OLEAN ONE-UPS LACKAWANNA, WIN SECTION VI TITLE

Buffalo, NY- Championship games in any sport are typically contests that come down to the wire, and Saturday’s Section VI Class B1 title game between the Olean Huskies and Lackawanna Steelers was no exception.

That’s one reason why the Huskies’ 60-55 victory over the Steelers was so sweet. It’s also the 14th Section VI crown for the team since 2003.

“We’ve had a great season so far and obviously nobody’s ready for it to end,” coach Tim Kolasinski said. “I have three seniors on this team who I’ve had for five years, including my time on the junior varsity. So I’m definitely not ready to be done with those guys yet, and we’re feeling great right now.”

From the opening tipoff it became apparent that neither side was going to go down without a fight. And like a heavyweight boxing match it was truly a fight, as both squads went up and down the court matching each other point for point.

Following three quarters of mostly even play (and a slight 46-45 lead for the Huskies), Olean’s fortunes swung back in their favor for good after the Steelers scored five straight to start the final stanza of play. Down by four, the Huskies went on a seven-point run on scores from Kamdyn McClain and Cade Anastasia, and a three-pointer by Jack DeRose.

That seven-point stretch was part of a 14-5 run that ended the game in Olean’s favor and while the scoring was crucial in the team’s win, what was even more important for the team was doing the little things well. While Lackawanna couldn’t quite nail down the small stuff like making free throws and taking fouls when the game was at its most crucial moments in the fourth quarter, Olean was the opposite – excelling at knocking down free throws, playing good defense and staying disciplined when it mattered the most.

“We had gotten into a little bit of foul trouble coming out after halftime so even though we don’t play much zone, we tried to go to it a bit and it kind of fit us,” Kolasinski said. “We had gotten a little bit shaky and had some turnovers. What also helps is that when we were able to get a timeout, we settled down a little bit, regain our composure and take over from there.

“We knew every little possession was going to count and so would rebounding. I’m proud of my guys, especially the way they were able to hold their own on the boards. They did a pretty decent job.”

Up next for Olean in the next round of the playoffs is Class B2 champion Allegany-Limestone, who the Huskies will be playing against for the fourth time this season. To state the obvious, each school knows the other very well.

“Not only are they a league opponent for us, but they’re literally like 10 minutes down the road from us,” Kolasinski said. “They’re a very tough opponent. Having played them twice in league play and once in a tournament, that builds a lot of familiarity. We all know each other very well so it’s going to be very interesting to see what happens.”