Tuesday Sectionals: No. 7 C-R overcomes slow start in low-scoring affair, builds 3rd quarter run to hang on and advance with 45-42 win over No. 10 Warsaw

Written By Chris Brooks

CUBA — In the game of basketball, there can be pretty wins, and there can be ugly wins. But all the while, no matter what adjective you use to describe the game, it can still build up a bit of excitement for down the homestretch.

Inside the Wighthouse for their final home game of the 2019-20 campaign, the seventh-seeded Rebels of Cuba-Rushford came face-to-face with No. 10 Warsaw on Tuesday in a Class C2 First Round matchup that quickly developed in to a barnburner, from start to finish.

After a first half that saw just 30 combined points between the two foes, the second half provided a significant build-up for what came to be. Cuba-Rushford witnessed a 10-point lead in the last minute of play quickly evaporate into thin air, as Warsaw climbed back into the game behind clutch three-pointers that saw the deficit close to as little as two at one point. But, despite one last attempt from downtown going into the basket at the buzzer, it was not enough for the Tigers, as the host Rebels hung onto every last bit of string they had left to come away with a 45-42 victory in a low-scoring affair.

In the first quarter, just nine points between the squads were netted past the halfway mark of the frame, with Dan Emerson taking charge of the Rebels (10-9) netters early on with their first basket. It would turn into a back-and-forth dealing of baskets up until the hosts in white and maroon finished the quarter with the last four points, including another net from Emerson to take a narrow 8-5 lead over Warsaw into the second.

“Let’s face it, our offense in the first quarter was pretty bad,” said Rebels coach Bryce Ryan. “We didn’t have a lot of ball movement, we weren’t getting the ball inside to Dan or Grady (McCumiskey), which is usually something we have to our advantage, especially with the size that Warsaw is possessing. But they forced us to move the ball around the perimeter more, and forced us into some bad looks.”

In the next quarter, more of the same can be said regarding the pace, as Warsaw and Cuba-Rushford returned to the teeter-totter battle with the Tigers finding a way to tie the game at 10 in two minutes time after an inside basket started a quick 5-0 run of the Rebels. Two more lead exchanges were made with the Tigers jumping back ahead with a basket underneath near the one minute mark in the half.

But Cuba-Rushford made sure they had the lead going into the break, as Emerson collected a bit of momentum to send them into the locker room ahead by a 16-14 count, courtesy of his three-point play off a drive to the rim.

The momentum quickly sided with Warsaw through the first couple of minutes of the third quarter, as they came out swinging with seven straight points to take a five-point lead on the Rebels. But at that point, the hosts provided a turning of the tide to close out the quarter in the last five minutes, holding Warsaw to just three more points in the midst of their 15-3 run with McCumiskey and Trent Chamberlain both working inside the paint to deliver some quick two-point jabs to earn a 31-24 lead entering the fourth.

“We put a little run in the third quarter together. We made some adjustments to spread out their zone a little bit, and that gave us some more looks for both Dan and Grady down low that really helped,” Ryan said. “We always have to make things difficult, and that’s always frustrating. Kudos to Warsaw, it may not have been our a-game, but they had a lot to do with it.”

The Rebels lead would grow to as large as 10 at one point in the fourth quarter with Emerson and McCumiskey continuing to connect on all fronts inside, but despite the lead, it would quickly shrink in the last 90 seconds of play, setting up five quick possessions for Warsaw to use. In those drives, four of them were finish off by a quartet of treys from Drew Coleman outside, including one at the buzzer. But the three was not enough to force an extra period of time, as Cuba-Rushford was able to hang on by the skin of their teeth to a three-point victory that the Tigers pressured.

“When you’re up by 10 with a minute left, you have to expect that they’re going to do something,” said Ryan. And it had to do with pressure. The Coleman kid made quite a few clutch shots coming down the stretch to keep them in it. We have to do a better job defensively with that, especially if they have shooters. They love the three-pointers, and they did that the entire game. We can’t continue to gamble on steals, we have to close out on the shooters.”

Emerson led all scorers for Cuba-Rushford with a team-leading 19 points, which is a season-high for the senior. McCumiskey and Chamberlain both added eight points, while Andrew Clement followed with seven points of his own.

