By Rob Potter
ELDRED — January 12, 2010 — Three basketball games were held at Eldred Central School on Friday night in a Coaches vs. Cancer Fundraiser.
Proceeds from the event, which totaled over $500, will benefit the American Cancer Society.
Players, coaches and fans wore pink items, including socks, wristbands, ties and T-shirts, to promote cancer awareness and the efforts of many people to fight and defeat the disease. Eldred Yellowjackets junior varsity Coach James Bisland wore a bright pink suit.
In the boys’ varsity game, Eldred prevailed, 46-38. In the girls’ varsity game, Eldred withstood a late comeback by Roscoe to record a 41-38 victory.
Junior forward Sage Owens led the Lady Yellowjackets to their win by recording a double-double of 24 points and 15 rebounds. Meaghan Hazen added six points and nine rebounds for Eldred, which improved its record to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in Div. VI.
With 36 seconds to go in the game, Roscoe senior forward Amanda Huggins made a free throw to bring her team to within a basket at 40-38.
Because Eldred was not yet in the bonus situation, the Lady Blue Devils were forced to commit fouls in order preserve time on the clock and make the Lady Yellowjackets shoot foul shots in order to regain possession. Owens was fouled while taking a shot with 27 seconds to go. She missed her first free throw, but made the second to give her team a three-point advantage.
Roscoe (3-5, 1-2 Div. VI) was unable to get a good shot at the basket in the remaining time.
Eldred Coach Frank Kean was pleased with how his team played, especially since the Lady Yellowjackets remained undefeated in division play.
“It’s good to get a division victory, especially here at home,” he said. “The key to going for a division title is to get those wins in home games.”
Kean also praised the Lady Blue Devils, saying, “I give Roscoe a lot of credit for the way they came back in the fourth quarter.”
Roscoe Coach Becky Ahart noted that “a full-court, man-to-man press” defense in the fourth quarter helped her team close what had been a 33-20 deficit at the end of the third period to just a basket in the last minute.
“Both teams played a good basketball game,” she said.
Junior point guard Paige Clancy led the Lady Blue Devils with 12 points, while Taylor DeVantier had nine points and Kiera Browne recorded seven points.
Yellowjackets take an early lead
on their way to victory
In the boys’ varsity game, Eldred (4-1, 3-0 Div. VI) jumped out to a 15-2 lead in the first quarter by making steals and converting them into layups on the other end of the court. Senior guard Blair Flanigan had two of those layups.
Roscoe (1-8, 0-3 Div. VI) got its offense on track in the second quarter, but the Yellowjackets still held a 26-11 advantage at halftime.
After being down 37-21 early in the fourth period, the Blue Devils closed out the game with a 17-9 scoring run.
But the early lead and the performances of Flanigan, Scott Hallock, Bryan Henry and Chris Pitcher carried Eldred to the win. Hallock scored a team-high 10 points, Flanigan had nine points, Henry had eight points and Pitcher finished with seven points.
Eldred Coach J.J. Gass was not too surprised that the Blue Devils rebounded from their early deficit.
“They are a very competitive team,” Gass said.
Gass also praised his players, especially Pitcher for his good shooting and Hallock for scoring baskets down inside the lane and grabbing several rebounds.
“We had a good turnout for a worthy cause,” said Gass, noting the large crowd on hand for the three games.
He said the home crowd helped his team stay motivated throughout the game.
“The student section, called ‘The Beehive,’ does a great job,” Gass said. “They are like the sixth man out there on the court.”
Nate Brock led the Blue Devils with 14 points, while Adam Hendrix netted 11 points and Jessie Huggins added 10 points.
“Eldred has a very good team and J.J [Gass] does a good job coaching them,” Roscoe Coach Fred Ahart said. “Scott Hallock had an outstanding game for Eldred tonight.”
Ahart was pleased that his players “kept playing hard and didn’t give up” when they fell behind so early in the contest.
“It was nice of Eldred to host these Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser games and we at Roscoe were glad to be a part of it,” Ahart said.