Friday Roundup: GV/Belfast’s McKenzie goes off on both ends with 24-point performance to aid rebounding road win at Houghton; Fillmore boys win 11th straight, B-R, C-R boys also tally victories

HOUGHTON — Genesee Valley/Belfast and Houghton Academy both set their eyes on a strong conclusion to wrap up the week on the hardwood. For one team, an opportunity to steer the ship back in the right direction, while for the other, a chance to build more momentum heading into the weekend.

Only one of those wishes could be granted at the end of a Friday night up north in Houghton. And right away, Ian McKenzie wasted no time striking while the iron was hot.

The Genesee Valley/Belfast sophomore unleashed his fury on both ends of the floor against the host Panthers, using his defensive prowess to jar the ball free from Houghton Academy’s grasp while cashing them in for some big points along the way, aiding the team in a hot start that they gradually constructed even more as time passed on in their 53-22 road win on Friday.

The defense for Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-8) kicked into gear right from the get-go, as they forced multiple turnovers against the Panthers to transition back down the court, where they would net the first 10 points of the game — six of them off three straight turnovers against their opposition, all finished off by McKenzie to set the tone.

Houghton Academy (5-5) would overcome their first quarter struggles and use the outer perimeter to their utmost advantage knocking down three straight triples to trim their deficit down to seven closing in on the halftime break. Remaining in a 23-12 hole to open the second half, they were denied the chance of building momentum off the strong finish by Genesee Valley/Belfast, as the visitors in black closed up shop behind the assistance of a 19-5 third quarter run that permitted them to pull away and out of harm’s reach for good.

McKenzie played the biggest of roles behind Genesee Valley/Belfast’s success on the attack, posting a game-high 24 points to lead the charge. Behind him were Kadin Logue, Matt Cater and Kenton Shultz, as each scorer provided six points.

For the Panthers, James Adenuga led all shooters with his team-leading 10 points — nine of the points off three triples from downtown. Jack Prentice had six points down low, while Josh Davidson and Jack Qi each knocked down a triple, for three points. Houghton Academy will take their rebounding opportunity over the road with them on Monday, visiting the Mount Morris Blue Devils in a 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

Genesee Valley/Belfast will look to springboard to .500 on the season in their return to action Tuesday, as they now get set to square off with one of the area’s hottest teams — the Eagles of Fillmore, winners of 11 straight games, at 7:30 p.m. in the Jungle.

Genesee Valley/Belfast 12 11 19 11 – 53

Houghton Academy 6 6 5 5 – 22

GV/BELFAST: Kadin Logue 3 0-0 6, Lance Vohs 0 1-2 1, Matt Cater 3 0-2 6, Ian McKenzie 9 4-5 24, Owen Heaney 2 0-0 4, Fisher Herdman 1 0-0 2, Ryan Daciw 1 2-2 4, Kenton Shultz 3 0-0 6. Totals: 21 7-11 53.

HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Jack Prentice 3 0-0 6, Josh Davidson 1 0-0 3, James Adenuga 3 1-1 10, Jack Qi 1 0-0 3. Totals: 8 1-1 22.

3-point goals: GVB 2 (McKenzie), HA 5 (Adenuga 3, Davidson, Qi).
Total Fouls: GVB 4, HA 7. Fouled out: None.

Fillmore 72, Geneseo 60

FILLMORE — Allegany County’s hottest team was tested right out of the gate. Back home within the confines of The Rock, the Eagles of Fillmore foresaw a formidable challenge presented by the Geneseo Blue Devils.

In front of a packed crowd inside on Friday, the two Class C squads duked it out through an early battle of constancy that saw no advantage eclipse more than five points at any given time. But then, a complete flip of the script was performed right before the half.

Zach Sisson’s hot hand was nearly unstoppable again.

After garnering a two-point lead of the Blue Devils, Sisson would help seize all momentum after their opposition closed the gap behind them to just a single point. How exactly? — By using his left hand to pump out two enormous and outrageous three-pointers, one of which next to the logo at mid-court, to serve as the driving force behind the team’s 16-4 half-ending run that gave them the required room they needed to put towards their 11th straight win in a 72-60 decision over Geneseo.

