Wednesday Roundup: Lady Bulldogs complete remarkable fourth quarter rally to defeat B-R in overtime to win fourth game in last five

Written By Chris Brooks

BOLIVAR — The message from head coach Jim Schneider to his Lady Bulldogs was simple after their comeback victory over Genesee Valley - play all 32 minutes across the board. On Wednesday, they aimed for that goal back over the road at Bolivar-Richburg. But the Lady Wolverines made it tough for Belfast to handle.

As a result, it led to the Lady Wolverines taking control for much of the evening, including carrying a double digit lead into the fourth quarter. But something sparked for the Lady Bulldogs - it was another of their rallies. It occurred in one of the more crucial times of the game, as they built a monumental run, outscoring Bolivar-Richburg by a massive 21-9 count to come all the way back to force overtime at the last second.

The momentum they had established, remained.

In overtime, Belfast put the ribbon on a combined 24-11 run against Bolivar-Richburg, one which Emma Sullivan was responsible for tying together behind a crucial three-pointer that gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead right down to the end, as they collect their fourth win in their first five games while handing the Lady Wolverines their first loss of the young season with a 43-42 overtime triumph.

“We absolutely dominated that fourth quarter. It was insane. We did everything we had to do to win the game, and we did it very well,” Lady Bulldogs coach Jim Schneider said. “That Bolivar-Richburg team is one whopper of a team. They’re hard to defend, they have big guards and we did everything we needed to do up against them to make this happen. We’ve been working on that heart in practice to get that solid 32 minute game we’ve been looking for. For some reason in the first quarter and a half, it was bothersome.”

The first half was one Belfast (4-1) had to fight their way back from to make sure the comeback would remain in play in the last eight minute period, as Bolivar-Richburg started out hot with eight straight points to the basket with multiple Lady Wolverines getting involved.

The Lady Bulldogs sought some help at the free throw line, as well as one of many Emma Sullivan threes to jump into the game themselves, to end the first quarter with five of the last nine points to trail by seven heading into the second. The deficit grew larger from the start of the next period and near the midway mark, when Bolivar-Richburg (3-1) started out hot again with another scoreless run, conducted mainly by Aliyah Cole, who had six of her 12 total points within the team’s scoreless 10-0 run.

With a heavy lead in hand, it was cut down once more by Belfast right before the half saw its eventual end, as they concluded festivities with the last eight points to trail by nine heading into the break, headed by efforts from multiple Lady Bulldogs, including a two-pointer from Anna Drozdowski, Abby Sullivan and Mary Hamer.

“We just got really complacent, and we had talked about before how Belfast is a great, scrappy team,” said Lady Wolverines coach Justin Thomas. “If you keep them in the game, it will benefit them. They like those scrappy games, and they wanted it more than we did in the end. That was the difference. That extra rebound, that extra shot that we thought didn’t mean much, but when you add it up, Belfast dug their way back in and shut us down. We made a lot of mistakes, forced a lot of shots and we let the chaos Belfast created, get the best of us unfortunately.”

Thomas added, “They gave us a little preview of what was coming. We got up, and it could be on me for not subbing the right way, but one way or another, we let them get a few points to cut into our really good lead at halftime. It brought them that much closer.”

For now, the Lady Wolverines were able to extend the gap in the third quarter back out to double digits again with a narrow outscoring of Belfast, eventually taking the 31-19 lead heading into the final eight minutes. But then, the Lady Bulldogs mounted a comeback.

The fireworks were put on full display when the visitors in black and red were able to put away everything that they found, including the play that sent the game into overtime - a Mary Hamer offensive rebound-turned-game-tying lay-in with approximately two seconds left to play in regulation.

In OT, it was senior leadership making its presence. With the Lady Wolverines getting on the board first to retake the lead, Emma Sullivan would give the Lady Bulldogs the lead back for good, nailing her final three-pointer - perhaps the biggest one she has had this season thus far, to put Belfast ahead for good despite a last-chance effort by the hosts to win the game at the buzzer. But the shot taken rimmed out, sealing the comeback victory.

“This was one of the most exhilarating games I have been a part of since I started here, and even while I’ve been coaching my son in AAU,” said Schneider. “Anna’s play was timely, Emma’s three was gigantic and Mary dominating the middle was incredible. At that point in the fourth quarter, the clock and the score became invisible. Next thing I know, I take a look and we’re within four. I told the girls after we took a timeout that we were in reach, and I could see in their eyes that they wanted this. This was the game that they needed.”

Hamer led all Belfast scorers with a team-high 14 points. Following behind were Sullivan’s trio of three-pointers that set up her 13-point evening. Drozdowski would finish with eight points. On the other side, McKinlee Harris, along with her sister Madigan, returned to the lineup for the first time this season, as she finished with a team-leading 14 points. Cole had 12 points, while Kelsey Pacer, Kayli Giardini and Jianna Nix all had four points each.

On special teams for the Lady Wolverines, Pacer and Cole combined for 27 rebounds, with Cole earning 14 to complete her double-double, while Pacer 13 herself. Nix dished out a team-high five assists.

Belfast will now go for their fifth win in their last six Saturday evening back home, as they prepare to host the Lady Jays of Whitesville in a 5 p.m. contest. As for Bolivar-Richburg, they remain pat on their home floor to host Cuba-Rushford on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in hopes of springing back into the win column.

