Friday Roundup: Wellsville celebrates Senior Night in style, compiling massive 2nd quarter run, 12 3-pointers to score 77-25 win over C-R; Fillmore boys outlast B-R in fight to the finish

WELLSVILLE — Senior Night. The one-night only event where the last-year players come together in a time for celebration to honor their careers alongside their coaches, family and friends for one of the very last times on a court they’ve played on since the beginning.

That night came on Friday for the Lions, when they honored all five of their Seniors before taking on the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford. Lions head coach Raymie Auman said that they bring the very definition of family to the table night in, and night out, whether if it’s on the court, or off.

“This group really brings a lot to the table, more than just stats on the court,” he said. “They are the type of team that really helps bring a bond to this team. It was great to see them all battling together, and it’s been a pleasure being able to coach them. They really are one of the most animated group of kids I’ve ever coached.”

The Seniors had a hand in a little bit of everything when they took on the Rebels. From start to finish, offense to defense, they connected on all fronts, as they helped string together one of their most complete games of the season in front of an electric home crowd, providing a hot first half to end their night with a 77-25 win.

“The Seniors really shined tonight. They did a great job of setting the tone for us,” said Auman. “It was great to see them all battling tonight, although with all that size, the matchups where a little tough at times. It was really a complete team effort. Everyone had a hand in scoring, and I really feel like a few new guys got a chance to try a few things to help improve what we can do.”

The night began with both the Rebels and Lions (10-7) tying the early stages up at five before the hosts ran off by finishing the quarter with nine of the last 10 points. Wellsville would go on to push their lead insurmountably in the second quarter, coming away with a 35-10 lead at the break after holding Cuba-Rushford to just four points in the midst of a game-changing 21-4 run.

The majority of the offense came behind an even balance across the board. As for the start of the second half, the Lions saw three different scorers rise to the occasion to keep the momentum swinging in their favor, as Alex Perkins, Eli Schmidt and Asher Billings combined to record 21 of the team’s 26 third quarter points to pull away even farther towards their eventual victory.

Schmidt led all scorers with a game-high 13 points for the hosts in white and orange, while Perkins and Billings each followed with 11 points, with Billings sinking three of Wellsville’s season-high 12 three-pointers from downtown.

In addition to the offensive efforts, Logan Dunbar chipped in with nine points.

As for Cuba-Rushford (9-7), Jacob Smith and Kaden Bell each led the offense with a team-high seven points. The Rebels head back home for a quick turnaround this afternoon in the Wighthouse, hosting Bolivar-Richburg in a 1:30 p.m. tip-off.

Wellsville will make their final road trip of the regular season after the weekend, as they prepare for perhaps their toughest competition yet, making an appearance in Olean for a 7:30 p.m. battle against the host Huskies on Monday.

“Olean is the toughest test on our schedule every year,” Auman said. “Even more so, with the game being at their place. I’m not sure if this program has ever in Olean since I started coaching here. If we want to change that, we will have to play the best game of the season.”

Cuba-Rushford 6 4 7 8 – 25

Wellsville 14 21 26 16 – 77

CUBA-RUSHFORD: Braeden Wight 2 0-0 4, Jacob Smith 3 0-0 7, Logan Ungerman 1 0-1 2, Kaden Bell 3 0-0 7, Luke Brooks 2 1-2 5. Totals: 11 1-6 25.
WELLSVILLE: Cody Costello 2 0-0 6, Alex Perkins 5 0-2 11, Cooper Brockway 2 0-0 6, Eli Schmidt 5 1-2 12, Jacob Hoyer 1 0-0 2, Dalton Ketchner 0 1-2 1, Kailob Phelps 3 0-0 7, Logan Dunbar 3 2-2 9, Connor Ferguson 3 0-1 6, Asher Billings 4 0-0 11, Ty Vogel 2 1-2 6. Totals: 30 5-11 77.
3-point goals: C-R 1 (Bell), Wellsville 12 (Billings 3, Costello 2, Brockway 2, Perkins, Schmidt, Phelps, Dunbar, Vogel).
Total Fouls: C-R 10, Wellsville 10. Fouled out: None.

Fillmore 68, Bolivar-Richburg 67

FILLMORE — It’s been an incredibly hectic past two games for the Eagles of Fillmore, first beginning on Wednesday with Wellsville, and now on Friday with a Bolivar-Richburg team looking for redemption after falling to the hands of the Eagles back on their home floor.

