quarterfinal game.  In a thrilling game that came down to the final possession...twice...the Red Raiders won in overtime, and earned their first ever trip to Glens Falls.

 

Against the undefeated state champions, Drake had his squad prepared and believing they were the better team.   With the game tied late in regulation, the Red Raiders forced a shot clock violation to prevent Albany CBA from taking a potential game-winning shot and force overtime for a second straight game.  In the extra session, the Red Raiders led by two, when the most memorable moment of the Jamestown season occured.  Adam Cecchini sent a lob pass from the left corner to Paige, who lept into the air and threw down a devastating two-handed slam that effectively punched the Red Raiders ticket to the Class AA state championship, the first non-Niagara Falls/LaSalle team to get there since 1984.

 

Even in the title game against a deeper and more talented Mount Vernon team, Drake had Jamestown right in the game the entire way, waiting for the Knights to yield any sort of momentum.  In the end, Jamestown fell short of a state championship, but largely exceeded the expectations coming into the season.  The Red Raiders were a talented team to be certain, but that talent was harnessed beautifully this year by Drake.  Jamestown came a long way this season from the team that trailed by 19 points at the half of its first game, to a team that became a  reflection of its coach and made it farther than any Red Raider squad before them because of it.

 

***

 

Other coaches who garnered consideration due to the impact they had on their team this season:

 

 

Rich Clifford, Cassadaga Valley

- After graduating four of five starters from the Class C finalist team, including a pair of All-WNY honorable mention selections, the Cougars weren't on anyone's radar as a postseason favorite.  The team moved up to Class B2 and were the smallest of all the teams in Class B of Section VI.  When things were all said and done, they were also the best.  Clifford's banner year began with a league title in CCAA II, and then an improbable march through all of Class B that saw them knock off higher seeds in CSAT and Wilson, before a season defining victory against Lackawanna to advance to the state quarterfinals.  The veteran coaching and team first approach from Clifford earned the first Section VI title for Cassadaga Valley in school history.

 

Starling Bryant, East

- In a recent prognostication of top teams for next season, East was picked for one main reason - Starling Bryant.  Every year, the Panthers graduate most of their rotation, and then the next season they're right back where they were the season before.  This season, East returned just one starter, but managed to win another Yale Cup.  At times, the Panthers were dominant in the city league with all but three of their league wins decided by double-digits.  After winning Class A2 as they were projected to do, East toppled a senior laden, experienced, and battle-tested Williamsville South team, by outlasting them in double overtime.  Then in a game few seemed to give them a chance in, the Panthers gave Aquinas all they could handle, before bowing out in the final minute.  Bryant got everything there was to get out of his Panther team this season and although his teams are almost always successful, he turned in one of his finest coaching performances this season.

 

Earl Schunk, Tapestry Charter

- Leaving behind a school in Grover that was largely considered a favorite to advance to states, Schunk changed the philosophy at his new school.  Tapestry had lost in the quarterfinals last season, 41-40.  "When I first met the guys, I promised them we would never lose a game 41-40 again", Schunk said.  "I told them if we were going to lose a game, I'd rather it be 101-100 than 41-40".  Under Schunk's guidance, the team increased its scoring by 30 points per game.  Schunk became the first coach ever to lead a Charter school to a Section VI championship game, and did so in dramatic fashion with a comeback victory over four-time sectional champ Maple Grove. 

 

Tim Foley, Lackawanna

- In a season marked by key players missing time for reasons within their control, the Steelers started the season just 3-7.  After a loss to Lafayette at the MLK Classic, things had reached a low point for Lackawanna.  However, Foley was able to steady the ship and reach his team, getting the Steelers to buy into the same concept he had been selling all season.  The result was the team winning 10 of its next 11 games.  That stretch included a semifinal victory over previously unbeaten Dunkirk and dominant performance over a strong Newfane team to earn the Class B1 sectional title.

 

 

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87 North Exit 19 - Glens Falls

 

Class AA State Semifinal - Jamestown 61, CBA Albany 56 OT

 

Trailing in the fourth quarter for a third consecutive game, the Red Raiders got eight points in the fourth from Jaysean Paige to force overtime.  Paige won the tip and then scored the first four points in the extra session to lead his team to Jamestown's first ever state title game in boys basketball.

 

In overtime, Paige threw down an incredible two-handed slam thanks to an alley-oop pass from teammate Adam Cecchini from the left corner.  The lob pass was a bold move with a two-point lead in overtime against an undefeated opponent, but the result was so exciting that you knew Jamestown had sealed the win as Paige was rocking the rim. 

 

Paige finished with a game-high 23 points, while Joey Campion and Darin Butts each scored 13 points.

 

Class AA State Championship - Mount Vernon 62, Jamestown 51

 

Despite jumping out to an early 14-5 advantage, Jamestown didn't have enough to hang with the Knights for four quarters.  With the win, Mount Vernon now has nine state titles, the most public school titles in New York State history. 

 

Tournament MVP and West Virginia bound Jabarie Hinds led the Knights with 26 points.  Paige scored 21 points for Jamestown and was named to the all-tournament team, along with teammate Darin Butts.  Joey Campion received the sportsmanship award.

 

Check out this commentary on Jamestown from Alicia Johnson of the Post Star in Glens Falls.

 

 

Class A State Semifinal - Jamesville DeWitt 61, Aquinas 52

 

After trailing for three quarters, the Lil Irish briefly took a 47-46  lead against the Rams after Christian White sank a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter.  However, Jamesville DeWitt closed the game on a 16-5 run to advance to the state title game.  Josh Carter and Phil Valenti each scored 10 points for Aquinas.  Dajuan Coleman finished with 17 points for the Rams.