Belfast 5 8 6 21 3 – 43

Bolivar-Richburg 12 10 9 9 2 – 42

BELFAST: Abby Sullivan 1 0-0 2, Alicia Borden 2 0-0 4, Anna Drozdowski 3 2-10 8, Mary Hamer 7 0-2 14, Emma Sullivan 5 0-0 13, Cierra Wallace 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 2-12 43.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: McKinlee Harris 6 0-0 14, Madigan Harris 1 0-2 2, Kelsey Pacer 1 1-2 4, Trinidy Miller 1 0-0 2, Kayli Giardini 1 2-2 4, Aliyah Cole 5 2-5 12, Jianna Nix 2 0-0 4, Jessica Majot 0 0-2 0. Totals: 17 5-13 42.
3-point goals: Belfast 3 (Sullivan), B-R 3 (Mc. Harris 2, Pacer).
Total Fouls: Belfast 16, B-R 19. Fouled out: None.

Fillmore 46, Cuba-Rushford 36

CUBA — The Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford held the lead through a strong first half of play on their home floor, Wednesday night. But with the visiting Lady Eagles of Fillmore right in the rearview mirror, they would make a B-line for the outside lane to make a pass in the third quarter, as they held the hosts down in check while taking the lead away for good with a big run, exiting town with a 46-36 victory.

Trailing by three at the end of the opening half, the Lady Eagles (3-1) saw a pair of their dynamic players rise to the occasion to create the game-changing rift they were looking for. Jadyn Mucher took control of the game down low on offense, while Morgan Byer flared up from the outer perimeter, launching three of her four three-pointers in the start of the second half to help account for the team’s massive 17-3 run that saw them pull away for good.

The lead grew much larger in the fourth quarter before the Lady Rebels (0-4) were able to cut it down toward the end. But it proved to be too much to overcome.

Mucher and Byer led all scorers for Fillmore with 12 team-high points each. Emma Cole followed behind with 10 points of her own, while Rachel Hatch and Preslee Miller each had four. For the Lady Rebels, Taylor Searle went a near-perfect 6-for-8 from the charity stripe to provide a solid game-high 16-point effort. Ella Jaffe had eight points.

Both teams are back on the floor Friday night with a pair of 7:30 p.m. contests, as Fillmore heads back home to welcome in the Wellsville Lady Lions for their first of two meetings, while Cuba-Rushford takes their first road trip of the season to Bolivar-Richburg to visit the Lady Wolverines.

Fillmore 10 8 17 11 – 46

Cuba-Rushford 14 7 3 12 – 36

FILLMORE: Shelby Beardsley 1 0-0 2, Grace Russell 1 0-0 2, Emma Cole 5 0-5 10, Rachel Hatch 2 0-1 4, Jadyn Mucher 6 0-0 12, Morgan Byer 4 0-2 12, Preslee Miller 2 0-0 4. Totals: 21 0-8 46.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Brynn Lavery 2 0-0 5, Ella Jaffe 4 0-0 8, Macie Demick 3 0-0 7, Taylor Searle 4 6-8 16. Totals: 13 6-8 36.

3-point goals: Fillmore 4 (Byer), C-R 4 (Searle 2, Lavery, Demick).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 10, C-R 8. Fouled out: None.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Scio 59, Andover 45

ANDOVER — All the Scio Tigers needed in Wednesday’s road trip was eight minutes. In the first eight minutes, they set a tone almost immediately against host Andover, rolling their way toward a prevalent 18-4 run of the Panthers that saw them jump into the driver’s seat from start to finish, as they powered their way toward a 59-45 road win behind a massive night from senior Cam Loucks.

“It was frustrating right from the get-go,” said Panthers coach John Dougherty. “We had a horrible first quarter, and after that, it was pretty much back and forth the rest of the way. If we didn’t spot them the 14 points, it would have been a completely different game. We would get rolling one time, and then come right back another. Other than that, we will find ways to keep trying. The season is still early.”

Loucks was the big driving force behind Scio’s success, as he posted a second straight 30-point game for the Tigers, netting a 6-for-11 outing at the charity stripe to put forth toward a 33-point game-high performance. Brendan Loucks added in his 18 points, while Ayden Faulkner and Nate Ford had six, and two points to round off the scoring.

For Andover (2-1), it was Greg Reilly that led the pack with his team-high 14 points. Spencer Cook provided his 13 points, while Chris Walker had nine to chip in.

Both teams are back on the floor Saturday afternoon, with the Tigers heading back home to take on the Whitesville Blue Jays in a 1 p.m. contest, while the Panthers hit the road, looking to get back on track against the Belfast Bulldogs later on in the day at 2:30 p.m.

Scio 18 13 12 16 – 59

Andover 4 15 10 14 – 45

SCIO: Brendan Loucks 8 2-2 18, Ayden Faulkner 3 0-2 6, Nate Ford 1 0-0 2, Cam Loucks 13 6-11 33. Totals: 25 8-15 59.
ANDOVER: Spencer Cook 5 2-4 13, Brody Carlin 1 0-0 3, Greg Reilly 7 0-0 14, Chris Walker 4 1-3 9, Kohler Niedermaier 3 0-0 6. Totals: 20 3-7 45.

3-point goals: Scio 1 (Loucks), Andover 2 (Cook, Carlin).
Total Fouls: Scio 14, Andover 12. Fouled out: None.

Chris Brooks
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Tuesday Roundup: Fillmore staves off late 4th quarter rally by B-R to move to 3-0; Lady Lions set tone early in home win against Andover