basketball

UPDATE 1:13 p.m.: Last night was another new record for 'Shooting for a Cure." The event raised $30,000.

In its eighth year, Pembroke's "Shooting for a Cure" girls basketball reached a significant milestone Thursday night, topping $100,000 raised for cancer research.

The total amount raised this year hasn't been released yet but Mike Wilson said last night that organizers knew more than $19,000 had raised, putting the cumulative total over that $100K mark.

"These girls this year, they attacked it. I can’t say enough about this team," said Wilson, who was head coach the first year of the fundraiser in 2011. "They lead the charge. They really do. They’re the ones out pounding the pavement. They’re the ones out in Batavia, and on Transit Road, and Rochester, and Buffalo, and they’re on social media using it the right way for all those good things.

"They have really spread our mission. I’m so proud of this group. They’re a young group but they’re so mature in the compassion and love they have for the people in our community. It’s awesome."

Thursday night was also the night the community could celebrate a new job for Brianna Johnson.

It was Johnson who, in 2011, while on a team bus returning from a softball game, said the school should do something to support Coach Ron Funke's wife, Toni Funke. She and teammates talked with Wilson and the idea for Shooting for a Cure was born.

Today, Johnson starts a new job on the cancer research team at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo.

"For Brianna to have that idea and then to move on to something in the medical field, doing cancer research, it’s come full circle," Wilson said. "They just hired her. Her intake meeting is tomorrow, so when we’re down presenting our check to Candace Johnson and the Roswell staff, Brianna is going to be there signing up to become a member of that team.

"They’re going to find a cure for cancer with Brianna on that team. She’s so passionate about this. I’m very proud of her."

As for the game, Notre Dame beat Pembroke 50-31.

The Batavia High varsity girls’ basketball team, coming off a dramatic victory over Wellsville last Friday in the finals of the Batavia Rotary Club Tournament, has tacked on two more Monroe County League victories this week -- a 54-44 win over host Greece Arcadia on Monday and a 64-33 triumph over visiting Spencerport last night.

Three Batavia starters scored in doubles figures with Ryann Stefaniak and Emma Krolczyk leading the way with 16 points apiece while Mackenzie Reigle tallied 14.

The Lady Devils were in control throughout en route to their ninth win in 10 contests.

On Monday, Batavia led by only three after three periods but used a 19-12 fourth quarter to beat Arcadia.

Stefaniak scored 16, Reigle 11 and Krolczyk 10 while Bryn Wormley and Meghan Houseknecht each added eight points.

Batavia’s next game is Friday night at home against Greece Olympia, 3-7. Olympia lost to Spencerport, 46-40, on Dec. 28.

Last evening the Genesee region girls basketball rivals, Notre Dame Fighting Irish versus the Oakfield Hornets kept the crowd cheering on both sides for an entertaining evening contest at Notre Dame High School.

Both teams battled the ball through four quarters to a close four-point game after Oakfield scored with 16 seconds left on the clock trailing 41-37. A technical was called against the hornets and foul shots benefited the Irish favor in the remaining seconds to finish on top 45-37.

Oakfield’s Coach Jeff Schlagenhauf’s postgame summary:

“We talked about getting off to a good start in their gym, it’s a tough place to play but great environment for high school basketball. Defensively we stuck to what we wanted with our game plan.

"It all came together in that early part of the game, knowing full well that they would make adjustments. Coach McCulley does a great job with his kids. We were able to weather that storm going into halftime with the lead. But we talked in the locker room, they were going to keep coming, it’s their gym, they’re a good ball club and that’s what they did.

"They really kind of took it to us in the second half a little bit of the standpoint of taking us out of what we wanted us to do. Couple things changed for us after halftime -- offensively we stopped running our plays and could not get the drops. They got a couple easier baskets that did not happen for them in the first half.

"I think that was a little bit of the momentum shift that happened for us not being able to score and they took that lead, four, five points and kind of hung there the rest of the game."