 

Jamesville DeWitt won its fourth consecutive state championship in Class A, defeating Harborfields 66-51.

 

Class B State Semifinal - Potsdam 66, Charlotte 48

 

 After taking an early six-point advantage following the first quarter, Charlotte was outscored 24-4 in the second quarter and never recovered in its loss to Potsdam. 

 

Potsdam lost in the Class B state final to Burke Catholic, 62-52.

 

Class C State Semifinal - Friends Academy 53, I-Prep 48 OT

 

I-Prep's ultimate goal of bring a state title back to Buffalo, fell short in Glens Falls.  The Presidents shot 26 3-pointers, the majority from near NBA range, and only connected on four (15%).  Friends Academy, conversely, was both deliberate and efficient on offense, as they took a lead midway through the first quarter and never trailed again. 

 

Kenny Pringle led I-Prep with 17 points and Chris Holland added 16 points.  The two took a combined 35 shots, while Kadeem Hillman only attempted four field goals in the game.  The I-Prep big man was dominant on the boards, hauling in a total of 17 rebounds.

 

Friends Academy went on to win the Class C state title with a 46-44 win over Syracuse Academy of Science.

 

Class D State Semifinal - Coleman Catholic 71, CG Finney 70  Double OT

 

 Ben Mesuda's basket with 14 seconds left in the second overtime tied the game at 70-70 for Coleman Catholic.  After the Falcons were unable to answer, the game seemed to be headed to a third overtime, when CG Finney was called for a foul in the backcourt with just 0.2 seconds on the clock.  Thomas Murphy then hit one of his free throws to send the Statesmen to the title game and send CG Finney back to Rochester empty handed.

 

Joe Drummond led the Falcons with 28 points and 15 rebounds, while Jamell Johnson finished with 19 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

 

Coleman Catholic will face undefeated public school New York Mills of Section 3 on Saturday at 5:30 pm for the Class D state title.  NY Mills advanced to the championship with a 59-55 victory over Chateaugay earlier today. 

 

NY Mills defeated Coleman Catholic, 47-42, to win the Class D state championship.

 

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All-Centercourt & CC MVP - Let the discussion begin

 

In November, 101 teams between Section VI and the Monsignor Martin Athletic Association began preparation for the 2010-2011 season.  Now with just two left standing, I'm sure most people have some idea about who they think deserves some recognotion for postseason honors.

 

Sometime in early April, I will release the All-Centercourt Team (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th team, along with 35 honorable mention selections).  I will also select a Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.

 

One thing that I've noticed from taking a preliminary glance, this season there were a lot of good teams with balance, which makes the players more difficult to separate.  Who's the best player on McKinley? Canisius? Timon? Will South? Bennett? Maple Grove? Newfane? Clarence? Niagara Falls?  Ken West?  I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the point. 

 

I also think there will be quite a bit of discrepancy in how everyone will look to fill out the first and second team.  Once you get to third team and beyond, it'll be all over the place.  There's plenty to debate about where the players will get slotted after this season...and it's going to be a lot of fun.

 

In the comments section below, let us know your thoughts on where you think the players should be placed.  Remember that it's always a better argument if you can say who you would have in a spot, rather than to simply state a player should not be there.

 

I'm looking forward to the discussion, as this is always one of the best topics to close out each season with. 

 

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Far West Regionals: I-Prep at Grover & Jamestown headed to states

 

Class AA - Jamestown 60, Irondequoit 58 OT

 

Jaysean Paige scored 22 points and Darin Butts added 14 points to lead Jamestown to its first trip to Glens Falls for the state final four in school history.  The Red Raiders trailed by a slim margin for much of the second half, but got a pair of big shots in the game's crucial moments.  Tommy Campion sank a 3-pointer late in regulation to give Jamestown its first lead since the start of the third quarter, 49-48.  After a three-point play from the Eagles, Paige connected on a tough fadeaway that tied the game at 51-51 and forced overtime.

 

The Red Raiders jumped out to a six-point lead in the extra session and then held on as Irondequoit was unable to get a good shot off in the last seconds.

 

Jamestown will play defending Class AA state champion Albany CBA at 12:30 pm at the Glens Falls Civic Center on Saturday.

 

Class C - I-Prep 62, East Rochester 50

 

The Presidents are now just two wins away from their first state title.  Four players finished in double figures for I-Prep, led by Chris Holland's 16 points.  Kenny Pringle scored 15 points, Maurice Cheatom finished with 14 points, and Kadeem Hillman dunked his way to 12 points, as the Presidents balance proved to be too much for East Rochester.

 

I-Prep will play Friends Academy of Section 8 at 5 pm on Friday in Glens Falls.

 

Class A - Aquinas 68, East 55

 

The Panthers went toe-to-toe with Aquinas, but came up short despite a valiant effort.  Tremmell Fisher was superb, finishing with a game-high 20 points, while Andre Jackson added 17 points in the loss.  East led at one point in the fourth quarter, and with 2:42 remaining, trailed by just a point before Aquinas finally pulled away.

 

Phil Valenti scored 18 points to lead the Lil Irish, who play defending state champion Jamesville-DeWitt at 9 am on Saturday.

 

Class B - Charlotte 68, Cassadaga Valley 57

 

The Cougars battled throughout and pulled to within one point early in the fourth quarter, but were never able to gain the advantage on the Lakesiders in the second half.  Dustin Schauman led Cassadaga Valley with 19 points, while Robert Glover finished with 14 points.

