(Jamestown celebrates its return to another Class AA Final / Photo by Harry Scull)
Jamestown 45, Williamsville North 44
After battling the flu bug all day at school, James Rojas found the strength to deliver in the clutch, sinking the game-winning free throws to send the Red Raiders back to Class AA Final for a seventh consecutive season, where they will face Niagara Falls on Saturday night at 8:45 pm. Rojas finished with a team-high 15 points and gave the Spartans trouble in the paint throughout.
"I can't say enough about the toughness he showed today," Jamestown coach Ben Drake said. "I was worried he wouldn't even be able to play today - our prayers were answered."
Jamestown got out to an eight-point lead after one quarter after looking inside to Rojas early and often. The Red Raiders led by as many as 13 points in the first half and took a 25-14 lead into halftime. North closed to within five in the third quarter during an 8-0 run, when Noah Johnson and Luke Kindberg went back-to-back from long range for Jamestown to restore its double figure lead.
The Spartans refused to fold and battled back again in the fourth with an 11-2 burst to pull within three points. Once again, Johnson connected from beyond the arc for the Red Raiders in response, to push the lead back to six points, 43-37, with just over two minutes remaining.
"He was awesome tonight," said Drake. "He not only knocked down those open shots, but he's been a really good defender for us."
Over the final two minutes, Williamsville North made one last stand and willed its way to seven unanswered points to take its first lead of the game, 44-43, when Connor Kelly scored inside off a missed 3-pointer.
But Jamestown had one last possession and looked to Rojas, who drew a foul with just four seconds left in the game, where he sank both tosses for the victory.
Point Totals
Jamestown: James Rojas 15, Noah Johnson 11, Zacc Kinsey 7, Luke Kindberg 6, Tyler Hind 3, Matt Hill 3
North: Maceo Jack 18, Sean Hill 6, Nick Maranto 6, Jairus Huggins 5, Corey Swiech 5, Connor Kelly 4
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Niagara Falls 55, Lancaster 36
In a battle of the two largest schools in WNY, the Wolverines never trailed and grabbed a double-digit lead by the end of the opening quarter, to advance back to the Class AA Final for the sixth time in seven seasons under head coach Sal Constantino.
"We've had good players," Constantino said.
Sophomore big man Syquan Ralands scored in every quarter and owned the paint for Falls, finishing with a game-high 19 points.
"He gave us a really good game he did a really nice job keeping his head and really playing hard scoring around the basket," said Constantino.
Breon Harris added 17 points, hitting three 3-pointers in the first half and coming through with clutch free throw shooting in the fourth quarter, after Falls had struggled mightily from the stripe through the first three quarters.
"I told them, if we shoot like that on Saturday, I don't care who we're playing, we're not going to come out with a win," Constantino said. "With young kids you don't want to harp on it because then it becomes a mental thing. I just want them to go out there and relax."
The Wolverines allowed just eight points in each of the first three quarters, held Lancaster without a field goal for a nine minute stretch, and limited them to just two field goals in the third quarter.
"We know what our strength is, we come out and we guard," said Constantino.
Point Totals
Niagara Falls: Syquan Ralands 19, Breon Harris 17, Qeyion Williams 10, Tyler Sanders 4, Charles Lamar 2, Jhamir Isom 2, Devin Sanders 1
Lancaster: Alex Damiani 16, Vito Fulciniti 6, Joe Powers 5, Alex Konst 4, Dan Speyer 3, Sean Gill 2
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Williamsville South 68, Hamburg 49
Greg Dolan set the mark for Championship Week at Buff State, scoring a game-high 31 points, dishing eight assists, and hauling in eight rebounds, to lead the defending Class A1 champion Billies back to the Class A1 Final for a third consecutive season.
Dolan was just three points into that performance when he earned a trip to the free throw line for two shots in front of the large Hamburg student section. The Bulldog fans clapped and chanted 'overrated' as the sophomore prepared to shoot. He sank both tosses and then proceeded to take over the game for the next three and one half quarters.
"When they started that chant, my assistant coach Chris Badillo looked at me and said we were going to have a lot of thank you notes to write," said South coach Gabe Michael.
Hamburg had taken a 6-1 lead to start the game and looked more than game for a third battle with South this season, after dropping a pair to its ECIC II counter part during the regular season. Myles Hall had just given South a 13-10 lead after connecting from beyond the arc, when the chip on Dolan's shoulder grew large enough for every fan in the Buffalo State Sports Arena to see.
“He’s unbelievable. He’s most comfortable on the basketball court,” South coach Gabe Michael said. “Nothing bothers him and mistakes don’t matter. He just knows we’re on to the next play, and you preach that to so many kids and they never do it. Greg just innately has it.”
It was one of those postseason performances that will be remembered for years and had fans throughout the building buzzing. Hamburg showing was beyond respectable, as the Bulldogs made South earn everything throughout the contest. With just 4:17 left in the game, the Bulldogs pulled to within seven points, before Dolan rattled off another nine points as part of a 16-4 push to close out the game.
Point Totals
South: Greg Dolan 31, Graham Dolan 12, Myles Hall 10, Ryan Philipps 6, Matt Foster 4, Jordan Buell 3, Cody Sanford 1, Adam Braniecki 1
Hamburg: Brendan Ryan 14, Ryan Dils 10, Sean Delellis 8, Jacob Genzel 6, Patrick Hart 4, Jeffery Salerno 3, Mark Henry 2, Dan Henry 2
-centercourt
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