Despite hanging on for dear life in the endgame, the Rebels have earned a spot in the Class C2 Quarterfinal round, which will begin on Friday when they hit the road for the remainder of their season with their next stop being in Perry to take on the No. 2 Yellowjackets in a 7 p.m. tip-off. It will mark the first time since the program’s 2016-17 championship winning season that they will face the Yellowjackets.

“We have to watch some film, and see what we can correct in time for Perry. What happened tonight, we cannot afford to do that to a team like that,” said Ryan. “Our offense has to be a lot better, and we have to come up with a game plan to get everyone involved again, including our shooters. We have to figure out a way to close out games much better as well.”

Warsaw                 5  9 10 18 – 42

Cuba-Rushford    8  8 15 14 – 45


WARSAW: Drew Coleman 8 1-3 22, Matt Auble 6 0-0 12, Jesse Ebesole 3 1-2 8. Totals: 17 2-5 42.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Ethan Brooks 1 0-1 3, Joey Jablonski 0 0-2 0, Trent Chamberlain 3 2-2 8, Andrew Clement 2 2-4 7, Grady McCumiskey 4 0-0 8, Dan Emerson 7 5-5 19. Totals: 17 9-14 45.
3-point goals: Warsaw 6 (Coleman 5, Ebesole), C-R 2 (Brooks, Clement).
Total Fouls: Warsaw 15, C-R 6. Fouled out: Glosser (WAR), Auble (WAR).


Class C3 First Round

No. 9 Wheatland-Chili 50, No. 8 Bolivar-Richburg 49

FILLMORE — For the second time this season in Fillmore, it would come down to one final shot for the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg. After taking the lead with 30 seconds left to play, the Wolverines looked to their defense to hang on as tightly as possible until the final buzzer.

But, Wheatland-Chili weaved their way inside to the basket with time winding down to just 10 seconds left, netting a big go-ahead basket to seize a one-point lead. It was now on the Wolverines, and the shoulders of their leading scorer, Landon Danaher to make their move, but right before time expired, Danaher’s shot inside rimmed out, as their season came to a crushing end as the Wildcats held onto a 50-49 edge on Tuesday.

“The (Riley and Landon) Danaher boys accounted for all of our points in the second half. We just couldn't find a way to help either of them,” said Wolverines coach Jeff Margeson. “We tried different things, but if heart alone could win a game, we would’ve had it. None of those kids ever gave up. Wheatland-Chili has a deep team, and they had a bunch of scoring behind it. We had a pair of 10-point leads in this game, and we held our turnovers at bay. We let them stay in the game, and it was a matter of them taking the wind right out of our sails.”

All four contested quarters were nearly identically exchanged between the Wildcats and Wolverines, with the nine-seeds kicking their three-point game into gear early on in the first half, while the eight-seeds leaned on both Riley and Landon Danaher to deliver the goods. As a result, Bolivar-Richburg (6-15) would go on to take a one-point, 26-25 lead at the break.

That lead soon grew to four after the third quarter saw Bolivar-Richburg come out on top in a narrow outscoring, but it would build for an eventful final eight minute period. Down 48-47 with 30 seconds left to play, the Wolverines picked up an enormous steal on the defensive end from Brayden Ellis, who delivered a dish to Riley Danaher up stream to connect with a big lay-in that gave the team the lead right back to work with.

But the Wildcats responded with the night’s final basket with the shot clock turned off, as they wound time down to the last 10 seconds of regulation with a go-ahead lay-in on the backside to lead, 50-49. But the final possession laid in the hands of Bolivar-Richburg, as well as an offensive advantage the other way. It was on Landon Danaher, who heaved his desperation shot inside with the time expiring as it hit the rim, ultimately rimming out to allow Wheatland-Chili to take away the victory, sending the Wolverines home packing.

Landon Danaher led all scorers in what was his final game of his breakout sophomore season for Bolivar-Richburg, finishing with a game-high 26 points, including a near-perfect 7-of-8 outing at the charity stripe. Riley Danaher collected 16 points to help the cause. Combined, the Danaher brothers accounted for all 23 of the team’s second half points.

Camdyn MacDonell added in four points off two baskets inside, while Brayden Ellis knocked down a three-pointer to finish off the Wolverines scoring, and the season, as they wrap up the campaign with a record of 6-15 overall. They will say goodbye to just two of their seniors at the end of the year, in Riley Danaher and Isaac Scott.

