After blowing a lead and the game against Akron in the Genesee Region League/Niagara-Orleans League Showdown on Saturday, the Oakfield-Alabama boys basketball team was looking to end the season on a positive note before going into sectionals.
It was obvious that it was going to happen as the Hornets jumped out to a 17-3 lead in beating visiting Alexander 73-41 on senior night.
Senior stars Noah Seward and Brad Riner got O-A off to a 9-0 start right off the bat as Riner had five points and Seward four, just a couple of minutes into the contest.
Tim Smith scored seven straight points and all of a sudden the Hornets were ahead by 14 points with just 3 1/2 minutes gone off the clock.
Troy Shelnut ended the fierce O-A scoring with a 3-pointer, but Sam McCracken had four points and Seward added another bucket late in the opening frame to give the Hornets a 27-13 lead after a period of play.
McCracken had two quick baskets in the second quarter and Seward had four points, but Oakfield-Alabama played its worst of four quarters. Josh Athoe also hit a 3-pointer in the frame and O-A actually extended the lead to 38-19 despite not being happy with the way they played in the frame.
The "big 3" of Seward, Riner and Smith were able to rest for most of the fourth quarter, but all three contributed in the third.
Seward had six points, Smith had five and Riner hit a 3-pointer late in the quarter and the game was officially a blowout after the third quarter with Oakfield-Alabama leading 61-28.
Athoe had four points in the fourth quarter and O-A rolled to the 73-41 victory.
Seward had yet another double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down 13 rebounds, with Riner helping out with eight points and 11 assists.
Smith scored 15 points and A.J. Kehlenbeck had 10 points with 13 boards. McCracken finished with 13 points and Athoe chipped in nine.
Kyle Woodruff had 14 points for Alexander, which ends the season with a 7-12 record.
Oakfield-Alabama improves to 17-3 and will be the third seed in the Section 5 Class C1 tournament and should be hosting Canisteo-Greenwood in the first round.