Notre Dame’s Coach Tom McCulley postgame summary:

“After the first quarter being down by 10, we talked about not panicking and do what we can do, were a good team. Oakfield obviously came out with more energy than we did and they got up big, but we got players that can do good things out on the court offensively and defensively and by that we had to dig in, get some stops. 

"Oakfield was getting some easy buckets back in transition on us and we were not getting back very well in the beginning half. Once we started getting back and getting into a half court man to man coverage, they didn’t get so many good looks at the basket and we were able to claw back into it.

"We have some young players that are in new roles this year that have never been in before. When you play a quality team like Oakfield, sometimes you got to get your feet wet, you have to get in the rhythm of the game before you start to feel comfortable and that’s what exactly happened.

"We were able to weather the storm in the first half, Amelia and Sara got comfortable in the game and were the ones that were open. Oakfield was doubling Callie and Stevie when they were in the paint and Sara and Amelia knocked off some huge shots in the third quarter and that got us up and gave us a spark and we never really gave it back.”

Notre Dame Callie McCulley had 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks. Amelia McCulley added 12 points and Stevie Wilcox 10 points. Oakfield-Alabama Kelsey Shlagenauf had 15 points, Shelby Carson 10 points.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase click here.

ROTARY CLUB CHAMPIONS: The Batavia High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team with Rotary Club Tournament trophy, from left, Bella Houseknecht, Kennedy Kolb, Meghan Houseknecht, Ryann Stefaniak, Emma Krolczyk, Jenae Colkey, Bryn Wormley, Mackenzie Reigle, Tess Barone and Haylee Thornley.

It was only fitting that senior Meghan Houseknecht dropped in the winning basket in Batavia High’s exciting 59-57 victory over Wellsville in tonight’s championship game of 30^th annual Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Houseknecht was a freshman in the Lady Devils’ basketball program in January of 2016 when her father, well-known Batavia businessman Michael Houseknecht, died at the much-too-young age of 38.

With her mother, sister, grandparents, relatives and friends looking on during the closing moments of a hard-fought battle, Houseknecht, a 6-foot center, gathered in a pass from tourney MVP sophomore guard Bryn Wormley and laid the ball over the rim and through the hoop with :06 on the clock.

When teammate Kennedy Kolb broke up Wellsville’s last attempt to tie the game, Batavia had escaped with its seventh win in eight outings this season.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein relished taking the Rotary Club trophy but said he was doubly proud of the way his squad handled the adversity of losing three starters, including their top scorer, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak, who departed with her fifth foul at the 5:12 mark of the final quarter.

“Looking on the bench, we had a lead, I’m thinking we need defense,” Hein said. “ 'OK, Tess (Barone) go in'; Tess plays hardnosed defense and she did a nice job for us to finish the game. And Kennedy Kolb came through.

“I would have rather had Ryann and Kenzie (Reigle) in the game but it turned out that it was a nice win where everyone contributed down the line.”

He also spoke of the way Wormley has stepped up her game this season – “she’s blossoming and it’s fun to watch,” he said – and called Houseknecht’s late heroics “just rewards.”

“Remembering three years ago, it (her father’s passing) was heartbreaking,” he said. “Meg’s an awesome girl; I love her to death and it’s kind of fitting that she makes the shot to win the game.”

The game was close throughout as the teams were never separated by more than seven points.

Wellsville, now 7-2, was up by seven with two minutes left in the third quarter before Batavia ended the period on an 11-1 run with key hoops by Wormley, Reigle and Stefaniak.

Batavia grabbed its biggest lead, 48-43, on a basket by Wormley to open the fourth-quarter scoring, but Wellsville, which kept Batavia off balance with accurate long-distance shooting, pulled ahead 51-50 with 3:45 to play on a three-point shot by senior guard Taylor Adams.

Wellsville made it 53-50 on a pair of free throws by senior guard Jana Whitehouse, but Wormley responded with a three-pointer at the 2:55 mark to tie it at 53-53.

After a free throw by Wellsville’s freshman guard Marley Adams, Batavia scored four straight on a driving layup by sophomore guard Reigle and two foul shots by Wormley to take a 57-54 edge with 1:06 to play.