“It’s going to be really tough with Riley not being here next year,” Margeson said of his senior leader. “He has grown so much through the course of the season, and he has really led this team. We beat Cuba-Rushford, and they went on to beat Genesee Valley. We hung with all these tough teams all season long, and it speaks to the youth of the team. I try and hammer on the guys, but now they have a full season under their belt. They have the ability to play quality basketball, but sometimes the shots just don’t find a way to go in.”

Wheatland-Chili      12 13  6 19 – 50

Bolivar-Richburg 12 14 9 14 – 49


WHEATLAND-CHILI: Terry Bayly-Henshaw 4 1-2 12, Brian Napier 2 0-1 5, Jordan Richards 4 0-0 11, Aaron Lund 3 0-0 6, Jahmere Cooper 2 0-0 5, Brendan Moore 3 2-2 9, Maurice Brown 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 3-5 50.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Riley Danaher 5 5-6 16, Landon Danaher 9 7-8 26, Wyatt Karnuth 0 0-1 0, Brayden Ellis 1 0-0 3, Camdyn MacDonell 2 0-0 4. Totals: 17 12-15 49.

3-point goals: W-C 9 (Bayly-Henshaw 3, Richards 3, Napier, Cooper, Moore), B-R 3 (R. Danaher, L. Danaher, Ellis).
Total Fouls: W-C 15, B-R 10. Fouled out: None.


Class D1 First Round

No. 4 Fillmore 63, No. 13 Arkport/Canaseraga 46

FILLMORE — Although it seemed like a sluggish start to begin the night in Fillmore, the fourth-seeded Eagles found the right side of the train tracks quickly against No. 13 Arkport/Canaseraga. With Will Valentine leading the charge inside, and Hayden Rust providing big points in a season-high effort, the hosts sounded off with a big first half of offense to establish their lead in their 63-46 win over the visiting Wolves on Tuesday.

“We got off to a little bit of a slow start offensively, and missed some easy opportunities early,” Eagles coach Randy Crouch said. “After that, we settled in and we were able to turn some turnovers into some transition lay-ups. Hayden Rust really led the way on both ends, and Will Valentine did a great job inside. It was nice to get quality minutes for all 14 of our guys, and some of those guys came up from JV to get their first Varsity points. Now, we need to get focused for another big game on Friday.”

Right from the gate, Fillmore (16-4) rebounded from a slow hop to their step in the first quarter, going on to take a lengthy 16-5 lead after the first quarter. After another run through the second quarter to maintain a double digit lead at the half, the Eagles took care of business with perhaps their strongest frame of basketball all game, holding Arkport/Canaseraga to just seven points in the midst of their 20-7 run to seal up the opening round victory on their home floor.

The season-high performance put on by Rust was one that led the entire Eagles attack, providing some help across a balanced three-point game with a pair of the team’s nine in all to put forth on a 14 point game. Valentine followed behind with 12 points to go with eight points on special teams, while Zach Sisson recorded nine of his first career Varsity points to help the cause. Tobias and Levi Webb followed suit with eight, and seven points respectively.

The Eagles are back at it in the Class D1 Quarterfinal round this Friday night, as they host their final home game of the season with the fourth-seeded Bulldogs of Honeoye making their stop inside The Rock at 7 p.m.

Arkport/Canaseraga       5 11   7 23 – 46

Fillmore                       16 17 20 10 – 63

ARKPORT/CANASERAGA: David McIntosh 6 1-1 15, Noah Sleight 1 0-0 2, Ryan Reynolds 2 2-4 6, Mike Gilbert 4 0-0 11, Jace Cassata 3 0-0 6, Trent Tibbits 2 0-0 4, Evan Reynolds 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 3-5 46.
FILLMORE: Dylan Valentine 0 2-4 2, Levi Webb 2 2-2 7, Hayden Rust 6 0-0 14, Tobias Webb 3 2-3 8, Mason Cool 1 0-2 2, Will Valentine 5 1-2 12, Carter Sisson 1 0-0 3, Jacob George 2 0-0 6, Zach Sisson 3 1-2 9. Totals: 23 8-15 63.

