ELBA — Each winter sports season, when the calendar turns to the new year, you can expect one thing to be certain within the Genesee Region — the Elba Lancers girls’ basketball team will be playing its best basketball.
The faces change, but the success remains the same, as under second-year head coach Charlie Pangrazio, the Lancers are one win away from rising from the ashes and surpassing the .500 mark for the first time since mid-December. Through a six-game losing streak amid an insanely difficult schedule, Elba has continued to battle, taking on the identity of its gritty head coach. Coming off the extended skid that concluded with a defeat at the hands of league foe Alexander on Jan. 11, the Trojans first win over the Lancers in over 15 seasons, Elba has forged a four-game winning streak, the latest win coming over defending sectional champion Pavilion, 50-39 on Tuesday night.
Sydney Reilly and Maddie Hall helped power the Lancers’ signature non-league win, with Reilly pacing the Elba offense with a game-high 16 points and Hall adding 12 points while finishing four-of-four from the 3-point line. With that said, it was the Elba defense that carried the day, limiting Pavilion senior guard Karlee Zinkievich to eight points while surrendering a big night to senior forward Lauren Kingsley, who scored 18 points and secured 17 rebounds. Despite having no answer for Kingsley, Elba didn’t allow another Pavilion player to score in double figures.
“Our defense was on point tonight. The girls really have bought into playing team defense,” said Pangrazio. “Ava Chatt played strong defense on Kingsley when Halie Scouten got in early foul trouble. Proud of this team. Great win against a very good Pavilion squad.”
Elba is now 6-7, while Pavilion is 11-3.
Attica: Madelyn Robinson (11 points, 14 rebounds); Olivia Mercado (Nine points, 13 rebounds)
Holley: No report submitted.
Dansville: Aynsley Belcher (23 points, 18 rebounds, one assist); Chelsie Tyler (11 points, eight rebounds, two assists); Emma Allen (Four points, 11 rebounds)
Newark: Naomi Jones (12 points); Karina Natale (12 points)
HORNELL 78, WELLSVILLE 46
Hornell: Jordyn Dyring (23 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals); Selena Maldonado (13 points, 10 rebounds, four assists); Maddie Moore (10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, nine steals); Ragan Evingham (10 points)
Wellsville: McKenna Dunbar (13 points)
ROCHESTER PREP 48, WARSAW 31
Warsaw: Sophia Phillips (Eight points)
Rochester Prep: Jade Riveria (23 points)
Le Roy: Goose Dunn (17 points, seven rebounds); Abby Allen (15 points, three assists)
Batavia: Anna Varland (12 points, four assists); Isabella Wals (Nine points, five rebounds); Jaimin Macdonald (Eight points, 15 rebounds)
Coach’s quote: “After falling behind early, we used multiple defenses and presses to cut it close, but fell short in the end,” said Batavia head coach John McCulley.
Coach’s quote: “Wins are difficult to come by and I am so glad that our seniors were able to emerge tonight with a victory,” said Le Roy head coach Rob Currin. “We appreciate the efforts of Maura Dambra, Zharia Netwon and Katelynn Rumsey as leaders of our program and I’m glad they had a positive experience tonight.”
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