 

Alexshay Pearse's game-high 20 points helped to advance Charlotte to a state semifinal against Potsdam of Section 10 at 6:45 pm on Friday.

 

Class D - CG Finney 59, Pine Valley 38

 

The Panthers took an early 5-2 lead, but CG Finney closed the first quarter on a 16-0 run and never looked back.  Brandon Bentham scored 16 points to lead Pine Valley.

 

Joe Drummond finished with 22 points to lead private school CG Finney, who faces Coleman Catholic in the public school state semifinal for Class D, on Friday at 11:45 am.

 

I'll be in Glens Falls this weekend to update the progress of all five teams who advanced from the Far West Region.

 

Also, St. Mary's quest for a third straight Class B CHSAA state title and Federation appearance fell short on Saturday, as the Lancers were defeated by Salesian, 83-50.

 

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Regional preview Saturday morning on WECK 1230 AM

I've been invited to participate in a segment of "Officially Yours" with Peter Calieri on WECK 1230 AM.  I'll be calling in from Rochester during the 10:oo am hour.  St. Joe's head coach Mark Simon will be in studio along with Peter, and we'll preview the regionals between Section VI and Section V at Blue Cross Arena, discuss where teams could wind up in the final polls, and look at some players making a late season push for All-WNY honors.

 

If you have a question for me, call the show during the segment 716-783-9325 and ask it on air, or just tune in and listen.

 

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Crossover Wednesday at Blue Cross Arena

 

Section V Class AA1/AA2 crossover - Irondequoit 68, Rush-Henrietta 57

 

Irondequoit weathered an early storm after falling behind 13-0 to start the  game, outscoring the Royal Comets 41-28 in the second half to advance to the regionals against Jamestown this Saturday at Blue Cross Arena.  Josiah Heath scored 24 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, while Nick Doktor finished with 17 points and 11 assists in the win.

 

Mandell Thomas scored 33 points to lead Rush-Henrietta.

 

Section V Class A1/A2 crossover - Aquinas 59, Bishop Kearney 54

 

After falling behind by 14 points in the first quarter, Aquinas outscored the Kings 36-21 in the second and third.  The Lil Irish scored 24 points off of Bishop Kearney turnovers to overcome a disadvantage in the paint.  Neither team shot well from beyond the arc - Aquinas was 5-19, while Bishop Kearney missed all 12 attempts.

 

Alex Baron led Aquinas with 15 points, while Phil Valenti scored 12 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and had five assists. 

 

Sophomore Chinonso Obokoh scored 14 points and ripped 22 boards for the Kings.

 

Section V Class B1/B2 crossover - Charlotte 67, Mynderse 59

 

Alexshay Pearse scored 13 of his team-high 19 points in the second half as Charlotte was able to put a close and entertaining game, that featured 11 ties and 15 lead changes, away in the final minutes.  The Lakesiders finished with four different players in double figures.  Cassadaga Valley will need to effectively break the press when they face this aggressive team.

 

David Lynch scored a game-high 28 points to lead Mynderse.

 

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East beats Williamsville South in an instant classic

 

Who says lightning can't strike twice?  I know the Billies aren't saying it.  Two years ago at Buffalo State, Williamsville South led its Yale Cup opponent McKinley, 63-61.  With just six seconds on the clock, Mansa Habeeb banked in the game-tying shot and two overtimes later, the Billies lost an instant classic.

 

Fast forward two years and you have the Billies leading another Yale Cup opponent, this time East High, at Buffalo State.  With Williamsville South up 61-58 and just eight seconds left on the clock, Tremmell Fisher banked a game-tying 3-pointer in for the Panthers and two overtimes later, the Billies found themselves on the wrong end of another instant classic.

 

Here's how it all unfolded:

 

Phil Stasiak opened the game by draining a 3-pointer and had the first five points of the game.  East finished the quarter on a 6-0 run, including a basket at the buzzer from Andre Jackson. 

End of the 1st quarter - East 17, Williamsville South 11

 

The Billies trailed the entire second quarter and were down by eight points before Joe Licata hit his second 3-pointer of the game with just four seconds left in the half.

Halftime - East 31, Williamsville South 26

 

The third quarter was when things really began heating up.  Licata and Jackson first traded buckets, and then the 3-pointers started flying.  Five straight fell between the two teams in a span of 1:39 - Licata and Jackson again traded, then Stasiak hit a pair between another from Licata.  The three-point barrage sparked a 12-0 run that put South in front 43-36.  Another series of treys was exchanged at the end of the quarter, with one from Licata sandwiched between a pair from Jackson.

End of the 3rd quarter - Williamsville South 46, East 45

 

Midway through the fourth quarter with the game tied 50-50, the Billies went on an 11-2 run and led 61-52 with just 2:37 remaining in regulation.  Jackson scored the next two field goals, followed by two free throws from Fisher with 1:01 on the clock, making it 61-58.  With 18 seconds left, East inbounded and began passing around the perimeter, looking for an open three.  As the seconds ticked down, Fisher got the ball, pulled up over his defender, and banked in a prayer that would send the game to OT.

End of regulation - East 61, Williamsville South 61

 

After scoring the first four points for his team in the extra session, Fisher fouled out.  Despite not having its leader, East was able to take a 69-64 lead on a putback from Jason McDaniel with 59 seconds left in the first OT.  With eight seconds to go, Licata dropped his fifth 3-pointer of the game to pull South within a point.  After East missed from the line, the Billies gave it to Stasiak, who was fouled on a drive to the basket with 1.3 seconds left.  After missing the first, Stasiak connected on the second.

