Heading into their Section VI Class AA semifinal on Tuesday night at Buffalo State College, the Lancaster Legends weren’t intimated to be playing the defending champions and top seed Niagara Falls. They were anxious to make a statement.
Consider a statement made.
Clutch baskets throughout the fourth quarter enabled the No. 5 Legends to upset No. 1 Niagara Falls 65-57, and reach their first title game since 2017.
“It’s a great win for Lancaster basketball,” Lancaster coach John Otto said. “We went in with some confidence, we scouted them really well … it’s a gutsy performance by our guys, we’ve done this a couple times throughout the year. They’re not going to give up, it’s not their mentality.”
After both teams exchanged blows throughout the first half, a 10-0 run in the third quarter seemed to give the Wolverines an edge, as they entered the final stanza up 49-45. However, two big 3-pointers from junior Jackson Jerebko (10 points) helped flip the momentum back in favor of the Legends early in the fourth quarter. Another basket from sophomore Joe Harrington (team-high 19) capped off a 9-2 run.
With the Legends in front 56-55 with 1:35 to play, a transition layup from Gianluca Fulciniti (11) extended the Lancaster lead up to three, 58-55. It turned out that was all the insurance they’d need, as defensive stops combined with free throws sealed the deal.
“Our mindset was, yeah, we’re happy we’re at Buff State, first time in a couple years, but our goal is to win the section,” Fulciniti said. “[In the] fourth quarter, we just picked up our intensity … when we play together, its hard to stop us.”
Faybion Prather led Niagara Falls with a game-high 22 points in the loss.
The Legends will face the winner of Wednesday’s semifinal between Orchard Park and Jamestown in the Class AA title game at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Buffalo State.
Class B2 finals set after upset and thriller
The semifinals of Class B2 had it all: a stunning comeback, an upset, and one big time shot.
In the later game, a 3-pointer from senior Casey Curran with 15 seconds to play lifted No. 2 Allegany-Limestone over No. 3 Fredonia 42-40.
In a game where points came at a premium, it seemed as though the Gators had one foot already in the title game with 1:31 to play, as they held a comfortable 39-30 lead.
Then came the Hillbillies.
Two quick layups in a span of 20 seconds cut the deficit to five. A transition putback after a missed Gator free throw cut it to three. Then, after Tyler Putney reduced it to just one point with another layup, Putney stole the ensuing inbounds pass for an easy lay in. In just one minute, the Hillbillies managed to take a stunning lead, 40-39, with 30 seconds to play.
“We turn it over once, okay, we’re fine. We turn it over twice, okay, we’re fine, but then it kept piling up … it was a crazy minute and a half,” Gators coach Glenn Anderson said. “I told them in the locker room beforehand that our defense is going to get us to Saturday, and it did in the end.”
Thankfully for Allegany-Limestone, their saving grace came in the form of Curran’s 3-pointer on the next possession, as he found himself open at the top of the key and buried the shot. A good look from beyond the arc for Fredonia’s Kaleb Rybij (13) as time expired came up short to end the game.
“Coach drew up a play for me, and it didn’t go exactly how we planned it, but I get the open three and I knocked it down,” said Curran, who finished with 11 points to go with 15 rebounds and nine blocks. “Survive and advance, right?”
In the evening’s first game, the Newfane Panthers found themselves trailing the Olmsted Owls in the opening minutes.
A 13-1 run swiftly solved that conundrum, and the Panthers cruised from there.
No. 4 Newfane utilized aggressive defense and team basketball to pull off the upset, defeating No. 1 Olmsted 72-48.
“Everything is starting to connect, everybody’s where they’re supposed to be and the communication on defense has really picked up,” Newfane coach Eric Klumpp said. “They bring out the best in eachother. They’re all prioritizing winning over any kind of stats and it’s nice to watch a team when they play like that.”
The Panthers led by five after the first quarter, but a dominant second stanza both offensively and defensively helped them get some separation. By the time both sides headed to the locker room, Newfane found themselves up big, 35-18, and that deficit proved insurmountable for the Owls.
Newfane senior Garrett Srock was one of 11 Panthers to tally at least a point, as he led the balanced attack with 19 points, including nine in the second quarter.
“I just got to give it to the team, they gave me the ball for the open looks and I just finished it,” Srock said. “We’ve been playing really good lately … our field goal percentage has been through the roof. Hopefully going into Saturday, we can just keep that the same and win a sectional title.”
Olmsted’s Marciano Lamar had a game-high 23 in the losing effort.
Newfane and Allegany-Limestone are set to meet for the Class B2 title at noon on Saturday at Buffalo. The Gators will look to repeat, while the Panthers are hunting for their first championship since 1980.
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