Across the board, the Wolverines and Eagles left everything out on the court. For Fillmore, they knew Bolivar-Richburg was going to come out firing on all cylinders. After a first half that saw a 40-37 lead for the hosts build up, it was an early indication of what was to come in The Rock.

With the lead in hand, the Eagles had to prepare for a potential comeback bid from their opposition coming down the homestretch in the fourth quarter. The Wolverines gave it everything they had, especially after a career-night from Landon Danaher, who put team on his back to make sure they had the best chance to win.

With seconds left, the Wolverines got the final basket of the night. But it would come up one point short, as Fillmore survived a back-and-forth war all throughout the night to officially rebound off their loss to the Lions, and pick up a narrow but thrilling 68-67 home win on Senior Night.

“What a game. We knew Bolivar-Richburg, especially Landon, were going to come out of the gates flying. Last Saturday, we stuck Mitch (Ward) on Landon, and he really kept him off-balance and held him in single digits. Tonight, Landon really took advantage of some slow rotations and got going early, putting us down 10. I was proud of Mitch though, he was playing on one leg and really did a good job battling and got some huge baskets for us. I’m happy for my Seniors to get this win on Senior Night in front of a packed house.”

Danaher’s presence was known right away in the opening quarter for Bolivar-Richburg, as the Senior knocked down 10 of the team’s 21 total points in the opening quarter to help establish a 21-15 lead heading into a second quarter where Fillmore (13-4) connected on all fronts with four different scorers getting involved, including Ward from down low.

Ward would finish as the team’s leading scorer with a team-high 20 points.

Landon Danaher wouldn’t make it easy for the Eagles all evening, as he continued to pound away at their defense with 11 more points out of the team’s 16 in the second quarter to keep pace for the Wolverines (11-7). After a 40-37 lead at the break, it provided a chance for the hosts to squeeze away.

From within a 19-11 run in the third quarter, the Eagles found their groove behind Ward, who helped tally 10 of those points from down low to garner a lead by as much as 17.

“We survived the first wave, and fought back to take the lead at the half,” said Crouch. “The third quarter and early fourth quarter, we really seemed to wear them down. We got the lead to 17, but no surprise, they fought back and made us sweat it out. Zach (Sisson) had another balanced game, along with great defense once again, and Luke Colombo made a huge basket down the stretch and also got a monster offensive rebound when we needed it.”

The Wolverines would not go down without one last push towards knocking Fillmore from the driver’s seat, as they posted a game-ending 19-4 run after the Eagles started the quarter with five in a row, with Danaher continuing to find everything he could cash in on, recording 12 of the team’s 19 to conclude one of his best nights of the season with a game-high 36 points.

On the last possession of the game, a potentially deadly three-point field goal was about to take lift-off for the Wolverines to keep their comeback bid alive, but a big block by Ward prevented that from going any further, as the visitors in black and red ended their game with a basket down low at the buzzer to finish one point shy from tying the game at 68, as the Eagles hung on to skin of their teeth to keep their lead in tact.

“Hats off to Jeff (Margeson) and Bolivar-Richburg,” said Crouch. “They are a heck of a team, and they play this great game the way its supposed to be played. They are always fun to compete with in games like this tonight, where guys are leaving everything they have on the floor, and able to show a great deal of mutual respect. It was an awesome game to be a part of.”

Fillmore was led by Ward’s 20 points, as Zach Sisson, Will Roeske and Carter Sisson each followed with 14 points each, with Zach grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out six assists. Luke Colombo rounded off with the remaining six points for the Eagles.

Finishing behind Danaher’s monster night was Evan Pinney, who tallied nine additional points. Aydin Sisson bucketed eight points, while Wyatt Karnuth had six for the Wolverines, who now hit the road once more for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off this afternoon against the Cuba-Rushford Rebels.

As for Fillmore, they will take on the same Rebels squad in the middle of next week, as they close out their regular season on the road with back-to-back trips beginning with a 7:30 p.m. clash at Cuba-Rushford on Wednesday before closing out Thursday at Genesee Valley.

Bolivar-Richburg 21 16 11 19 – 67

Fillmore 15 25 19 9 – 68

BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Aydin Sisson 4 0-1 8, Landon Danaher 15 3-6 36, Wyatt Karnuth 2 2-7 6, Parker Worth 1 0-0 2, Reiss Gaines 1 0-2 2, Evan Pinney 2 4-4 9, Cam MacDonell 1 2-2 4. Totals: 26 11-22 67.
FILLMORE: Carter Sisson 6 2-3 14, Luke Colombo 2 2-2 6, Mitch Ward 9 2-5 20, Zach Sisson 5 0-1 14, Will Roeske 7 0-1 14. Totals: 29 6-12 68.

