The tantalizing prospect of both of the area’s girls basketball defending Section III large-school champions meeting head-to-head made last Wednesday’s game between Jamesville-DeWitt and West Genesee an attractive match-up.
But this was a rare instance where the contest matched the expectations, a fast-paced and exciting battle that came down to the final seconds before the Red Rams held on to beat the Wildcats 59-57.
This was the season opener for J-D, the reigning two-time state Class A champions who returned all but two players (Julia Kelner and Angela Bussone) from last year’s roster. WG had played twice, going 1-1 as it beat CBA but lost to Bishop Kearney.
Unlike many Rams opponents, the Wildcats were not intimidated one bit, pushing the pace from the outset. WG led 14-7 at one point in the first quarter before J-D fought back and took the lead, 21-19, on Meg Hair’s last-second jumper.
All through the next two periods, the Rams tried to get away. It led by as much as eight in the second quarter before WG cut into that margin and only trailed by five, 33-28, at halftime.
It was the same in the third period, only here J-D grabbed a 42-32 lead before the Wildcats went on a 13-1 run, capped by Catie Cunningham’s 3-pointer that put WG in front 45-43 early in the fourth quarter.
Back-to-back baskets by Hair would get the Rams ahead for good, but the issue remained in doubt until the final minute. Jamie Boeheim’s lay-up, and Hair’s free throws with five seconds left, allowed J-D to hang on.
All told, 13 of Hair’s 19 points came in the second half as Boeheim got 14 points, with Gabby Stickle producing 11 points, Andrea Sumida nine points and Sydney Baker six points.
WG’s sister tandem of Mackenzie and Madison Smith both stood out as Mackenzie had 20 points and Madison added 15 points. Cunningham had 10 points before fouling out as Haley Collins had six points.
And then it was time for J-D to host its second annual “Best of NY Tournament”, which brought in teams from New York City, plus the Rochester and Buffalo areas.
In the opening round, the Rams met Paul Robeson, from Brooklyn, and roared to a 73-43 victory, doing most of the damage in the first half, when it built a 38-14 advantage.
Hair finished with 24 points, hitting on three 3-pointers as Paige Keeler also connected three times beyond the arc on her way to 17 points. Stickle got 12 points and ninth-grade point guard Momo LaClair chimed in with 11 points.
Bishop Kearney, who had already defeated West Genesee this season, topped Williamsville South in the other first-round game, setting up a classic final between Kearney and J-D that would spill into overtime before the Red Rams pulled out a 52-48 victory.
Though it took a 15-10 lead through one period, the Rams could not pull away, shut down for long stretches by Kearney’s defense as the game remained close all the way through.
They were tied, 38-38, when the Kings’ Allure Simmons hit a 3-pointer to put her side in front. As regulation time wound down, J-D looked for an open shot, but with Kearney focused on defending hair, LaClair flashed open and, right before the horn, hit the 3-pointer to send it to overtime 41-41.
Another LaClair 3-pointer keyed the Rams in OT as it went in front for good. Most of LaClair’s nine points came in that late stretch as Hair finished with 17 points and Boeheim got 10 points. Saniaa Wilson, a Kearney senior headed for Syracuse University next fall, led her side with 17 points.
J-D plays its first Salt City Athletic Conference Empire division game this Friday, a trip to Oswego.