End of the 1st overtime - East 70, Williamsville South 70

 

The Panthers outscored Williamsville South 12-3 during the first three minutes of the second overtime.  They connected on eight of 12 free throws in the fianl session on their way to a 19-point outout over the final four minutes, led by six points from Chris Boyd.

Final Score after double overtime - East 89, Williamsville South 80

 

The game saw a combined 18 3-pointers and 70 free throws attempted.

 

Jackson led East with 24 points, Boyd scored 21, and Fisher finished with 19 points.

 

Stasiak's career ended with a game-high 29 point effort, while Licata scored 25 points.

 

 

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Cassadaga Valley moves on to Far West Regionals

 

Cassadaga Valley head coach Rich Clifford is heading to Rochester...tonight.  After his Cougars continued their improbable march through the postseason on Tuesday night, Clifford will be at Blue Cross Arena this evening to scout his team's next opponent, the winner of the Section V B1/B2 crossover between Charlotte and Mynderse.

 

Cassadaga Valley jumped out to a 17-6 lead after the first quarter and then hung on for dear life, as they gutted out a low scoring victory over Lackawanna, 40-37, to advance to the state quarterfinals this Saturday, at noon at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester.  After moving up from Class C last season, the Cougars were the smallest Class B team in Section VI this year, but stood tall against the Steelers, the second largest team in Class B.

 

Trailing by two with under 20 seconds remaining, Lackawanna had possesion with a chance to tie the game.  After a miss by Dondre Alexander (10 points), the Steelers snagged the rebound.  However, Robert Glover tipped the ball away from Lackawanna, dove to the ground to secure the steal, and then flipped the ball to teammate Dalton Walsh.  With 7.5 seconds on the clock, Glover hit the front end of a one-and-one from the line to extend the Cougar lead to three.  In the final seconds, the Steelers came up short on a 3-pointer and Cassadaga Valley celebrated its win.

 

Junior Dustin Schauman scored 13 points to lead the Cougars, while Simeon Schauman added nine points. 

 

If the Cougars end up facing Mynderse on Saturday, it would be a game between last year's Section VI Class C finalist and last year's Section V Class C champ.  Both teams saw a great season end at the hands of eventual state champion OTC Middle College, who routed Cassadaga Valley by 36, before crushing Mynderse by 46.  Mynderse returns all five starters from last season, while the Cougars won the overall Class B title without much experience from last year's team.

 

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Jamestown finally beats Falls

 

Last season, when Jamestown captured its first Section VI crown  since 1999, some said the Red Raiders were aided by not having to get past Niagara Falls.  After losing in the sectional finals to NFHS six times in the last decade, Jamestown has its first win over the Wolverines in school history and it came on WNY's biggest stage.

 

Jaysean Paige struggled to finish around the basket for most of the first three quarters against Falls, but proved to be the best player on the court in crunch time, leading the Red Raiders to a 56-48 win in the Section VI Class AA final over Niagara Falls.  Paige scored the last three points of the third quarter and 10 of his game-high 24 points in the fourth.

 

Trailing by two as the teams entered the final frame, NFHS opened with an 8-0 run to take a 40-34 lead with five minutes left in the game.  Joey Campion then hit the first of three consecutive 3-pointers for Jamestown, with the other two coming from Paige.  Each trey by the Red Raiders was answered with a basket by Falls, and with just 2:48 left on the clock, Falls led 46-43.

 

In the game's final minutes, senior Darin Butts scored six of his 10 points to lead a 13-2 run  that would put the Wolverines away and give Jamestown a second consecutive Class AA title.  Campion knocked down three of four free throws in the last 22 seconds to finish with 11 points.

 

Jordan Street led Falls with 14 points, while Taijay Williams added 13 points.

 

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Billies and Panthers repeat to set up rematch

 

Just as they've been favored to do all season, Williamsville South and East each won Section VI titles on Saturday.  The next step for the two teams will be squaring off on Tuesday night at 7:45 pm at Buffalo State in a rematch of a highly anticipated crossover from last season that was won handily by the Billies.

 

The Panthers swept the Yale Cup series with Riverside, then proved to be too much for the Frontiers again in the postseason with a 58-45 win in the Class A2 final on Saturday.  Tremmell Fisher scored 19 points to lead East, which held a double-digit advantage throughout most of the second half.  Riverside cut the deficit to six points at the 5:02 mark of the fourth quarter, only to see the Panthers score the next five points.

 

Andre Jackson finished with 12 points for East, while Lamont Little led the Frontiers with 11 points.

 

Williamsville South's 56-49 win in the Class A1 final over Bennett included records falling, milestones reached, and more fourth quarter drama.  Joe Licata finally broke the New York state record for career 3-pointers when he connected from long distance in the first quarter.  The win gave the Billies their first ever 20-win season in school history and back-to-back sectional titles for the first time, the third overall for South.  It was also the 350th career win for head coach Al Monaco.

 

South led by as many as 14 in the first half and took a 12-point lead into the break.  In the third quarter, Bennett came to life and battled back to within three, before heading into the final quarter trailing 44-39.  The Tigers scored eight unanswered to open the fourth and held a 47-44 lead with under five minutes to play. 

 

However, much like the Billies semifinal win against Hutch-Tech, the most critical moments of the game were owned by a veteran South squad.  The defending overall Class A champs outscored Bennett 12-2 over the final five minutes, getting scoring nfrom five different players during decisive run.

 

Phil Stasiak finished with a game-high 19 points, while Licata and Erik Hansen each scored 12 points.  Forest Richardson led the Tigers with 13 points.

