Pavilion powers its way to C2 title; Oakfield-Alabama wins C1 crown
The Pavilion Golden Gophers have a 6-foot-2 center working the low post.
Dundee/Bradford does not.
So it should come as no surprise that the Golden Gophers are again champions of Class C2 in Section V after Saturday’s 45-36 win over the BraveScots. What is a bit surprising is that the BraveScots were able to hang so close with a Golden Gophers team that also has a top-shelf guard.
Pavilion!!
Class C2 champs! @SecVGBasketball pic.twitter.com/fiiMPy5doz— Bob Chavez (@MPN_bchavez) March 4, 2023
But it was the combination of Lauren Kingsley down low and Karlee Zinkievich from the perimeter that sent Pavilion to its second straight championship and third in the last four seasons. Pavilion also lost in the 2021 championship.
“It’s been a nice five-year run for those two,” Pavilion coach Ben Schwenebraten said. “We have a point guard who is the extension of us (as coaches) who does exactly what we ask of her and then (opponents) have Lauren to deal with.”
Pavilion pulls away late
Pavilion led 24-15 at the half but Dundee/Bradford was a close as 35-32 midway through the fourth quarter. That’s because sophomore guard Kendall Parker (17 points) was doing what she does in creating offense for herself and teammates.
But with 1:35 left, a Zinkievich 3-pointer gave the Golden Gophers an eight-point lead and Kylie Conway’s bucket made it a 10-point game. The Pavilion defense took care of the rest, holding the BraveScots to a Parker basket in the final 1:35.
Kingsley scored 18 point for Pavilion and Zinkievich scored 11.
They said it
Dundee/Bradford coach Michael Strait, on defending Kingsley: “We wanted to keep the ball out of her hands as much as possible. We did it some, but not enough.”
Lauren Kingsley: “It feels great. I’m just speechless. We just wanted to make smart passes and work as a team.”
Pavilion coach Ben Schwenebraten: “We were keeping an eye on No. 2. She’s one of the toughest guards we’ve seen all season but seeing Emelia (McCulley of Batavia Notre Dame) in the semis helped. We wanted to keep her in front of us and make it tough for her to get to the basket.”
Section V girls basketball Class C2 all-tournament team
Jayla Bell (Lyons), Emelia McCulley (Batavia Notre Dame), Kylie Conway (Pavilion), Kailey Yeoman (Dundee/Bradford), Karlee Zinkievich (Pavilion), Kendall Parker (Dundee/Bradford). MVP: Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion).
More:Section V girls basketball scores for the 2022-23 season
Class C1: No. 2 Oakfield-Alabama 49, No. 1 Canisteo-Greenwood 45
The harder you work, the sweeter it is and that’s how title No. 3 feels for the Hornets of Oakfield-Alabama.
The Hornets (20-3) trailed by six entering the fourth quarter but battled their way back into when Piper Hyde converted an and-1 with 5:25 left that also was a fourth personal foul for Brooke Burd, C-G’s top scorer and rebounder.
That sent Burd, a 6-foot-1 senior, to the bench for a break and O-A pushed its lead from 37-35 to 43-39 by the time Burd returned. And with 43 seconds left, Burd picked up her fifth foul for C-G (22-1).
That opened the door for C-G junior Lillian Mullen to take control and she did. She hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final 23 seconds but the Hornets were clutch on free throws down the stretch to clinch the title.
“We don’t have a lot of size in our league,” O-A coach Jeff Schlagenhauf said. “But we saw Attica toward the end of the season and they have a couple of big kids. That exposed some problems we had so we had to re-tool some things.”
By the numbers
Alea Groff led O-A with 14 points, Piper Hyde scored 12 and Caitlin Ryan 11. For C-G, Lillian Mullen scored 21 and Brooke Burd scored 15.
Section V Class C1 girls basketball all-tournament team
Ashlyn Wright (Bloomfield), Alyssa Kramer (Alexander), Piper Hyde (Oakfield-Alabama), Lillian Mullen (Canisteo-Greenwood), Caitlin Ryan (Oakfield-Alabama), Brooke Burd (Canisteo-Greenwood). MVP: Alea Groff (Oakfield-Alabama).
Class D1: No. 1 Andover/Whitesville 58, No. 6 Elba 55
Tournament MVP scored Vanessa Hall scored 28 points for Andover/Whitesville.
Class D2: No. 1 Keshequa 58, No. 3 Lyndonville 41
This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Pavilion powers its way to C2 title; Oakfield-Alabama wins C1 crown