3-point goals: B-R 4 (Danaher 3, Pinney), Fillmore 4 (Z. Sisson).
Total Fouls: B-R 14, Fillmore 17. Fouled out: C. Sisson (FIL), Zubikowski (FIL).

Belfast 42, Houghton Academy 40

BELFAST — With a rally from behind on the horizon, the Belfast Bulldogs needed to act quickly on Friday. With the game tied at 40 with seconds left on the clock, the time to intervene and break the tie was now. After an inbound, the Bulldogs worked the ball around quick enough for one last shot.

Enter Matt Weaver, who received the final pass from down low to put away underneath with six seconds remaining in regulation to give Belfast the lead, using their defense to commit a pair of fouls to give to run out of the clock on visiting Houghton Academy and their comeback bid, as they edged their way towards a 42-40 victory.

With the victory, it would officially lock up the Allegany County Division II Championship for the Bulldogs (12-6) for a second straight season, as they used a quick first half of play to get the early jump on Houghton Academy, taking a 26-18 lead going into the break behind their strongest frame of play — a 16-point second quarter paced by balanced attack after Kadin Logue started the night with all 10 of Belfast’s first quarter points.

Upon their arrival back out to the floor in the second half, both teams went back and forth in a third quarter that saw the Panthers (3-10) begin to build momentum, as they managed to find an opening in Belfast’s defense in the fourth quarter with a 13-8 run that saw them fight their way back to a 40-all tie in the last minute of play.

As time continued to tick by, it was then Weaver that played hero to deliver a massive basket to the inside after an inbound with 12 seconds left, putting away the finishing touches on what was deemed the game-winner with six seconds left to give Belfast the lead back for good.

Kadin Logue would finish as Belfast’s top scorer with a game-high 18 points, including four of the team’s five three-pointers. Anthony Logue added in 12 points, while Weaver and Connor Stork rounded off with eight, and four points respectively.

As for Houghton Academy, Malachi DeGolyer took charge and provided a team-high 12 points, while James Adenuga followed closely behind with 11. Hugo Huang sank a pair of the team’s three three-pointers to put towards a nine point effort. The Panthers head back home to host Genesee Valley on Monday in a 6:45 p.m. contest.

Belfast will conclude their regular season on Tuesday with Senior Night, as they prepare to face the Mount Morris Blue Devils in a 7:30 p.m. battle.

Houghton Academy 7 11 9 13 – 40

Belfast 10 16 8 8 – 42

HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Hugo Huang 3 1-2 9, Malachi DeGolyer 5 2-6 12, Levi Martino 1 0-0 2, James Adenuga 5 0-0 11, Sam Winkens 3 0-0 6. Totals: 17 3-8 40.
BELFAST: Kadin Logue 7 0-2 18, Anthony Logue 4 3-5 12, Matt Weaver 4 0-0 8, Connor Stork 2 0-0 4. Totals: 17 3-9 42.
3-point goals: HA 3 (Huang 2, Adenuga), Belfast 5 (K. Logue 4, A. Logue).
Total Fouls: HA 9, Belfast 8. Fouled out: None.

Friendship/Scio 56, Andover/Whitesville 37

SCIO — After an eight-all tie through the opening quarter of play, the second quarter can provide a team a chance to garner a big boost of energy to close out the first half with.

On Friday, that was the name of the game for host Friendship/Scio, as they pulverized the basket with 24 second quarter points take the lead and extend upon it at the break, ultimately finishing with a 56-37 win over Andover/Whitesville, in Scio to hop back over .500 on the season.

“That was the highest quarter we’ve had this year, so far,” said Friendship/Scio co-coach Dillon McFall. “We have some good quickness and we use that to our advantage. I thought that we did our thing the way we were supposed to, and we scored the ball pretty decently despite a bad outing at the line tonight. We have to clean that up, and if we keep going down a road like that, we will lose a big game because of it.”

After Andover/Whitesville and Friendship/Scio delivered early punches in the opening quarter, the fireworks started to fly for the hosts in the second. With an 8-8 tie to break, Friendship/Scio (10-9) found their rhythm by engineering a run that would become the difference maker when the final buzzer sounded, as they scored a 24-11 run of Andover/Whitesville to take a 32-19 lead at the break that was never lost.

Although the visitors attempted to chip away in the second half with a narrow third quarter out-performance, Friendship/Scio dialed in one last time in the final eight minute period, coming away with a 15-8 run to close out shop for good with the win to put them back over .500 on the season.