3-point goals: A/C 5 (Gilbert 3, McIntosh 2), Fillmore 9 (Rust 2, George 2, Z. Sisson 2, L. Webb, W. Valentine, C. Sisson).
Total Fouls: A/C 14, Fillmore 11. Fouled out: None.


GIRLS BASKETBALL

Class D2 First Round

No. 6 Andover 56, No. 11 Mount Morris 29

ANDOVER — A well-balanced offense is one of many big ingredients in achieving great success. On Tuesday in opening round festivities in Andover, the host Lady Panthers had that, as almost every member of the sixth-seeded team got their feet wet on the basketball court with at least a basket’s worth of points to roll past No. 11 Mount Morris with a 56-29 victory to open the Class D2 chase strong.


“It was nice to have our starters sit the fourth quarter, and it was even more great to see the younger girls getting some time in their places and enjoying it along the way.” said Lady Panthers coach Jake Bannerman. “We had a great crowd on hand, and the girls were very excited to get Sectionals started. This was a great team win for sure.”


They needn’t look any further than the first half to set the tone almost immediately in the Class D2 contest, as the Andover (15-6) defense held the Lady Blue Devils offense in check to single digits across a 16 minute timespan that included a huge 12-2 run through the first quarter to put the hammer down in an insurmountable fashion.


Behind their balanced attack, Emily Wahl led all scorers on the floor with a game-high 19 points for the Lady Panthers, including a near-immaculate 7-of-9 outing at the charity stripe. Kelsie Niedermaier provided more work down low, adding in 11 points of her own to go with 10 rebounds to complete a double-double, while Tess Spangenburg sank the team’s lone three on her way to a nine-point effort. Livia Simon helped the cause with six points.


The Lady Panthers now move into the Class D2 Quarterfinal stage, which will begin on Friday with a road trip to No. 3 Romulus for a 7 p.m. tip-off.


“We face a State-ranked team twice a year in Fillmore, so if we can bring a mindset with us on the road, we can stand a chance with Romulus. They have a great guard, and so do we. Not to mention, our entire team is looking, and playing really good as well. I am definitely looking forward to the challenge they bring.” said Bannerman.

Mount Morris        2  7  5 15 – 29

Andover 12 17 18 9 – 56


MOUNT MORRIS: Sierra Somers 5 1-3 14, Natalie Muscarella 0 1-2 1, Edmee Lopez 1 0-0 2, Isabelle Chesnes 5 1-2 11, Cadence Stroud 0 1-4 1. Totals: 11 4-11 29.
ANDOVER: Rylie Bryan 1 0-0 2, Hayleigh Niedermaier 0 2-4 2, Olivia Hanks 1 0-0 2, Gabby Terhune 1 0-0 2, Tess Spangenburg 4 0-0 9, Katie Calladine 1 1-1 3, Livia Simon 3 0-0 6, Emily Wahl 6 7-9 19, Kelsie Niedermaier 5 1-3 11. Totals: 22 11-17 56.

3-point goals: Mt. Morris 3 (Somers), Andover 1 (Spangenburg).
Total Fouls: Mt. Morris 12, Andover 13. Fouled out: None.


No. 8 Houghton Academy 45, No. 9 Belfast 29

HOUGHTON — Both Belfast and Houghton Academy nearly deadlocked across the entirety of the 32 minutes of play on Tuesday. But when it came down to brass tax in the end, the No. 8 Lady Panthers delivered the goods with a first half lead that they managed to hold onto, as they found their way into the Class D2 Quarterfinal round with a 45-29 win over No. 9 Belfast on their home floor.


Jessica Prentice and Sarah Retz took the reins of the Houghton Academy (12-8) offense for the majority of the contest, as they helped their squad power up a first half lead that ultimately proved to be the difference maker at the end of the game, setting up shop with an 18-10 lead in the first quarter before holding the Lady Bulldogs to just two points in the second to close the half with a double digit lead in hand.


After back-and-forth dealings in the third quarter, the Lady Panthers sealed the deal on a trip to the Quarterfinal round with one last narrow outscoring of Belfast. Prentice went on to lead all scorers on the hardwood with a game-high 22 points to pair with her 11 points, completing a double-double. Retz followed with 17 points of her own, while Emma Retz and Emily Tankeh combined to tally the remaining six points for the five-seeds.


