It was a banner night for the Finger Lakes East boys varsity basketball league on Wednesday night as the 2016 league champion Newark Reds, and the third place Pal-Mac Red Raiders both claimed victory in their respective Class B1 semifinal match-ups to set up an all-FL East championship game at the Blue Cross Arena on Sunday.Check out all the details, media, and results from across Section V on the final night of sectional semifinal play below…
NEWARK REDS TOO MUCH FOR HORNELL ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Coach Bob Havarilla’s Newark Reds (16-6) are headed to the Blue Cross Arena and the Section V Class B1 title game after their 60-45 victory over the #3 seed Hornell Red Raiders in the B1 semifinal game played at Penn Yan Academy on Wednesday night.
Newark junior guard Brian Sharp got the Reds going early with seven first quarter points giving his team an 11-8 first quarter lead. It was a team effort offensively for Newark in the second quarter with 6 players scoring in the period to lift the Reds to a 29-21 lead at the break. The second half was more Newark as senior point guard Jose Santell scored 11 of his team high 18 points in the second half and sophomore big man Taylor Clements made five-of-six free throws in the fourth quarter to secure a 15 point win.
More than the offense, it was the stingy Newark defense that held Hornell to just 45 points on the night as Hornell’s Sam Dagon scored 21 points but held all other Red Raiders players to single digit totals.Newark sophomore Ben Cowles seemed to be involved in every rebound and loose ball finishing with 7 points and 10 rebounds. Clements finished with 15 points, Sharp totalled 11, and Nate Beard scored 5.
Newark’s Jose Santell sat in with Jim Sinicropi and Kevin Korzeniewski on the Dr. Rod Littlejohn Smiles with Style Postgame Show on FL1 Radio following the Reds victory over Hornell…
Listen to the entire call from the Newark-Hornell Class B1 girls-boys doubleheader on FL1 Radio here.Check out our live stream of the full video replay of the Newark-Hornell game Thursday morning at 11:00 am on FingerLakes1.TV.Brendan Harrington filed this report from Victor after Pal-Mac’s semifinal win…
PAL-MAC UPSETS TOP SEED LIVONIA IN SECTION V CLASS B1 SEMIS
The Pal-Mac Red Raiders are headed back to the Blue Cross Arena for the first time in four seasons after upsetting top-seeded Livonia, 57-54, in the Section V Class B1 semifinals Wednesday night at Victor High School. The Red Raiders fell behind early, 11-2, but used a dominant transition game and five three-pointers from senior guard Holdon Knorr to control the game the rest of the way. Pal-Mac (14-7) had to hold on for dear life in the fourth quarter, however, as the Red Raiders led by nine with less than a minute to play but missed four free throws in the final 38 seconds. Livonia (18-3) had two chances to tie the game with a three-pointer in the final 10 seconds but couldn’t connect on either shot.
“This is really special for this group,” Pal-Mac head coach Dan Harris said following the win. “They’ve put a lot of work in. We played a tougher schedule this year and we went to two team camps this summer. The goal has been to get to the Blue Cross Arena…and now that we’re going we might as well go there and win.” Knorr led all scorers with 17 points while junior guard Damien Wright added 15. Senior forward Jayden Colf, not usually known for his scoring, netted all 10 of his points during a key stretch in the second half.”He [Colf] is a senior, he sees what’s in front of him, and the opportunity that is in front of him,” said Harris. “We’ve been all about team this year…sometimes it’s sacrificing and sometimes it’s putting yourself out there… and tonight he put himself out there.”Livonia was playing without its leading scorer, Ricky Allen, who missed the game because of an ankle injury.
The Bulldogs made it a game mainly because of their perimeter shooting, nailing 12 3-pointers including three in the game’s first three minutes. The Bulldogs didn’t get their first two-point field goal until midway through the second half.Christian Dulaney and Maddux Minton each finished with 14 points while C.J. Richardson added 11. Pal-Mac’s leading scorer, Brandon Hawkins, was held to just four points but had a number of key assists in transition and did a great job using his quickness to get into the gaps of Livonia’s 2-3 zone.
