We are about 10 minutes from tip-off of the first Genesee Region/Niagara-Orleans League Showdown at Genesee Community College. Tonight's games are Elba vs. Newfane and Kendall vs. Medina.
Stay tuned to The Batavian for live updates throughout the night in this thread.
6:33 p.m. - Lineups are being introduced. Elba has a significant size advantage. About to start the game.
6:48 p.m. - Newfane jumped out to a 17-6 first quarter lead because of speed. Elba has big guys, but they aren't keeping up with the Panthers, who are playing a full court press and attacking the basket on offense. Adam Baily scored nine points for Newfane and Phil Ostroski scored all six for Elba, on two 3-pointers.
7:04 p.m. - Wow. Elba stormed back into this game in a hurry and leads 27-23 at the half. Sonny Giuliano and Phil Ostroski hit back-to-back shots to start things off and then Dan Ramsey - who was called up from jayvee earlier in the season - got hot. Ramsey hit a 3-pointer and a long 2-pointer before Giuliano brought the game within a point with a 3-pointer. Ramsey then hit a 3-pointer and two jumpers near the end of the period. Ramsey scored 12 points in the second quarter.
7:29 p.m. - The third quarter was extremely ugly. Both squads turned the ball over like it was going out of style. The Lancers went away from Ramsey for the most part and tried to get the ball inside, with Max Torrey scoring four points. But Ramsey did hit a long jump shot andBronson Cole came off the bench to hit a 3-pointer for the final basket of the third quarter. Elba leads 36-32 as we enter the fourth.
7:53 p.m. - If this entire Showdown is going to be like the opening game, this is going to be a great weekend of basketball.
Newfane's Dan Hambruch scored twice at the start of the fourth quarter and a Ron Pierce basket and 1 gave Newfane a 41-40 lead midway through the final period. It was tight from that point on. Elba took back the lead on a Guiliano jumper and then Newfance captured it back moments later when Garth Seefeldt hit a 3-pointer, giving the Newfane a 46-45 lead with 1:07 left in the game.
Ostroski got to the foul line seconds later and hit both shots, putting Elba back on top 47-46. Newfane took the ball down to the other end of the floor and tried to set up a shot, but an errant pass at the top of the key sailed out of bounds and the Panters were forced to foul. Giuliano hit one of two foul shots, then Adam Bailey of Newfane chucked up a bad 3-point attempt.
Ostroski hit a free throw to put Elba up by three points and the Panthers missed three 3-point attempts in the last 12 seconds of regulation.
Elba wins 49-46.