A pair of free throws by Adams on separate trips down the floor pulled Wellsville within a point and a free throw by senior guard Quincy Buckley with 15 seconds left made it 57-57.

Batavia inbounded the ball, with senior forward Jenae Colkey managing to escape pressure to get the ball to Wormley, who drove down the left side of the lane before lobbing it in to Houseknecht for the decisive bucket.

“The play was to get the ball to Bryn because she was the facilitator at the point in the game – the person who could either make the right pass or get into position to score,” Hein said.

Houseknecht said she was able to get free underneath by virtue of a screen from Kolb and was able to complete the play.

“When I cut through I saw I had a mismatch as the girl was shorter, and Bryn made a good pass to me,” she said. “I knew when I got the ball that I had to shoot it (right away), and fortunately it went in.”

Ironically, the basket was Houseknecht’s only two points of the game and touched off a wild celebration from the Batavia fans.

“All week we were super-excited to play in the tournament and then after winning on Wednesday (against Caledonia-Mumford) to play in the championship game,” Houseknecht said.

Stefaniak led the Batavia scoring with 19 points – five of them in the closing seconds of the first half to pull her team within two at 29-27 at intermission.

Wormley tallied 16 while Reigle and junior forward Emma Krolczyk, who both fouled out in the game’s closing minute, added 13 and nine points, respectively.

For Wellsville, Buckley led the way with 17 – including four three-point baskets -- and junior center Regan Marsh added 13. All told, Wellsville sank eight three-pointers.

We knew that they were an outside shooting team, we were worried more about Winehouse – and Buckley was popping them,” Hein said. “We knew what we were up against … We didn’t close out soon enough – they were popping.”

Stefaniak, Adams and Buckley made the all-tournament team along with Notre Dame’s Callie McCulley (ND defeated Cal-Mum in the consolation game) while Reigle earned the Sportsmanship Award.

 Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

 

There will be no rematch of last year's final between Cal-Mum and Notre Dame for the Rotary Championship after both teams fell in first-round games on Wednesday at Genesee Community College.

Notre Dame fell to Wellsville in the first game and Batavia notched a convincing 55-28 win over Cal-Mum, who lost to Notre Dame last year, but won the championship in 2017.

Bryn Wormley scored 15 points and Ryann Stefaniak scored 14 to lead the Blue Devils. Kenz Reigle added 10 and Emma Krolczyk and Jenae Colkey added six each.

For Cal-Mum, Elyse Van Auken scored 12 points.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein said he's been working with his team on their defense, which needs to improve for the team to advance and will be key if the team is to win Friday against Wellsville.

"They (Wellsville) have some outside shooters," Hein said. "They have people from the outside and they can also drive and penetrate. Our defense has to be, somebody has to play shutdown on the ball and we've got to steer it one direction and the other. People have to be willing to jump off and shut down driving lanes down as well as knowing who's the shooter and get out there them to close out them."

Game time Friday is 7:30 p.m. in the Anthony Zambito Gym at GCC.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

With Notre Dame down two starters, the Lady Irish could never quite get its offense in sync, giving Wellsville the chance to pull away with a 55-46 win in a round-one game of the annual Batavia Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

With Stevie Wilcox and Emma Finch out, Wellsville was able to concentrate its defense of Callie McCully. Even so, McCully still came away with 26 points.

Amelia McCully scored nine points.

For Wellsville, Jana Whitehouse scored 19 points and Marley Adams scored 12 points.

Wellsville faces Batavia in the championship game Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

Press release:

In 2011 the Pembroke High School Girls’ Basketball Team approached then Head Coach Mike Wilson with an idea; they wanted to show their support for Toni Funke in her battle against breast cancer by hosting a game in her honor, which would bring the community together to raise funds and awareness for cancer research at Roswell Park.

This simple act of love eight seasons ago has now grown into one of Roswell Park’s largest community‑based fundraising events. To date, Shooting For A Cure! has raised more than $88,000 for cancer research, and this season, the team hopes to eclipse the $100,000 mark in total funds raised.

