A LONG TIME COMING: For 1st time in over 10 years, Lady Lions admit new member into 1,000-point club, as Makenna Dunbar gains entrance to prestigious circle during Wellsville’s 58-25 road win at Olean

[PHOTOS BY ELLA GREEN]

OLEAN — If you take a moment and survey through the chronicled girls basketball history book until you land on the year 2012, you will find the very last Lady Lion to have crossed the 1,000-point mark of their illustrious career. In fact, the very person that accomplished such a feat, just so happens to sit right alongside head coach Michelle Alvord and assistant coach Joe Hennessy from time-to-time on the bench.

That being Brittany Mesler — Wellsville’s second all-time leading scorer right behind the legendary Jill Regan. The former Lady Lions superstar was simply unbelievable during her time donning the black and orange, and her way of collecting the golden ticket to the school’s exclusive club on the hardwood, was even more so.

In what was a masterful 39-point performance, it was one that sent Mesler into the storied ledger and the Lady Lions into the Class B Finals for a fourth straight season, as they went on to survive a gutsy overtime battle with Waterloo during the Sectional tournament at the home of the Royal Comets at Rush-Henrietta.

She was the eighth player to become part of the incredible lineage of Wellsville’s historic scorers over the years. Many more Lady Lions have come and gone subsequently from that everlasting moment in Wellsville girls basketball lore.

But 13 years later, that was soon about to change.

Ever since the start of this winter, the Lady Lions and their offense has primarily run through their stalwart in the middle of the floor. No matter what the weather forecast had called for that day, in the shape of a win or a loss, she will find a way to make sure that her efforts help them remain in each and every game. Whether it was her strong inside game, or if she had to take her talents to the outer perimeter.

She can get the job done, no matter where she is on the floor.

Everything that has been amassed from the very beginning of her Varsity career, it has all led to this very moment on Wednesday. For Wellsville’s No. 24, she was knocking at the door very loudly, on the precipice of reaching that mark. All she needed was a single point to do it.

It was a long time coming. But finally, after all these years, the Lady Lions have another name to immortalize forever.

Introducing: Makenna Dunbar.

All the Wellsville senior needed was a single shot. In this case, a three-pointer, which was her very first attempt of the game from outside, to cross that historic threshold in Olean against the host Lady Huskies bright and early in the opening quarter, as she set the music for the Lady Lions with an enormous first half lead that they never relinquished going forward.

That ultimately secured an eventual 58-25 road win for the team in black and orange to allow Dunbar to become the ninth member into the program’s illustrious 1,000-point club, where she will now reside alongside names such as Regan, Mesler and Whitehouse in the endless time to come.

“She’s our first 1,000-point scorer since Britt last did it. And it is just a testament of how hard Makenna works, and we’ve been going as hard as she goes night in and night out,” Lady Lions coach Michelle Alvord said. “Her consistency on the floor all season has simply been amazing on both ends of the floor. It’s a great accomplishment for her and she is more than deserving to have this honor. She’s a great kid on and off the court, a lot of people look up to her and she continues to put in the extra time to master her craft alongside her brother Logan. I’m really happy for her, and I’m beyond proud of her.”

The three-point make for Dunbar in the late stages of the opening quarter was the only shot from long range she had go down through the twine in the contest, as she aided in wrapping up what was a monstrous 11-2 lead of Olean right out of the gate, putting it towards a game-high 16-point performance to lead the way for the Lady Lions.

Wellsville (13-5) continued to keep the momentum on their side of the floor going forward with yet another explosive run of the Lady Huskies, outscoring them by a 14-2 count to branch out their lead, ultimately in insurmountable fashion going into the locker room.

Following up Dunbar’s magnificent performance, which also saw four rebounds and two steals along the way, was Natalie Adams, who had 12 points of her own to chip in alongside three assists and three steals. Dunbar’s younger sister, Jaden Dunbar, pitched in 10 points. Alexa Hennessy had four steals and three assists to further the team’s special teams cause.

In the JV contest leading into the Varsity nightcap, the Lady Lions went on to defeat Olean by a 28-19 count, with Addy Hennessy’s 11 points leading the charge.

Wellsville is back on the floor Friday night over the road once again, this time to finish off their season series with the Keshequa Lady Wildcats, beginning at 7 p.m.

Wellsville 11 14 14 19 — 58

Olean 2 2 10 11 — 25

WELLSVILLE: Caelyn Stevens 1 0-0 2, Reegan Perkins 2 0-0 4, Natalie Adams 5 0-0 12, Alexa Hennessy 1 0-0 3, Emily Stuck 2 1-1 6, Ayla Faulkner 0 2-4 2, Lydia Kaye 0 1-2 1, Makenna Dunbar 6 3-3 16, Jaden Dunbar 4 4-4 10. Totals: 21 11-14 58.

OLEAN: Ava Finch 2 3-4 7, Alaina Hirliman 1 0-0 3, Jabreyah Brown 1 0-0 2, Anna Bates 3 5-6 11, Lakya Maull 1 0-0 2. Totals: 8 8-10 25.

3-point goals: Wellsville 5 (Adams 2, Hennessy, Stuck, M. Dunbar), Olean 1 (Hirliman).
Total Fouls: Wellsville 7, Olean 13. Fouled out: None.