Since claiming the inaugural edition of the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Summer Hoops Festival in 2011, the Central region girls team had come close to matching that title, but hadn’t done so – until last weekend.
In Johnson City, near Binghamton, Central won all five of its games to earn the Hoops Festival title, with Jamesville-DeWitt’s Gabby Stickle and Fayetteville-Manlius’ Lexie Roe both taking central roles.
Stickle was just a part of a large J-D connection to the Central squad. Three-time state champion Kasey Vaughan served as an assistant coach, while Paige Keeler practiced with the team. Momo LaClair, part of Central’s second-place side in 2018, was injured.
When the Hoops Fest got underway last Friday night, Stickle made an immediate impact, hitting on five 3-pointers and producing a team-high 19 points as Central handled Buffalo 79-63.
Central’s defense took over the next morning in a 50-29 romp over Capital District. Then, in the afternoon, Roe and Stickle both hit for 10 points, helping Bishop Ludden’s Amarah Streiff (18 points) and Cicero-North Syracuse’s Jessica Cook (16 points) as Central held off Hudson Valley 76-69.
The semifinal on Sunday morning pitted Central against Rochester. A close game at halftime broke open for Central in the third quarter, Roe scoring 12 points to match New Hartford’s Kaia Henderson for top honors, while Stickle chimed in with 11 points.
Having defeated Rochester 60-46, Central advanced to the final later that day, a rematch with Hudson Valley. Again, the first half was tight and Central trailed 31-30 at intermission.
But a three-pronged attack helped Central take over and earn the gold medal 73-53. Cook netted 16 points to fuel the getaway and finished with 24 points, Streiff earned 11 of her 14 points in the second half to match Henderson’s total, and West Genesee’s Catie Cunningham netted all nine of her points after the break.
Also at the Summer Hoops Fest, Central’s boys basketball team went 2-1 in pool play, advancing to the semifinals before a 79-64 defeat to Suffolk County (Long Island).