“I think our transition basketball was a key for us tonight, the way we get up and down the court,” said Harris. “We’re not huge, we’re not real tall up front, but one of our things is athleticism and quickness, and we got to the spots we needed to get to tonight.”The Raiders had two chances to put the game away in the final 15.5 seconds at the free throw line, but both Knorr and Hawkins missed the front end of a one-and-one with their team up by three points. After Jon Mohnkern’s desperation heave at the buzzer rattled off the backboard, the Red Raiders’ bench rushed the floor and the celebration was on.
Pal-Mac will face Finger Lakes East rival Newark in the Section V Class B1 title game on Sunday at 7:00 PM at the Blue Cross Arena.
The Reds rolled past Hornell on Wednesday night in Penn Yan, 60-45. The two teams split their two regular season meetings with both teams winning on their home floors. “We know Newark well,” said Harris looking ahead to the matchup at BCA. “I think for our region it’s great to have two Finger Lakes teams there. I think it’s awesome.”
Brendan Harrington of FL1 Sports talks to Pal-Mac Head Coach Dan Harris following the Red Raiders’ win over Livonia in Victor, NY on Wednesday night…
Also on Wednesday night, a great final four in Class AA played out at the Blue Cross Arena…(4) Bishop Kearney 44 (1) Fairport 46 BK (16-6) – Quinton Rose 13; Nahziah Carter 9, 9 reb, 3 stl; Devin Green 5, 11 rebFPT (18-3) – Dan Masino 16 (3-3pt; made 2 FTs with :12 left in 4th Q to clinch win), 9 reb; Matthew Keenan 11, 3 ast; * Fairport trailed by 12 with 1:57 left in 3Q and outscored BK 18-8 in 4Q
The final play – @fairport_high 46, @Bishopkearney 44 pic.twitter.com/zmFsBUxeUI
— James A. Johnson (@jjDandC) February 25, 2016
(3) Aquinas 63 (2) East 48 AQ (20-3) – Jason Hawkes 22, 11 reb; Earnest Edwards 17 (3-3pt), 3 stl; Jamir Jones 4, 10 rebEH (18-3) – Windell Lucas 16, 7 reb; Javar Collier 9, 4 reb
#Aquinas finding the marks on offense, leads @east_high_rcsd 41-26 pic.twitter.com/to0wXr2aUM
— James A. Johnson (@jjDandC) February 25, 2016
And in the girls Section V Tournament on Wednesday night…
Wayland-Cohocton 48, Mynderse 34
* Way-Co now coached by former Mynderse girls varsity coach Al Best.
Hornell 48, Newark 40 (FL1 Sports broadcast on FL1 Radio)
South Seneca 61, Bolivar-Richburg 30
Avon defeated East Rochester
Wellsville 60, LeRoy 54
Cal-Mum 46, Letchworth 40
Oakfield-Alabama vs. Perry (no report)
FL1 SPORTS CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND WEBCAST SCHEDULE
Friday, February 26th at 5:00 PM
EAST ROCHESTER VS, EARLY COLLEGE IN CLASS C1 CHAMPIONSHIP
Blue Cross Arena
Jim Sinicropi & Zac Young on FL1 Radio
Friday, February 26th at 9:00 PM
NORTH ROSE-WOLCOTT VS. WELLSVILLE IN CLASS B2 CHAMPIONSHIP
Blue Cross Arena
Jim Sinicropi & Zac Young on FL1 Radio
Saturday, February 27th at 11:00 AM
SOUTH SENECA VS. PERRY IN CLASS C2 CHAMPIONSHIP
Rush-Henrietta HS
Dave Barnick & TBA / FL1 Radio
Sunday, February 28th, at 7:00 PM
NEWARK VS. PAL-MAC IN CLASS B1 CHAMPIONSHIP
Blue Cross Arena
Brendan Harrington and Tane Robinson on FL1 Radio
WEDNESDAY NIGHT TWEETS
@fairport_high floods the court to celebrate thrilling, come-from-behind victory vs. B-K in SectionV semi pic.twitter.com/y4KrFAWJ87
— Luke Photography (@LukePhoto1) February 25, 2016
All even at 21. Hornell vs. Newark girls basketball! pic.twitter.com/pFMu0Vdn1t
— PeishSports (@PeishSports) February 24, 2016
Getting ready to roll pic.twitter.com/AcdmOH3I44
— Pal-Mac Athletics (@palmacsports) February 24, 2016
So Way-Co girls upset Mynderse 48-34. Coach Al Best KOs his former team. 3 pm Sat he’ll try to win a sectional title w/4th different school
— Jeff DiVeronica (@RocDevo) February 25, 2016
Al Best has won titles w/Arcadia (3 in 15 yrs), Athena (2 in 10) Mynderse (2 in 9). 1st yr at Way-Co. His 496 wins are a Section V record
— Jeff DiVeronica (@RocDevo) February 25, 2016
#pmhs pic.twitter.com/ckYWiVhReL
— Pal-Mac Athletics (@palmacsports) February 24, 2016
Good luck tonight Red Raiders!