 

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The LA is back

 

The Lackawanna Steelers are Section VI champs for the first time since winning a state title in 2006.  Even with all the success head coach Tim Foley has enjoyed during his tenure with the team, this most recent accomplishment may be his finest at the helm in Lackawanna.

 

After a regular season that had its ups and downs, the Steelers have come together as a team and the results have been nearly astounding.  After an ultra impressive showing against previously unbeaten  Dunkirk, the Steelers were even more commanding in the Class B1 final with a 58-35 win over Newfane.

 

In his fifth and final varsity season at Lackawanna, Dondre Alexander led the Steelers in their championship victory with 23 points.  Lackawanna never trailed in the game and dispalyed an extremely high level of intensity for all 32 minutes.  Leading 40-30 with 5:14 remaining in the game, the Steelers went on a 14-3 run to completely dash any hopes the Panthers may have had.

 

Lackawanna did a superb job defending Newfane senior Dan Hambruch, who was coming off a 25 point effort, limiting him to just four points.  The Steelers kept Newfane away from the basket and the Panthers were unable to knock down shots from the perimeter.  Lackawanna will now face Cassadaga Valley on Tuesday night in the Class B1/B2 crossover at 6:00 pm at Buffalo State for the right to advance to the Far West Regionals.

 

Rohn Pierce led Newfane in the loss, finishing with 22 points.

 

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Cassadaga Valley wins first ever sectional title

 

When the Section VI boys basketball program goes to printing next year, there will be a new name added to the list of schools that have won sectional titles.  Cassadaga Valley trailed for the first nine minutes of the game, but then used a 15-2 run early in the second quarter to go up by nine points, a lead they would never relinquish for the rest of the game.  The Cougars defeated Wilson, 51-47, to give head coach Rich Clifford and his team their first Section VI championship in school history.

 

Dustin Schauman scored 16 points for the winners, while his uncle - senior Simeon Schauman, scored seven points and turned in a terrific defensive performance to lead Cassadaga Valley.  The Cougars led 25-23 at halftime and opened the third quarter with nine straight points take their largest lead at 34-23.   The Lakemen had pulled back to within three, before the Cougars scored the last six points of the quarter to lead 42-33 heading into the fourth.

 

Wilson twice battled to within three points in the fourth quarter, but each time Cassadaga Valley was able to break the Wilson press and score in transition.  The Cougars next face Lackawanna in the Class B1/B2 crossover game on Tuesday night at 6:00 pm at Buffalo State.

 

Junior Pat Diez started and led the Lakemen with 12 points, while Brennan Moxham finished with 11 points.

 

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Pine Valley & I-Prep earn sectional titles

 

Class D Championship - Pine Valley 57, Clymer 53

 

The Panthers got 21 points from Jason Howard, including five 3-pointers and a traditional three-point play, en route to a seventh sectional title since 2000.  Pine Valley never trailed Clymer for the first three quarters and led by as many as 13 points.  In the final stanza, the Pirates twice took a one-point lead, the second time with under three minutes to play.  But Howards three-point play put the Panthers back in front for good as they were able to connect on eight of nine from the charity stripe in the last two minutes to advance to the Far West Regionals in Rochester on Saturday.

 

Brendan Bentham and Ed Barnes each scored 10 points for Pine Valley.  Junior Adam Walker led Clymer with 20 points, while sophomore Dan Lictus added 11 points. 

 

Class C Championship - I-Prep at Grover 65, Tapestry Charter 53

 

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Random Smatterings - Semifinal Edition

 

Is Niagara Falls big man Jordan Street a contestant on American Idol this season?

 

On Tuesday night, blogger McShea is God suggested we order a pizza, so I pointed out the Mister Pizza advertisement on the front of the scorer's table.  Forty-five minutes later, Keith McShea, his devotee MIG, and myself were enjoying a freshly delivered pizza in the front row.

 

Cleveland Hill's name was abbreviated on the Buffalo State scoreboard as CHILL. 

 

The winner of Saturday's Class B2 title game between Wilson and Cassadaga Valley will earn its first ever sectional title.

 

The Class B1 semifinal between Newfane and Tonawanda was the only semifinal game between two schools who were league champs.

 

During the Class A2 semifinal between Riverside and Cheektowaga, blogger Hollywood was on press row.

 

McKinley head coach Zaire Dorsey requested this one.  His Macks arrived at Buffalo State at 4:30 pm on Thursday, but were not allowed into the locker room until 5:15 pm, something which he was none to pleased about.  My take - If that's a Section VI policy, so be it.  But teams should be informed ahead of time not to arrive before 5:15 pm, or they will have to stand waiting out in the hall.

 

Major props to the defensive efforts from both Newfane and Lackawanna this week.  The Panthers held Tonawanda scoring machine Jesse Lalka under ten points, while the Steelers did the same to Dunkirk's Vincent Bomasuto.

 

During the final minute of Lackawanna's win over previously unbeaten Dunkirk, one of the Steelers said to his teammate "undefeated what?...garbage schedule".

 

Clymer and Pine Valley will play for the Section VI Class D title tonight.  Prior to Maple Grove winning two staight in Class D, Pine Valley had won four of five, with Clymer winning the other year.

 

Tapestry Charter outscored Maple Grove, 26-10, in the fourth quarter of its 61-53 victory at JCC, to squash the Red Dragons hopes of winning a fifth consecutive Section VI title, or of making a fourth consecutive trip to Glens Falls. 

 

Cassadaga Valley senior guard Simeon Schauman is the uncle of the Cougars' leading scorer, junior forward Dustin Schauman.

 

This week at Buffalo State, I was greeted by someone who said "Hey, I didn't see you at any games this year".