“Zach was phenomenal,” Eagles coach Randy Crouch said. “They were committed to stopping him and yet, he was still able to be effective. The big leap for him is that he has trust in his teammates to make plays around him, which makes us tough to defend. Geneseo is a strong program and very well coached. They have four guys that can flat out shoot, as well as a guy that really attacks the rim. We knew they would provide a great test for us. We played well in the first half and built a lead despite them throwing everything at us defensively. We did a good job of adjusting, and hit some big shots whenever they built a little momentum.”

Geneseo and Fillmore (13-2) would spar across a first quarter that saw the pace of the game become constant. The responses against one another were as fast as greased lightning, with no advantage on either side eclipsing past five points — an advantage that was held by the Blue Devils at one point during the mid-section of the opening quarter.

But the momentum was erased by the Eagles to close out the frame behind Sisson’s guidance, as he tucked away a huge three-point play with 2.5 seconds left in the frame to claim an 18-16 lead over the Blue Devils.

That same momentum burst Geneseo attempted to build, radically shifted directions to Fillmore’s favor, as they used a vast majority of it to aid in a shape-shifting second quarter. After the visitors in blue chipped away at their deficit leading up to a single point of separation, the Eagles fired right back with a halftime-entering run of the Blue Devils, scoring the next 12 points in consecutive fashion.

A 16-4 run of the Blue Devils in total, flipped the game completely on its head.

With a 39-26 lead going into the second half, it was a double-digit cushion that the Eagles were able to maintain through the remaining portion of time left in the night, as they went forth and served up a big home win.

Leading the scoring for the Eagles was Sisson, who finished with a game-high 30 points altogether. Following behind him was Cam Mucher, who tallied 13 points of his own, while Layton Sanasith and Jonah Bialek pitched in with 10 and nine points, respectively.

Fillmore will hit the road Tuesday night for their next battle, as they prepare to visit the Jungle in Belmont for a 7:30 p.m. contest against Genesee Valley/Belfast.

Geneseo 16 10 16 18 – 60

Fillmore 18 21 18 15 – 72

GENESEO: Caleb Rice 3 0-0 8, Reece Byrnes 1 0-0 2, Kellen O'Brien 2 1-2 5, Oren Ray 7 0-5 14, Avery Helper 3 0-0 9, Jackson Willis 7 3-4 17, Owen McDonald 1 0-0 3, Luke Davis 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 4-11 60.

FILLMORE: Cam Mucher 5 0-0 13, Isaiah Sisson 2 0-0 4, Layton Sanasith 3 3-6 10, Zach Sisson 7 13-16 30, Jonah Bialek 4 0-2 9, Brayden Hennard 2 0-0 4, JD Bialek 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 16-24 72.

3-point goals: Geneseo 6 (Helper 3, Rice 2, McDonald), Fillmore 8 (Mucher 3, Z. Sisson 3, Sanasith, Jo. Bialek).
Total Fouls: Geneseo 17, Fillmore 14. Fouled out: Mucher (FIL).

Bolivar-Richburg 75, Andover/Whitesville 41

BOLIVAR — Bolivar-Richburg conducted a spread of the wealth all around the hardwood Friday night on their home floor. With their offense being highlighted by a season-best night from Kingston Loucks, the Wolverines proceeded to strike all chords against visiting Andover/Whitesville, taking a first quarter lead and never losing sight of it to put a bow on a 75-41 home victory.

“January was not kind to us at all, but it was nice to finish it off on a positive,” Wolverines coach Justin Thomas said. “The boys came out and played well. We talked about the 95 percent of the time we didn't have the ball, and they did a nice job with it. We had a lot more guys look for the extra pass, make the right adjustments, and with all of that, this is the time to collect all the eggs to make that big run towards Sectionals.”

No time was wasted by Bolivar-Richburg (10-4) to dictate the pace of play against Andover/Whitesville, as they kicked the tires on both ends of the floor to help produce a strong 18-9 lead through the opening quarter — a lead they would not let slip through their grasp. After another strong frame to record a 34-15 halftime lead, the game was essentially put away for good behind a 24-point third quarter, as the Wolverines rolled towards their 10th win of the season.

Loucks was outstanding from both offensive angles for the Wolverines, using his mixed back of attack through the air to produce a season-high 23 points to go along with nine boards. Right behind him were both Aydin Sisson and Landon Barkley, as they both chipped in 20 and 18 points respectively, with Barkley adding in five rebounds, five assists, four steals and a trio of blocks.

