I was recently asked by someone who doesn't really follow the local hoops scene, about who the area'a top teams were. I replied by telling him the usual suspects were all crowding the top five, with Williamsville North as a team improving its identity as locally elite. He asked if I thought they'd beat Niagara Falls, and I said that in my opinion, the only team in Section VI that could beat Falls is Falls - that when they play to their potential, they are a cut above the rest. Tuesday night at the Wolv-Arena, without even playing to its full potential, the separation between top ranked Falls and seventh ranked large school Kenmore West was very apparent.
Niagara Falls got a game-high 24 points and 14 rebounds from Canisius College bound senior forward Jermaine Crumpton, and cruised past Kenmore West, 82-56, improving to 5-0 in Niagara Frontier League play. The Wolverines are currently ranked 5th in NYS Class AA, with Section V's Fairport as the only public school ranked ahead of Falls in the state at number three.
Playing without the services of three-year starting point guard JJ Wilkes, who continues to miss time with a sprained MCL, Niagara Falls relied heavily on Crumpton in the early going. He responded by scoring 14 of his points in the opening quarter, including hitting three of four attempts from beyond the arc, to give the Wolverines a 20-10 advantage after one quarter.
Crumpton added five more points in the second quarter, along with key blocks, steals, rebounds, and a full court outlet pass that assisted a Steffon Caffee bucket as the halftime buzzer sounded. Falls was in front, 38-30, at the break.
The Wolverines broke the game wide open in the third quarter with an 18-4 run. Fellow Falls' big man, Tikere Ralands, scored eight of his 14 points in the quarter, all coming in less than a two minute span on the game clock.
Ramir Burton scored 15 points and dished 10 assists for the Wolverines, while Vinzell Watkins added 14 points.
Shay Cuadra had a team-high 21 points for Kenmore West. Quinton Campbell struggled inside against the Wolverines pair of big men, Crumpton & Ralands, and also spent most of the game in foul trouble, finishing with just three field goals and eight points.
-centercourt
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