On the other side, Belfast saw Mary Hamer take the lead, as she posted a team-leading eight points for an offense that was well-balanced across the floor. Kaitlin Sadler chipped in with three points, while Emma Sullivan and Anna Drozdowski followed with four, and three points respectively. The season is over for the Lady Bulldogs, as they conclude their campaign with a record of 6-15. The majority of the team will be back next year, as Belfast graduates just one senior in Junie Shaw at year’s end.


As for Houghton Academy, the trek continues on Friday with a road trip upstate, as they go up against the defending three-time Class D2 champion, and top-seeded Lady Lancers of Elba in a 7 p.m. Quarterfinal contest.

Belfast                         10  2 11  6 – 29

Houghton Academy    18  7  11  9 – 45


BELFAST: Kaitlin Sadler 3 0-4 6, Alicia Borden 1 0-0 2, Anna Drozdowski 1 1-2 3, Mary Hamer 4 0-0 8, Harley Proctor 1 0-0 2, Angel Jimerson 1 0-0 2, Emma Sullivan 2 0-0 4, Jaiden Enders 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 1-6 29.
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Jessica Prentice 9 4-5 22, Emma Retz 2 0-2 4, Sarah Retz 7 1-2 17, Emily Tankeh 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 5-9 45.

3-point goals: Houghton 2 (S. Retz).
Total Fouls: Belfast 11, Houghton 8. Fouled out: None.


No. 7 Whitesville 63, No. 10 Chesterton Academy 9

ALMOND — It was a home game on the schedule for the seventh-seeded Lady Blue Jays of Whitesville, but they made felt right at home on the grounds of Alfred-Almond on Tuesday, as they held No. 10 Chesterton Academy to single digits across the board while the offense took care of business on all facets in their 63-9 Class D2 First Round coasting.


“The level of focus and effort was really high tonight,” said Lady Blue Jays coach Aaron Rawady said. “The girls knew it would have to be against an unknown opponent. They also knew it was now win or go home, and they don’t want the season to end. Hopefully, we can maintain the same mentality in our next game against a really strong team, in a really tough environment.”


Allegany County’s leading scorer in the girls basketball division showed no signs of slowing down, as Vanessa Hall continues to make an impact for the Lady Blue Jays (15-6) offense, netting a game-high 30 points, including four of the team’s six three-pointers, to go with 12 rebounds, four steals, four assists and three blocks to round off an absolutely dominant performance.


Rachel Jackson and Kate Pensyl each helped the Whitesville cause with seven points each, with Jackson adding nine rebounds off the glass along the way. Kennedy Bledsoe and Serina Button each netted six points, with Bledsoe swiping five steals in the special teams department.


On Friday, Whitesville hits the road upstate for their next matchup in the Class D2 Quarterfinal round, as they prepare to take on the second-seeded Lady Knights of Northstar Christian. Tip-off is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.

Chesterton Academy      1   4   2   2 – 9

Whitesville                   20 11 13 19 – 63 


CHESTERTON ACADEMY: Sophia McMullen 1 0-3 2, Mia Cleveland 0 1-2 1, Chloe Pouthier 0 2-4 2, Anna Flugel 1 0-0 2, Cecilia Kelly 1 0-0 2. Totals: 3 3-13 9.
WHITESVILLE: Kennedy Bledsoe 3 0-0 6, Rachel Jackson 3 0-0 7, Serena Ainsworth 2 0-0 4, Vanessa Hall 10 6-8 30, Jessica Erdmann 0 1-2 1, Kate Pensyl 3 0-0 7, Serina Button 3 0-0 6, Gabbi Hall 1 0-0 2. Totals: 25 7-10 63.

3-point goals: Whitesville 6 (Hall 4, Jackson, Pensyl).
Total Fouls: Chesterton 10, Whitesville 13. Fouled out: None.


No. 5 Lima Christian 42, No. 12 Friendship 20

LIMA — The season is over for the Lady Golden Eagles of Friendship, as No. 5 Lima Christian sent them home packing on Tuesday with a 42-20 victory over the 12-seeds to advance into Friday’s Class D2 Quarterfinal round.


Stats and a box score were not available upon publication.


Friendship finishes the 2019-20 campaign with an overall record of 3-17. The team will graduate three seniors at year’s end, in Faith Sands, Elizabeth Sisson and Kyleigh Auman.

Chris Brooks
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