This year’s fundraiser (7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 10th vs. Notre Dame) will mark the eighth consecutive season the Pembroke team will be focused on winning—not just league games, but the battle against cancer. It’s a cause that remains personal to the team and their school district because of the number of students, faculty, staff and community members who have been affected by cancer.

“The Shooting For A Cure! game isn’t just a basketball game, it’s about trying to change peoples’ lives for the better. It’s about making a positive change in our community and using our platform as players to try and make a difference,” said senior Unique Bryant.

Since the inaugural game, each team—including all of the new members—looks for ways to widen the impact of the game.

“Our team has been looking forward to the Shooting For A Cure! game since last season; it’s our favorite game of the year. We rally together with the community and use this game as a means to fight alongside those currently battling cancer,” Unique said. “On a personal level, this game is extremely special to me, as my mother is a cancer survivor. When I was about 5-years-old, she was diagnosed and battled like a warrior. I have so much love and respect for her. She’s my hero."

Junior Casey Wurtz will be playing in her third Shooting For A Cure! game this year at the varsity level.

“Each game becomes more meaningful to me," Casey said. "Three of my aunts have battled cancer. Two of them are survivors, but sadly, one of them lost her battle. This disease has been tough on my family to say the least. My grandmother was just recently diagnosed as well, and I want to do all I can to support her. This game gives my teammates and me the opportunity to come together for a cause much bigger than us.

"This game brings us all together one night a year as a Pembroke community, united, in the fight against this disease. It’s overwhelming, in the best way, to share in such a night. When I look back on my years in high school, I will always remember playing in the Shooting For A Cure! games with my team and doing our best to support those in need while trying to find a cure for this awful disease."

The 2018-2019 Shooting For A Cure! donors list has grown to more than 100 merchants and individuals including: 26Shirts, ADPRO Sports, Batavia’s Original Pizzeria, Clarence Deli, Coca-Cola of Rochester, Courage of Carly Foundation, Crickler Vending, Dave & Adam’s Card World, Dixon Ticonderoga, Eli Fish, Fava Brothers Lawn Care, Fenton’s Produce, Five Guys, Haun Welding, Hershey’s Ice Cream, Insty-Prints, Kohorst Trucking, Linda’s Family Diner, moondanceCat, Northtown Automotive, Original Pizza Logs, Pillar Real Estate Investors, Silver Lake Country Club, Southwest Airlines, Tim Hortons, Yancey’s Fancy and the YMCA.

Many of the product donations will become game night auction baskets and raffle prizes. Monies will also be raised from apparel sales and food sales with the generous support of local companies.

“This year we will have some one-of-a-kind donation items on hand for our supporters to win," said event coordinator Mike Wilson. "A Corfu resident spent countless hours building a beautiful, rustic-style kitchen table with a matching bench and two chairs. Currently, two of our students are creating custom Adirondack chairs with a matching table in support of our mission.

"We were just recently donated four tickets to sit behind the Syracuse bench at an upcoming basketball game in March as well as four suite level tickets for a Sabres game in February. Dry Creek Group has again donated a fully catered dinner party for eight guests out in Hamburg and Fenton’s Produce just donated a helicopter ride for two over Niagara Falls.

"Southwest Airlines even donated a pair of roundtrip flights anywhere they fly in the U.S. in support of our Shooting For A Cure! mission. The generosity shown throughout our community, at every level, is overwhelming, to say the least. Our Pembroke community is unlike any other.

"It is remarkable how many people come out to support the team’s mission each season. What started off as a small act of love, in support of Toni Funke eight years ago, has now become a community-wide movement that we strongly believe in. We’ll continue Shooting For A Cure! at Pembroke until a cure is found."

In addition to these generous donations, the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) will again be donating an astounding $2,500 to Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in support of Shooting For A Cure! this season.

“Roswell Park has done incredible things for our membership. It has helped so many of our members and their families battling cancer. We wanted to give back to Roswell as well as support the incredible efforts of the Pembroke Girls Basketball team,” said Western Region NYSCOPBA Vice President Joe Miano.