Four different scorers for Friendship/Scio netted at least 10 points, with Lazar Bulajic leading the charge behind a team-high 17 points to go along with 12 rebounds to complete a double-double, as well as five assists. Brenden Loucks would also have a double-double, recording 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Jacob Golden and Ethan Davenport followed with 12, and 11 points respectively.

As a team, Friendship/Scio garnered 14 assists on 25 total field goals on the floor.

Andover/Whitesville (6-12) was led by a team-high 17-point effort from CJ Estep. Justin Waters added in six points, while Gavin Cutler had four.

Both teams will hit the floor once more Tuesday night, as Friendship/Scio gets set for traveling by visiting Houghton Academy in a 6:45 p.m. tip-off, while Andover/Whitesville heads back home to play host to incoming Genesee Valley in a 7:30 p.m. battle of their own in Whitesville.

Andover/Whitesville 8 11 10 8 – 37

Friendship/Scio 8 24 9 15 – 56

ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Jayden Dix 1 0-0 3, Cormac Brown 1 0-0 2, CJ Estep 7 1-4 17, Gavin Cutler 2 0-0 4, Brody Carlin 1 0-0 2, Justin Waters 3 0-0 6, Luke Erdmann 1 1-2 3. Totals: 16 2-6 37.
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Jacob Golden 5 2-6 12, Brenden Loucks 7 0-3 14, Ethan Davenport 5 0-0 11, Taylor Moore 1 0-5 2, Lazar Bulajic 7 0-3 17. Totals: 25 2-17 56.

3-point goals: A/W 3 (Estep 2, Dix), F/S 4 (Bulajic 3, Davenport).
Total Fouls: A/W 14, F/S 9. Fouled out: Acor (A/W).

Hinsdale 51, Genesee Valley 46

HINSDALE — After spending the majority of the season battling day in and day out, looking for their first win of the season, that search came to an end on Friday for the Hinsdale Bobcats.

After building a first half lead against visiting Genesee Valley, the Bobcats would have to ward off a late Jaguars rally in the final eight minute session. But in the end, they would go on to do just that, as they split the season series with their visiting opposition with a 51-46 victory to pick up their first win of the season.

Hinsdale (1-13) built a fast start through the first five minutes of play, striking while the iron was hot with seven of the first nine points right out of the gate to build up a 10-5 lead on the Jaguars when the quarter reached its conclusion. The run would continue on for the hosts in white and blue, netting six of the first eight points to open up the second quarter to branch a lead that would reach as much as 10 at the break.

After both teams traded a pair of 17-point third quarters on offense, the rally was on for the Jaguars (3-14), as they posted a big 16-point fourth quarter that saw their double digit deficit come down to as little as three in the frame. But the Bobcats remained patient, and connected with huge free throws down the stretch in the last 90 seconds to keep Genesee Valley at bay to secure their first win of the season.

The Bobcats were led by Brad Bergstrom and his three-point game, sinking three of the team’s six in all to fuel a team-high 13 points. Sam Cashimere was not far behind, collecting 11 points of his own while Cody Barton followed with nine.

On the other side, Thai Norasethaporn led all shooters with a game-high 15 points for the Jaguars. Morgan Torrey sank both of the team’s three-pointers to put toward a 12-point game, while Elden Aquila concluded with nine to contribute.

Both teams are back on the floor Monday night, as Hinsdale prepares to hit the road for a 6 p.m. battle at Cuba-Rushford, white Genesee Valley looks to rebound with a trip to Houghton Academy beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Genesee Valley 5 8 17 16 – 46

Hinsdale 10 13 17 11 – 51

GENESEE VALLEY: Morgan Torrey 4 2-4 12, Brayden Cooper 0 0-2 0, Elden Aquila 3 2-4 9, Max Wedge 3 0-0 6, Killian McKnight 0 0-2 0, Ryan Daciw 0 4-8 4, Thai Norasethaporn 3 8-13 15. Totals: 13 16-33 46.
HINSDALE: Ethan Cashimere 1 1-4 3, Sam Cashimere 3 4-4 11, Parker Keenan 2 2-4 7, Tucker Schwartz 3 1-4 8, Brad Bergstrom 5 0-0 13, Cody Barton 3 3-6 9. Totals: 17 11-22 51.
3-point goals: GV 2 (Torrey), Hinsdale 6 (Bergstrom 3, S. Cashimere, Keenan, Schwartz).
Total Fouls: GV 17, Hinsdale 20. Fouled out: Torrey (GV).