 

Remember that great game between Lockport and Grand Island this year? There's a picture from it on the cover of the Section VI Boy's Basketball Championships program.

 

Nichols head coach Greg Plumb announced he will not return to the Vikings next season.  Should he decide to further his education, Plumb is already equipped with a backpack.

 

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Falls and Jamestown will headline Saturday

 

Ever since the Wolverines downed Jamestown in the Cataract Classic back in December, high school basketball fans in WNY have been looking forward to a potential rematch between the large school powers.  Fans will get their wish on Saturday night in the Buffalo State College Sports Arena, when the teams face off at 8:15 pm for the Section VI Class AA title.  Niagara Falls has been the top ranked school in WNY since the first polls were published by the Buffalo News, while Jamestown has occupied the number two spot behind Falls all season.

 

NFHS advanced to the final with a 49-43 victory over McKinley.  Marcus Feagin scored 24 points to lead the way for the Wolverines, who reached the final for the tenth time in 11 years, despite shooting just 10 for 34 from the free throw line against the Macks.  Falls has won eight sectional titles since 2001.

 

The defending Class AA champs, Jamestown, got 42 points and 13 rebounds from POY candidate Jaysean Paige in a 68-53 victory against Lancaster.  Paige dropped four 3-pointers on the Redskins in the game's first four minutes, and also converted a pair of three-point plays in the early going of the fourth quarter to help fend off Lancaster.  It will be the fourth time since 2006 that the Red Raiders have reached the Class AA final.  Jamestown won its first title since 1999 last year when it defeated Clarence.

 

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Billies will face Bennett in Class A1 final

 

Williamsville South hasn't been dominant as of late, but they have been winning...something that's become an expectation for the Billies.  The team has been ranked in the top four large schools the entire season and has won 16 straight games since suffering its only loss of the season - a three-point decision at second ranked large school Jamestown.  After recording 16 wins two seasons ago, South won 19 games last year as they advanced to the Far West Regionals after winning the overall Class A title in Section VI. 

 

The Billies' season has been highlighted with wins against Manhattan Cup champion Canisius and district rival Williamsville North to claim their first ever championship in the Williamsville Holiday Tournament.  South also boasts a season sweep over Williamsville East and defeated Timon-St. Jude.  After a relatively close call in the quarterfinals with Iroquois, the Billies overcame a 10-point fourth quarter deficit against Hutch-Tech, by outscoring the Engineers 24-7 in the final stanza.  The Billies now face a Bennett squad which they beat earlier this season, 87-69, for a chance to repeat as Section VI champs.  If South is able to repeat, they would register a school-record 20th win and give head coach Al Monaco his 350th career victory in the process.

 

The Bennett Tigers have other ideas for Saturday night's final.  The talented Yale Cup team offers a little bit of everything.  They have size, depth, shooters, and solid play at the point from William Vanoy.  After facing some lineup issues during the regular season, the Tigers are at full strength and playing their best basketball of the season.  Bennett owns a series sweep against Class AA semifinalist McKinley, and also beat both Class A1 semifinalist Hutch-Tech and Class A2 finalist Riverside.  The sectional run for the Tigers included wins against West Seneca East and Kenmore East.

 

The Class A1 final will tip at 6:30 pm Saturday night, with the winner facing the Class A2 winner in a crossover battle on Tuesday evening for the right to move on to Rochester.

 

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Canisius wins 2011 Manhattan Cup

 

2011 Manhattan Cup Championship - Canisius 57, St. Joe's 53

 

When Canisius headed into the locker room down 14 points to the Marauders at halftime of the Manhattan Cup Championship on Wednesday night, the team's body language said it all.  They didn't look like a team that was shell shocked, frustrated, or in any way defeated.  Instead the Crusaders jogged to the locker room with the look of a team that believed in each other and believed that they could come roaring back and win the Cup.  And that's exactly what they did.

 

Led by a 13 point, 22 rebound performance by tournament MVP Gordon Lyons, the Crusaders stole the momentum from their rivals in the second half with an outstanding display of heart, determination, and team basketball.  The Crusaders trailed by as many as 17 points in the game, but never put their heads down, and seemed to try even harder as the deficit grew.

 

Early in the third quarter with St. Joe's leading 37-23, Aaron Nevins got the Canisius run started.  After scoring a basket, Nevins drew a charge on Marauder leader Connor Rehbaum, which got the Crusader bench up on their  feet.  A score from Lyons followed the charge, and after a defensive stop, junior Matt Hart began to heat up.  Hart would score the next nine points for Canisius, including a 3-pointer so deep, it was announced "from the parking lot".  Having cut the lead all the way down to six points, sophomore guard Aaron White buried a 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter.  With just eight minutes left in the Monsignor Martin high school basketball season, the sold out Koessler Center was rocking.

 

Rehbaum opened the scoring in the fourth for St. Joe's, before Richard Walsh sank a trey to bring the Crusaders within two points.  The Marauders were able to extend the lead back up to six, when White struck again from downtown to make it 48-45 with 4:50 remaining.  A shot from Walsh and a free throw from White pulled Canisius within one point.  Then with just 2:28 remaining in the game, White zipped a beautiful pass inside to Lyons, who gave the Crusaders the lead, their first all game. 

 

In the final two minutes, Canisius made three plays that were critical to sealing the win.  First, there was Nevins with a highlight reel block of a layup attempt from Steve Moser to prevent St. Joe's from reclaiming the lead.  Next was Walsh grabbing an offensive rebound with just 34 seconds remaining, and Canisius up by one. Finally, there was Adam Weir, who rebounded a free throw miss and got the ball to Nevins who connected on a pair from the stripe with 14 seconds left, to put the decisive distance between the teams. 