As a former Pembroke graduate and current resident, Miano is a firm believer in this cause.

“This group of young women, with the support of the Pembroke School District, continues to do great things for the community beyond the basketball court," Miano said. "It’s truly inspiring and we wanted to take this opportunity to reinforce their efforts.”

Miano, accompanied by a few additional members, will take part in a check presentation with the team to be held prior to the varsity game.

Additionally, the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation has revamped their online platform and developed a Team Roswell site. Direct online donations are now being accepted in support of Shooting For A Cure! at: http://give.roswellpark.org/goto/ShootingForACure

The team hopes Shooting For A Cure! will continue its tradition of topping the previous year’s fundraising total.

“Last year we were able to raise over $27,000 as a community for cancer research, which is just overwhelming when you think about it! We live in such a great community with caring people who really want to help in any way they can,” sophomore Emily Peters said.

“Playing basketball at Pembroke isn’t just about scoring points and winning games; it’s about doing what we can to pay it forward. It’s about coming together as a team, as a community, to support those fighting cancer and to try and do our part to help find a cure. This game brings our team together and it gives us a much greater purpose when we step on the court."

Roswell Park has officially sanctioned Shooting For A Cure! as a Team Cure, community events fundraiser and as a valuable example of the way that young people can make a difference.

“We continue to be impressed by the Pembroke Girls’ Basketball Team each and every season," said Alex Hoaglund, Team Roswell Special Events coordinator. "What an incredible legacy that 2011 team left, built on compassion and altruism. What each team has been able to accomplish since the first game is truly inspirational. Shooting For A Cure! is one of the top, if not the top, ongoing high school community events fundraisers for Roswell Park.

“This small community continues to do big things. At this moment Shooting For A Cure! has raised over $88,000 for cancer research at Roswell Park. I have a feeling this season they’ll eclipse the $100,000 mark in total funds raised earning them a ‘Leadership Circle’ distinction on our donor wall in the hospital lobby.

"Pembroke’s Shooting For A Cure! game is making a difference in the fight against cancer. The money they’re raising each season is funding cutting-edge research and saving lives. Team Roswell is so thankful to partner with this team and their community every year.”

It's a whole new ballgame for the Batavia Blue Devils now that the team's full squad is showing up ready to play on game night, and Friday Attica got a taste of what a healthy Batavia can put on the court.

After jumping out to a 10-1 lead to start the championship of the larger schools' bracket of Lions Club Tournament in the Anthony Zambito Gym at Genesee Community College, Batavia pretty much controlled the game the rest of the way for a 70-50 win.

Mason McFollins is back in the lineup and the difference is noticeable.

"He's offensively talented and so that helps us out because we were struggling to score while he was out," Coach Buddy Brasky said. "Now, by him scoring it opens up other things for us and it makes it easier for some of the other guys to score. He's a big piece of it because he's our number one option offense."

McFollins, the tournament MVP, scored 19 points against Attica. He hit three shots from beyond the arc.

Joe Martinucci continued his strong play in the painting, scoring 12 points.

Twin brothers Caeden White and Camden White also missed the start of the season but are back on the court causing problems for opposing defenses; Caeden always a danger to hit from the outside and Camden adding strength under the boards.

Caeden White scored eight points and was named to the All-Tournament team and Camden White scored six points.

They're very committed to basketball," Brasky said. "They come to everything we offer in the off-season. They are great kids, very coachable. And Caeden can really shoot it. Camden is a force inside. You wouldn't know they were twins just by looking at them. But it's kind of nice inside outside punch for us."

Camden White and Martinucci give the Blue Devils and nice inside rotation, Brasky said.

For the most part, Batavia was able to shut down Attica's big man, Dawson Nelson, except in the third quarter, when he scored 15 of his 19 points.

"We were trying to front them and trying beat them to across the lane not let them cut in front of us," Brasky said. "They like that high-low look where they flash the one forward up high and then he tries to dump it in low. We were trying to apply some more pressure to the passer to make the pass harder. I thought we did a decent job early, but in that third quarter we couldn't stop Dawson. He kind of took the game over in the third quarter."