For Andover/Whitesville (7-6), Vinny Joyce and Colton Calladine each led the offense across the game with 11 team-high points each. Jake Mattison chipped in with his nine points. The team will be back in action on Tuesday over the road again, this time visiting Scio for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against host Friendship/Scio.

The Wolverines are now off for a week, as they look to ride the momentum wave into next Friday night right back inside the Wolverine Den, hosting the Wellsville Lions in a 7:30 p.m. contest.

Andover/Whitesville 9 6 16 10 – 41

Bolivar-Richburg 18 16 24 17 – 75

ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Jake Mattison 3 1-1 9, Vinny Joyce 4 0-0 11, Brody Vance 3 1-2 7, Trey Kent 1 0-0 3, Colton Calladine 4 3-4 11. Totals: 15 5-7 41.

BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Aydin Sisson 9 1-4 20, Landon Barkley 6 4-4 18, Brayden Zilker 1 0-0 3, Trevor Pforter 1 0-0 2, Caden Giardini 1 0-0 2, Reiss Gaines 2 1-2 5, James Margeson 1 0-0 2, Kingston Loucks 10 0-0 23. Totals: 31 6-10 75.

3-point goals: A/W 6 (Joyce 3, Mattison 2, Kent), B-R 7 (Loucks 3, Barkley 2, Sisson, Loucks).

Total Fouls: A/W 14, B-R 8. Fouled out: None.

Cuba-Rushford 68, Friendship/Scio 34

FRIENDSHIP — With a first half outburst under wraps, the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford assumed complete command of their own destiny on Friday over the hill in Friendship, as their first quarter lead soon pushed it out of reach completely from host Friendship/Scio’s grasp, inching closer towards the 10-win plateau with a strong 68-34 road victory.

“We did lose, but Cuba-Rushford is really fundamental in doing all the simple things correctly,” said Friendship/Scio coach Dillon McFall. “Credit to them for that, but our guys have been waiting for this kind of game against a great team with the kind of effort you need up against. We had that, and this week for us, we took some great steps in the right direction. They’re starting to understand the process, and we hope that keeps going.”

The fuse was lit on Cuba-Rushford’s (9-7) first half explosion against Friendship/Scio after using a rapid 14-5 lead in the opening eight minutes to get them off and running. The first quarter would serve as the precursor to what would follow next in the second: the discovery of each and every rhythm on offense possible behind a massive 23-point stanza that allowed them to garner all the room they needed to work towards the victory that awaited in the end.

Leading the charge were three different Rebels scorers who eclipsed double figures on the attack, with Braeden Wight’s game-high 15 points standing at the front of the pack. Following behind was Finn Ricketts and his 12 points, while Adam Roe had 10.

Friendship/Scio (3-12) was led by Aiden Golden’s team-high 10 points, pairing them with four steals. Jerome Harmon and Deacon Brown each had eight points, with Harmon grabbing 11 boards, three assists and three steals, while Brown collected five additional rebounds. The team will return to the hardwood on Tuesday over the hill and into Scio to play host to Andover/Whitesville at 7:30 p.m.

Cuba-Rushford will head back home and conduct the search for the 10th win of the season on Gary Wight Court, as they prepare to host Houghton Academy on Thursday in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.

Cuba-Rushford 14 23 19 12 – 68

Friendship/Scio 5 8 17 4 – 34

CUBA-RUSHFORD: Braeden Wight 7 0-0 15, Kaden Bell 4 0-2 8, Luke Brooks 2 0-0 4, Zach Deck 1 0-0 3, Eli Sleggs 2 0-0 4, Finn Ricketts 5 0-0 12, Tristan Clayson 4 0-0 8, Adam Roe 5 0-0 10, Peyton Joy 2 0-0 4. Totals: 32 0-2 68.
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Aiden Golden 4 2-3 10, Jerome Harmon 3 2-4 8, Connor Blouvet 1 3-6 6, Jerimiah Brown 1 0-0 2, Deacon Brown 4 0-0 8. Totals: 13 7-13 34.

3-point goals: C-R 4 (Ricketts 2, Wight, Deck), F/S 1 (Blouvet).
Total Fouls: C-R 15, F/S 12. Fouled out: None.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Canisteo-Greenwood 53, Arkport-Canaseraga 45

ARKPORT — Bailey Mullen had the game of her life for the Lady Chargers of Canisteo-Greenwood, Friday night. With host Arkport-Canaseraga knocking on the door ever so loudly in the second half, the Lady Chargers sophomore rose to the occasion with a massive stand at the charity stripe to ensure what was a 38-29 lead and turn it into a 53-45 road win.

