Retiring coach wins 10th title: Here are the Section V Class B, D boys title winners
Mike Rapone is retiring as the Batavia Notre Dame boys basketball coach.
Just not yet.
Batavia Notre Dame defeated Elba, a rival in the Genesee Region league, 59-46 Saturday in the Section V Class D2 Tournament final at Letchworth.
"It was defense really," Rapone said. "We go nine or 10 deep (in the rotation of players). It allowed us to keep up the defensive pressure and that was the difference in the game."
That makes 10 sectional basketball titles for Mike Rapone at Batavia Notre Dame. No coach has watched his teams win more games in Section V boys basketball history, now 728.
Batavia Notre Dame senior Colin McCulley continued his strong comeback from a knee injury, scoring 19 points with 8 rebounds and 4 steals against No. 2 seed Elba (15-8). He was named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.
"I won my first championship with his uncle on the team and now the last one with him on the team," Rapone said.
Junior guard Jordan Welker finished with 13 points, 4 assists and 5 steals and sophomore guard/forward Ryan Fitzpatrick eight points, all in the fourth quarter, to help Batavia Notre Dame.
A total of 17 turnovers committed also helped doom Elba to a third loss this season to Batavia Notre Dame, which outscored the Lancers 20-10 in the fourth quarter. CJ Gottler scored 15 points and Zach Marsceill 12 to lead Elba.
"I like their work ethic, they play hard all of the time," Rapone said about Batavia Notre Dame players. "And that's not always easy. Any one of the nine guys can make a case to be a starter.
"They come in when they are called on and contribute."
Batavia Notre Dame officials say the 19 appearances in sectional finals and 18 slots in the sectional tournaments as No. 1 seeds, including this season, also are Section V records.
Another loss and Rapone's basketball coaching career is over, but there is also a chance to add on to the Batavia Notre Dame athletic director and assistant principal's resume.
Batavia Notre Dame and undefeated Section V Class D1 champion Avoca/Prattsburgh must play to decide which team advances into the state tournament quarterfinals or regionals. That state qualifier or playoff is 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Avoca/Prattsburgh defeated Batavia Notre Dame during last season's sectional finals, and edged Wheatland-Chili 68-67 at Letchworth during this year's set of championship games.
Elba led Batavia Notre Dame by one point in the third quarter, until McCulley made three 3-pointers in four possessions. Batavia Notre Dame led by eight, and Elba failed to reduce the Lancers' deficit to less than three the remainder of the final.
"I know the kids like playing at Blue Cross Arena, but that gym was a great atmosphere," Rapone said. "We’re two small schools, but it looked like it was packed."
Next for Class B champions
Logan Dunbar was a big help in turning back the clock in Wellsville boys basketball to 2019, the last time the Lions were Section V champions.
Dunbar scored 23 of his 29 points in the second half as Wellsville surged to a 66-58 win over Mynderse Academy in the Class B2 sectional final at Webster Schroeder.
Dominance by Dunbar went beyond his scoring, as the No. 4 seed Lions scored 40 points after halftime, when the score was 26-26.
Wellsville (14-8), which defeated No. 1 Dansville to reach the tournament final, can reach the state tournament regionals or quarterfinals.
The winner of the Wellsville versus Newark state qualifier on March 9, advances to face the Section VI Class B champion in the Buffalo region March 12.
Newark won the Section V Class B1 title Saturday, when it defeated Palmyra-Macedon 40-37 at Webster Schroeder.
JAMESJ@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V boys basketball tournament champions 2022, Class B, D