— Dr. Ike (@PalMac_Supt) February 25, 2016
East trying to stay close with Aquinas. 3rd quarter L’il Irish lead 35-24 @sectvbb @AQBoys_Hoops pic.twitter.com/M0aCGSNN7v
— Mike Catalana (@MikeCatalana) February 25, 2016
Hornell girls on their way to Class B1 finals https://t.co/j6xCcvMY9r
— Maxwell Cahn (@MCahn12) February 25, 2016
Hornell and Newark boys tip in 1min pic.twitter.com/gHs6zC55vD
— PeishSports (@PeishSports) February 25, 2016
Molisani fouled with 13 secs makes 1 of 2. Steal by Flint to seal the 46-40 win!!!!
— Cal-Mum Basketball (@CalMumHoops) February 25, 2016
ER Varsity Girls win tip in Sectional Semis. #ERUFSD pic.twitter.com/FT8kYA4Rw3
— East Rochester (@ERUFSD) February 25, 2016
And the Lady Eagles and Blue Devils begin battle pic.twitter.com/7Q2rrkmSZr
— Maxwell Cahn (@MCahn12) February 25, 2016
No. 2 Newark 11, No. 3 Hornell 8, end of first quarter. Class B1 boys Semi-Final.
— Bill Collmer (@BC_SVTB) February 25, 2016
Heading into the 4th Pal-Mac leads Livonia 45-35 @Scoreswire @lcnsportsnews #nysphsaa #sectionv #nikon #sectionals pic.twitter.com/DXXprG98dF
— Michael Johnson (@mjohnsonphoto) February 25, 2016
Newark just ripped off a 9-0 run and now has a 29-21 lead over the Red Raiders with 1:12 left in the half.
— Sean Curran (@_sean_curran) February 25, 2016
Winner winner chicken dinner…..1pm Sunday at the blue cross arena
— Pal-Mac Athletics (@palmacsports) February 25, 2016
Pal-Mac defeats Livonia 57-54 to advance to the B1 Championship @Scoreswire @lcnsportsnews #nysphsaa #sectionals pic.twitter.com/HH64uJ3Xdd
— Michael Johnson (@mjohnsonphoto) February 25, 2016
Tournament committee chairman Jack Purificato reports zero disturbances during tonight’s doubleheader. Decent to good crowd also.
— James A. Johnson (@jjDandC) February 25, 2016
Button scored all but two of Way-Co’s third quarter points. Lady Eagles lead 35-20 heading into the fourth
— Maxwell Cahn (@MCahn12) February 25, 2016
Sec V B1 Boys BBall Semi: End of 3rd. Newark 39 Hornell 30. #GoReds @sectvbb @NYSPHSAA @Scoreswire
— Newark Athletics (@NewarkAthletics) February 25, 2016
It looks like the Newark lead will be too much in the end though, lead 55-43 with 1:45 left in the game.
— Sean Curran (@_sean_curran) February 25, 2016
A heartbreaking loss for the bombers, 48-39 to Avon. An amazing season, they ended with a record of 17-6. We wish the seniors our best ❤️
— Bomber Athletics (@Bombers_Sports) February 25, 2016
gonna miss this more than I ever thought. pic.twitter.com/8M72g3MWvb
— Ben Cafolla (@BCafolla) February 25, 2016
You know I’m about to be at that Newark vs palmac game
— Dad (@BryceBurri3) February 25, 2016
Route 31 Rivalry on the biggest stage it can be on #GetSome https://t.co/Bohe49QwQs
— Bob Chavez (@MPN_bchavez) February 25, 2016