 

Hart scored a game-high 14 points for the Crusaders, while Rehbaum's career ended with a team-leading 12 point effort.  Canisius will play St. Mary's of Long Island in the CHSAA state semifinal, Saturday at noon, in the Koessler Center.

 

It was a tough way for St. Joe's to end its season.  After nearly running the table in league play, the Marauders lose at home to Canisius, forcing them to share the MMAA title.  Then an emotional senior night ends with a huge victory over Niagara Falls.  Riding high on the momentum of the regular season finale, St. Joe's handles Timon-St. Jude without Reggie Agbeko and then come flying out of the gate in the title game.  But Agbeko's injury limits his production, Rehbaum has to play with a busted nose for three quarters, and the Marauders hopes of finishing on top are dashed as Canisius pulls together for an incredible finish.

 

All season long in the Monsignor Martin, there's been Canisius & St. Joe's and then everyone else.  A fitting end with the two meeting one last time, along with a well earned and most deserving championship for Canisius.

 

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Buff State Tuesday: Wilson, East, & Riverside reach finals

 

Class B2 Semifinal - Wilson 47, Cleveland Hill 43

 

Wilson got a pair of big 3-pointers from a pair of big players in the final 1:20 of its semifinal victory against Cleveland Hill, advancing to the Class B2 championship against Cassadaga Valley this Saturday at 12 pm.  Brennan Moxham and Tyler Martin did most of the ball handling and scoring all game for the Lakemen, and it was the two skilled guards who made the biggest shots at the game's most crucial moments.

 

Moxham scored a game-high 22 points and Martin finished with 15 points, combining for all but ten of the Lakemen's total points for the game.  The two worked all game to produce enough offense to keep the game close, while a team defensive effort from the Lakemen never allowed the Golden Eagles to extend their lead beyond six points.

 

After falling behind by nine points early on and trailing by five points after one, the Lakemen opened the second  quarter with a 7-0 run to take a 15-13 lead.  It would be the only lead for Wilson until much later in the game.  Cleveland Hill quickly evened things up and the teams entered the intermission locked at 25 apiece.

 

The Golden Eagles scored the first six points of the second half, before Jordan Thilk got Wilson back on the board by converting a three-point play.  Thilk's basket was the only field goal in the game for the Lakemen that wasn't scored by Moxham or Martin.  Cleveland Hill stretched its lead  back to five points before the end of the third.

 

Wilson responded with a 6-0 run to open the final stanza to take its first lead of the half, 36-35.  Daryl Spencer came right back for Cleveland Hill and connected from downtown to put his team back up by two.  After the Lakemen knotted things back up with a pair of free throws, Julian Glover canned another 3-pointer for the Golden Eagles with 2:48 remaining to give them a 41-38 lead.

 

After both teams came up empty on ensuing possesions, a '3' from Moxham tied the game at the 1:20 mark.  Without hesitation, Jeru Molson of Cleveland Hill came right back at Wilson 13 seconds later and hit a tough hanging jumper to break the tie.  As the game went under one minute, Martin found himself with enough space to get a shot off, and buried a 3-pointer with 51 seconds to go, giving Wilson a 44-43 lead.  Cleveland Hill was unable to answer in the final moments, and a big rebound from Moxham along with heady defensive plays from Martin and Patrick Diez sealed the win for the Lakemen.

 

Spencer led Cleveland Hill with 13 points.

 

Class A2 Semifinal - East 66, Olean 56

 

East played one of its best games of the season and still had its hands full with the Olean Huskies, who get their mail delivered to Buffalo State in early March.  The Panthers had five players finish in double figures, led by Jasen Oden's 18 points.

 

The Panthers, who typically come roaring out of the gate and produce fast points with a trapping pressure defense, were unable to rattle the inexperience from Olean.  Despite starting three freshmen and one sophomore, the Huskies handled the big stage and battle tested Panthers, like a seasoned veteran squad. 

 

East had its largest lead of the first half at 10-3 late in the first quarter, but Nick Schmidt stuck a '3' at the buzzer, making it 10-6 after eight minutes.  The Huskies continued to be smart with the ball and hung around in the second quarter, before back-to-back 3-pointers from Luke Hennessy and Alex Curtin gave the Huskies their first lead at 23-22.

 

After heading to the break down by four, Olean scored the first five points of the second half and led 31-30 early in the third.  But after a 7-0 run from East which included five points from Domonique House, the Panthers began to take control of things.  East built on a six point lead after three, with a 10-2 run to open the final quarter and put the game way.  Oden scored eight of his points in the fourth quarter that saw East up by as many as 15 points.

 

Olean got 12 points from 6-6 freshman Sam Eckstrom in the loss.

 

 

Class A2 Semifinal - Riverside 58, Cheektowaga 42

 

Justice Feggans scored eight of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and Willie Jefferson scored nine of his 11 points in the second half, to lead Riverside to the Class A2 final.  They will face East on Saturday at 3:30 pm, a team that owns two regular season wins over them in Yale Cup play.

 

The Frontiers trailed the Warriors by one at the end of the first quarter, but a 17-9 second quarter put them up 28-21 at halftime.  Riverside began the second half with an 11-2 run to extend its lead to 39-23.  Cheektowaga could only get back to within ten points before Feggans and Jefferson took over late in the game to squash any hopes the Warriors had of getting back into the game.

 

Brandon Nance scored 16 points for the Warriors in his final game with Cheektowaga.

 

 

Let us know what you thought about the games in the comments section below.

