'It's a brotherhood': Tightknit Aquinas team dominates to capture Section V title

'It's a brotherhood': Tightknit Aquinas team dominates to capture Section V title

There is a lot discussion and analysis about chemistry and culture in sports these days, including with the Aquinas boys basketball team.

The way the team gets along rates a thumbs up, according to first-year coach Jeff LaFave.

Just look at how well the seniors, juniors and sophomores play defense, something that requires teamwork, LaFave said Saturday after Aquinas won its first Section V Boys Basketball Championship since 2016.

Aquinas ran away to a 77-43 win over Rush-Henrietta in the sectional Class AA tournament final, tying the team's fourth-lowest total for points allowed in a game this season.

Rush-Henrietta (10-13), the tournament's No. 8 seed, was a team that strung together upsets to reach the championship game at Gates Chili, including against No. 1 Victor. But the Royal Comets never led against No. 2 Aquinas (19-3).

"Defensively, we showed up," LaFave said. "People want to score, but we want to stop people."

Class A: East High, Mendon cruise to Section V boys basketball titles

Retiring coach wins 10th title: Here are the Section V Class B, D boys title winners

More: Section V champions are made in Class C boys basketball

Rush-Henrietta's leading scorers against Aquinas were Tyler Simmons with 11 points and nine points for Abdulfatah Bori, the only member of the Royal Comets starting lineup taller than 5 feet, 10 inches.

"Aquinas is strong where we are susceptible," Rush-Henrietta coach Chris Reed said. "It’s not like we didn’t shoot the ball well. They made it difficult for us to shoot.

"You better be able to handle the ball (against Aquinas). They can shoot from the perimeter and drive to the basket at every position. They have a legitimate chance (in the state tournament). It's going to take a very good team to beat them."

A total of 10 players scored for Aquinas, including former team manager Owen Acciari. Senior forward Myles Blackwood and Mason Blackwood, a sophomore forward who LaFave is willing to argue that he is the best player in Section V, led the team's scorers with 16 points each.

Aquinas senior forward Jack Bleier had 12 points, while junior guard Mykel White had 11 and senior guard Robert McCullough 10.

"There are players who would start on other teams in Section V," LaFave said. "The fact that they wanted to come together and win a championship, and wanted to do anything, whether it was weight room sessions and open gyms, they had 100% attendance every time.

"That says a lot about these kids at Aquinas."

There are enough members of the group who don't mind that Mason Blackwood, an underclassman, is considered the best player on a dominant team. Aquinas won its Class AA sectional tournament games by 23, 18 and 34 points, and face Section VI champion Jamestown out of the Buffalo region in the state tournament March 12.

"It's a brotherhood," LaFave said. "They love each other. If one is going in, they are all going in."

JAMESJ@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Brothers lead Aquinas to dominating victory in Section V championship