McFollins, the Whites, Andrew Francis and Martinucci aren't all Batavia has going for them this season, Brasky said.

"Jake Humes is shooting the ball well for us," Brasky said. "Luke Grammatico is doing a lot of nice things for us. He hit a big three in the corner there when they're making a little bit of a run. So you know, they do some things on the court that don't maybe necessarily show up on the scoreboard but did their part.

"We've got like eight-man rotation going right now and they're part of their rotation and it's important that they can get (Andrew) Francis and Caeden and McFollins some rest."

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The Elba Lancers stepped on the gas in the final two minutes of their championship game in the Lions Tournament, smaller schools' bracket, against Oakfield-Alabama for a 69-61 win.

The intense play of Colton Dillon (top photo), tournament MVP, and Jon Boyce overcame a 30-point performance by Joey Burdick for the Hornets.

Dillon scored 18 points and Boyce scored 17. 

This was Dillon's third game back after missing the start of the season with an injury. He may have been the difference maker Friday night.

"He's such a dynamic athlete," Coach Ciaci Zambito said. "I mean the things that he can do you really can't coach. I'm super lucky to have a kid like that. The other thing is, he is one of the hardest working kids I've ever even been around or let alone coached. You've got to kick him out of the gym every day and on Sunday mornings. He will text me tomorrow morning asking to get in the gym. I can guarantee that."

Boyce, who has the big man on the court in Dillon's absence, said having Dillon back is one more piece of team chemistry that keeps the unit rolling.

"This is a team sport," Boyce said. "You can't do it by yourself. Every night, sharing the ball, taking care of each other you always. It's not just one person that can do it all. We're all fighting. We all know our role. Coach talked a lot about roles before the game. The whole season he's been preaching it. We all know our role."

Zambito gave O-A Coach Ryan Stehlar and the Hornets a lot of credit. He knew they would be a tough matchup and he had to have his guys ready.

"We really needed to match their intensity tonight," Zambito said. They play real hard and that's a testament to their coach. When we play Oakfield, we always know that we're going to get their best shot. He always has them ready to go.

"The second thing, as far as a scheme goes, we needed to get back in transition. They push the ball really well even after makes, which is rare for a high school team. They really get down the floor well. So we needed to come back and be ready to play defense."

Besides Burdick's big night (he hit five three-point shots), Travis Wiedrich scored 14 points for O-A.

Elba outscored the Hornets 22-13 in the final quarter. 

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Brynn Walczak had a big night for the Elba in girls basketball against Perry, leading a second-half rally that secured a 61-40 victory for the Lancers.

Walczak scored 23 points, hitting 10 of 15 shots and pulling down seven rebounds.

Coach Tom Redband said she "brought a lot of energy" in the second half.

Leah Bezon had a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Maddie Muehlig scored eight points and also stole the ball from opponents seven times.

For Perry, Chelsea Pascoe also had a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds. Lily Jaques scored 10 points and Auburn Milholien scored eight. 

“Our first two quarters were competitive," said Perry Coach Courtney Bell. "We executed and worked hard to keep it close. Once we lost steam it was hard to close the point gap. We played a good game and need to keep our level of play high.”

In other Friday games in girls basketball: 

• Alexander 50, Wilson 48
• Oakfield-Alabama 47, Cal-Mum 35
• Pembroke 60, Rochester Academy 35
• Le Roy 46, Byron-Bergen 43
• Pavilion 50, Barker 40
• No report available for the Notre Dame game.

Batavia ran away with its opening round game against Roy-Hart in the larger schools bracket of the Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College on Thursday night, winning 73-27. 

Mason McFollins, recently returned to the lineup, scored 15 points. Tyivon Ayala scored 13 points, all in the fourth quarter, and Caeden White, also recently cleared to play, scored 12 points. Camden White scored eight.

The Batavia Blue Devils tip off against the Attica Blue Devils in the larger school bracket at 8:30 tonight.

Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

Oakfield-Alabama came back from a nearly game-long deficit late in the fourth quarter to tie its opening round game against Notre Dame in the Lions Tournament smaller schools bracket to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets went on to win in overtime, 73-68.

Joey Burdick scored 21 points for OA, with Travis Wiedrich scoring 17, Aiden Johnston, 16, and Ty Kornow, 15.

For Notre Dame, Gabe McDonald had a double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Spencer Misiti scored 12 points and Keith Szczepanski scored nine points.

In the smaller school bracket championship tonight at 7 p.m., the Hornets will play Elba.

Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

At the half, it looked like anybody's game but over the final two quarters, Elba took over in its Lions Club Tournament opening-round game against Mount Morris in the smaller schools bracket.

The Lancers topped Mount Morris 63-53.

Colton Dillon scored 25 points and Jon Boyce added 20 for Elba.

For Mount Morris, Dylan Cicero and Collin Young scored 15 points each.

Elba will face Oakfield-Alabama in tonight's smaller school bracket championship at 7 o'clock.

 

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Le Roy kept things close against Attica in the first round of the larger school bracket of the Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College on Thursday but fell short, taking a 50-45 loss.

The Knights' Reece Tresco led all scorers with 15 points while Attica's Dawson Nelson scored 14 points. Tresco had seven rebounds and Nelson had nine.

For Le Roy, Ethan Smith scored 12 points and for Attica, Frankie Bisceglie, Devon Henderson, and Ayden Goll had eight each and Tyler Meyer scored seven points.

It will be Blue Devils vs. Blue Devils as Attica and Batavia battle it out for the larger school bracket championship at 8:30 tonight at the GCC Anthony Zambito Gym.

The Lions Club is offering several souvenirs for fans and players at the game for the first time. Below, LeeAnn Mullen and Hal Mitchell share what is being offered at the concession stand.

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Clutch long-range shooting by guards Ryann Stefaniak and Bryn Wormley and an inspired effort on both ends of the floor by forward Emma Krolczyk sparked the Batavia High Lady Devils to a 60-58 victory over visiting Honeoye Falls-Lima tonight in Monroe County Division 4 girls basketball action.

Batavia held a 23-9 led midway through the second quarter and looked like it might run away from the Cougars, now 3-6 overall. But HF-L, taking advantage of three fouls on Stefaniak and forward Jenae Colkey, finished the half on a 15-4 run to close within four.

HF-L's freshman center Teagan Kamm found the range from inside in the third quarter, scoring 12 of her game-high 25 points to offset eight points by Stefaniak, who sank a pair of three-point field goals.

Another three-pointer by Stefaniak gave Batavia a 44-41 lead early in the fourth quarter, and the Lady Devils stayed in front although HF-L closed within 53-52 with 2:30 to play.

At that point, Wormley drained a three-pointer and, following another basket by Kamm, Krolczyk hit a side jumper at the 1:02 mark to give the Lady Devils a 58-54 edge. Brown responded with another layup to make it 58-56 and, after a BHS miss, HF-L had a chance to tie it.

Krolczyk rebounded an errant shot, however, to give the ball back to Batavia and then Wormley sank a pair of free throws with 8 seconds left to make it 60-56. Brown’s layup at the buzzer closed the scoring.

Stefaniak, who played the entire fourth quarter with four fouls, led Batavia with 21 points – 16 in the second half -- while Wormley tallied seven of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Krolczyk scored 14 points and was active on the defensive and offensive boards, getting second-chance opportunities.

Senior forward Kara Oatman had 12 points and sophomore guard Hannah Selke eight for HF-L.

Both teams struggled at the foul line, with Batavia going 5-for-15 and HF-L making eight of 21.

Batavia’s next game is Jan. 2 against Caledonia-Mumford in the Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Sophomore guard Bryn Wormley scored 17 points, including two key three-point baskets midway through the third quarter, to spark the Batavia High Lady Devils girls basketball team to a 47-38 victory tonight over host Greece Odyssey in Monroe County Division 4 action.