 

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Buff State Monday: Cass Valley, Lackawanna, & Newfane advance

 

Class B2 semifinal - Cassadaga Valley 57, CSAT 49

 

The Cougars had four players finish with double figure scoring, led by Dustin Schauman's 15 points.  A basket by Schauman with two minutes remaining in the first quarter gave his team a 12-10 lead, and Cassagaga Valley would never trail the rest of the way.  The win sets up a meeting with the winner of tonight's contest between Wilson and Cleveland Hill, to determine the champion of Class B2 in Section VI.

 

CSAT was able to tie the game once in the second quarter and trailed 31-28 at halftime.  The Cougars' Dalton Walsh connected on a 3-pointer as the third quarter closed out to give his team its largest lead, 46-36.  CSAT attempted to mount a comeback in the final quarter and got to within four points.  However, on the ensuing possesion, Robert Glover converted a traditional three-point play, before getting back to the line to sink a pair, putting the game away for Cassadaga Valley.

 

Class B1 semifinal - Lackawanna 48, Dunkirk 39

 

The most anticipated game of the evening pitted undefeated Dunkirk against a Lackawanna team that entered the game with a 12-7 record.  The Steelers, who won a Class B state title in 2006,  have made a second home out of Buffalo State with several years of consecutive appearances.  The Marauders were the complete opposite, coming from relative obscurity in high school basketball circles.  However, coming into the game, Dunkirk had won its previous six games by an average margin of 45 points. 

 

The bright lights at Buffalo State quickly blinded the Marauders, who found themselves down 7-0 to Lackawanna.  Dunkirk finally got onto the scoreboard at the 4:20 mark of the first quarter, but less than two minutes later, leading scorer Vincent Bomasuto went to the bench with his third personal foul.  With their leader on the bench, the Marauders were able to battle back, and took a 14-13 lead in the second quarter on a basket from junior Kevin Holmes.  But as the Dunkirk fans rejoiced that their team was finally in front, Lackawanna's Christian Cheatom came right back down and answered with a score, and Dunkirk would trail the rest of the game.

 

Despite sitting Bomasuto until the final minute of the first half, Dunkirk only trailed 21-18 at halftime.  But even when he was in, the Steelers smothered him and made him work just to touch the ball.  After a 47 point performance in the quarterfinals on Friday night, Bomasuto didn't even score his first basket until 49 seconds remained in the third quarter, closing the gap to 31-30.  Once again, it was Cheatom who responded with a three-point play followed by another basket to put the Steelers up 36-30 as the teams headed into the fourth.

 

After Cheatom opened the scoring in the final quarter, Bomasuto got the Marauder fans going again when he pulled up and canned a 3-pointer to make the score 38-33.   But after milking 34 seconds off the clock, Lackawanna senior Dondre Alexander calmly stepped back, elevated, and drilled a '3' of his own as the shot clock buzzer rang.  A minute later, a wild series under the basket ended with a basket by Cheatom, and the Steelers had built their largest lead of the game, 44-33, with just over four minutes to play. 

 

Even as the game was on the line in the final minutes, it was the seasoned Steelers who played harder, played smarter, and seemed to want it more.  I'm sure it helped that the team was no stranger to fierce competition, while the opposite was true for Dunkirk. 

 

Dunkirk head coach Jerome Moss was quoted after the game by the Buffalo News, saying "That hasn't happened all year and it was strange for it to happen now", referring to his team's inability to score more.  Maybe I can help explain this strange occurence.  The Steelers nonleague schedule consisted of Orchard Park (AA), Frontier (AA), St. Joe's (MMAA - Class A), St. Francis (MMAA - Class A), Lafayette (A2), and Batavia (A2).  Dunkirk used its six nonleague opportunities to schedule six Class C teams: two games with Oracle Charter, two against Maritime Charter, Frewsburg, and Westfield.  One fan remarked after the game, "they scheduled to go undefeated, not to win the section".  Lackawanna was just 2-4 in nonleague games, while Dunkirk rolled in all six by an average margin of 33 points.  My question for Dunkirk, how'd that scheduling work for you?

 

Cheatom finished with a game-high 19 points, while Alexander scored 15 points.  Holmes led Dunkirk as the only Marauder in double figures with 15 points.

 

Class B1 semifinal - Newfane 63, Tonawanda 38

 

Dan Hambruch scored 13 of his game-high 25 points in the first quarter to help his Panthers race out to a 17-6 lead.  Hambruch opened the game with a 3-pointer, one of three in the first, and five total for the game.  Newfane led the entire game, and stretched its lead to 31-18 at halftime, thanks to nine second quarter points from Rohn Pierce.

 

The Panthers put together a pair of 8-0 runs in the third quarter to extend their lead to 45-25 after three quarters.  Hambruch opened the final quarter with a basket and a soaring rejection of a Warrior fast break, that set him up for his fifth 3-pointer of the game.  The score reached 56-29 midway through the fourth quarter, when the Panther reserves began entering the game.  Newfane's student section, "The Blue Zone" chanted "we want Colin", referring to beloved senior Colin Ferington.  They got their wish, and Ferington put the ball in the basket upon entering the game.

 

It was a very strong showing for Newfane.  They defended Tonawanda extremely well, particularly Warrior big guns Jesse Lalka and Clayton Hess.  Lalka, the team's leading scorer was held to just seven points.  Hess led Tonawanda with 15 points.  Pierce finished with 16 points in the win.

 

Lackawanna will now face Newfane for the Class B1 championship on Saturday, 1:45 pm, at Buffalo State. 

 

Let us know what you thought in the comments section below.

 

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