Mullen turned on the jets with a phenomenal night from the field and at the line, putting all phases of the game together to deliver a game-high 28-point performance. It would begin across a closely contested first quarter of play with the Lady Wolves, as she came away with nine of the team’s 13 points to claim a 13-11 lead.

The two-point lead for the Lady Chargers (9-6) was held through the second quarter where they continued to battle tough right alongside Arkport-Canaseraga, right before they were able to eye an opening at the start of the second half when a 15-9 run of the Lady Wolves ultimately became the difference maker, as a slew of scorers for the visitors in red all chipped in to ensure their lead would remain secured despite some more late pressure down the stretch.

To fully cement the victory in the final eight minutes, Mullen then took her talents to the line and delivered an absolutely clutch 10-for-11 outing at the charity stripe to wrap up one of her best performances of the season.

Following behind Mullen for Canisteo-Greenwood was Paris May, who recorded 12 points. Harlie McCaffery chipped in with six.

The Lady Chargers are back on the hardwood Tuesday night with a 7 p.m. visit to Livonia.

Canisteo-Greenwood 13 9 15 16 – 53

Arkport-Canaseraga 11 9 9 16 – 45

CANISTEO-GREENWOOD: Bailey Mullen 7 12-17 28, McKenna Ferris 1 0-0 3, Harlie McCaffery 3 0-2 6, Sidney Drouin 1 0-0 2, Paris May 5 0-4 12, Peyton Peters 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 12-23 53.

ARKPORT-CANASERAGA: Jasmine King 3 0-0 6, Gracen Mahany 5 0-0 11, Payton O'Dell 8 7-10 25, Morgan Gilbert 1 1-4 3. Totals: 17 8-14 45.

3-point goals: C-G 5 (Mullen 2, May 2, Ferris), A-C 3 (O'Dell 2, Mahany).
Total Fouls: C-G 11, A-C 18. Fouled out: None.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Wellsville 3, Portville 1

WELLSVILLE — After an early first set challenge from Portville allowed them to claim the night’s first lead in the Lion’s Den, host Wellsville knew they had to battle all game long right beside the Section VI representatives through and through.

Across what were the last three sets, each adjudication was decided by no more than three points. Each would have the same score that would display on the scoreboard — 25-22. Those went in favor of the Lions, as they pulled off three straight victories to turn the tables on Portville’s first-set momentum and come away victors of a four-set, 19-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22 win — their 10th of the season, over the Panthers on Friday.

The Lions (10-3) were captained by Brody Heaney on the front line, as he recorded six kills to pair with his six aces from the service line and a block. Carter Newman furthered the cause with three more kills to go with two blocks and an ace, while Evan Billings handed out five helpers, scoring two blocks and a kill along the way.

Wellsville is back on their home floor Monday night with a 6 p.m. first serve against undefeated Allegany-Limestone.

Friendship/Scio 3, Cuba-Rushford 1

CUBA — It was a wild affair across both sides of the net in the Wighthouse, Friday night.

With Friendship/Scio and host Cuba-Rushford going toe-to-toe, the battle would see them lock horns all throughout, with each set’s resolution being determined by no more than a trio of points. Each team would trade narrow barbs to tie the game at one, but in the third set, Friendship/Scio provided an outstanding response to keep the Rebels on their feet, scoring wins in the last two sets to ride the momentum all the way to a four-set victory by a 26-24, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23 count.

Statistics from both teams were not made available to report upon publication.

Both teams mark their return to action on Monday in a pair of 6 p.m. first serves, with Friendship/Scio (2-11) hitting the road for a visit to Bolivar-Richburg, while Cuba-Rushford (3-12) travels to Portville.

Arkport-Canaseraga 3, Bolivar-Richburg 0

RICHBURG — The Wolves of Arkport-Canaseraga were able to survive a fierce challenge right out of the gate from host Bolivar-Richburg, using the early momentum in full force towards what was a straight-set sweep of the Wolverines on Friday, claiming the 25-23, 25-14, 25-15 victory.

Statistics for both teams were not made available to report upon publication.

Bolivar-Richburg (0-14) will play host to Friendship/Scio, Monday night at 6 p.m.