Batavia, 4-1 overall, led 26-12 on a layup by Wormley to start the third quarter before Odyssey, 3-4, scored six straight to cut the lead to eight.

That’s when Wormley found the range from three-point distance twice to put Batavia up 32-20.

The Lady Devils finished the quarter strong on a short jumper by senior forward Jenae Colkey and three-point shot and driving layup by sophomore guard Mackenzie Reigle to take a 39-22 advantage into the final period.

Odyssey outscored Batavia 16-8 in the fourth quarter, with junior forward Treanna Blenman tallying six of her 17 points.

For Batavia, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak added 12 points (all in the first half) and Reigle also had 12 (nine in the second half). Senior center Meghan Houseknecht rounded out the scoring with four.

Reigle had three steals, Stefaniak blocked three shots and junior forward Emma Krolczyk grabbed six rebounds.

Batavia returns home to face Honeoye Falls-Lima on Dec. 27.

Now that she's reached a personal goal, senior guard Ryann Stefaniak has her sights set on leading the Batavia High Lady Devils to a legitimate run at a sectional title.

Stefaniak eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her varsity career tonight, scoring 22 points in Batavia's 67-28 win over Eastridge. The bucket that put her right at 1,000 came with 5:17 left in the second quarter -- a three-point shot from the left side that gave her 19 points at the time and pushed the Lady Devils' lead to 31-5.

It followed a trio of three-point attempts that missed the mark, and had Stefaniak wondering when it was going to happen.

"I was like c'mon," she said, "but it finally went. It was my time."

The 5-foot-9-inch sharpshooter said reaching the milestone became a goal of hers after watching a couple star teammates score over 1,000 points in their time at BHS.

"After seeing Tiara (Filbert) do it in her junior year (2015) and Maddie McCulley in her senior year (2016), I felt I could do it," she said.

Now, she said she's committed to doing all that she can to help Batavia soar to lofty heights.

"I think we have a great chance to go undefeated the rest of the season and make a long run in the sectionals," she said.

Batavia Coach Marty Hein, who presented a plaque to Stefaniak during a timeout after the defining three-point, said the achievement couldn't happen to a better person.

"Ryann has been on the varsity since eighth grade and to see her grow up to become a nice young lady and the way she has matured as a basketball player makes me very proud," Hein said. "I'm just so glad for her."

Mackenzie Reigle chipped in with 15 points for Batavia, 3-1, while Bryn Wormley and Emma Krolczyk each had eight and Meghan Houseknecht seven.

Batavia High girls basketball standout Ryann Stefaniak, receiving a plaque from Coach Marty Hein and celebrating afterward with teammates, from left, Emma Krolczyk, Mackenzie Reigle, Bryn Wormley and Jenae Colkey, scored the 1,000th point of her varsity career tonight in the Lady Devils' 67-28 victory over visiting Eastridge. In photo at top, the crowd goes wild after Stefaniak's three-point basket at the 5:17 mark of the second quarter.

The Attica Blue Devils beat the Oakfield-Alabama Hornets in a game played at O-A on Monday night, 58-48.

Travis Wiedrich scored 17 points for the Hornets and Joey Bordick scored 13.

For Attica, Devon Henderson scored 18 points. Frankie Bisceglie scored 14.

CORRECTION: In our story on the upcoming Lions' Tournament, we incorrectly referred to Coach Ryan Stehlar as a first-year coach. He is in his sixth year coaching the Hornets. We apologize for the error.

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Cal-Mum's Kyle Wade found his way to the basket as time expired and flipped a layup through the hoop to tie Friday's Oatkan Knights vs. Red Raiders boy's basketball game and send the game to overtime.

In overtime, Le Roy lost 59-54, even though Reece Tresco had a big night, scoring 25 points, including hitting three three-point shots in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Eric Wilson scored 11 points for Cal-Mum.

The boys game was the second half of a doubleheader that included a girls game against Cal-Mum. Click here for coverage.

In other boys basketball on Friday, Prattsburgh beat Notre Dame, 84-74.

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