Ken West beats St. Joe’s
Kenmore West will head into the postseason with plenty of momentum. The Niagara Frontier League co-boys basketball champions closed the regular season with a 55-53 nonleague win over nearby St. Joe’s.In a game between Kenmore schools separated by a mere 2 miles, Noah Whalen drove baseline and hit a tough layup off glass with 5 seconds left to break a 53-53 tie. The Marauders only reached half court and missed on a long shot at the buzzer. Whalen finished with 16 points, while Alex Price added 11 points for the Blue Devils (15-3).
They shared the NFL title with Lockport, who they will face in the quarterfinals of the Section VI Class AA Tournament next Friday, according to coach Mike Meetze. A coin flip during today’s seeding meeting will decide which team is the No. 4 seed and has home-court advantage against the fifth seed.
Elsewhere, Zach Glowacki scored 16 points and now has 1,012 in his career for O’Hara, which dropped an 83-69 decision to Nichols.
Lockport edges Nardin
Lockport will play for its own tournament title tonight after beating Nardin, 53-50, in a first-round game of the Lockport Kiwanis Girls Basketball Tournament.The Lady Lions trailed by one at halftime but finally took the lead for good late in the third quarter on a layup by Alyssa Wagner. Wagner finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Margretta Dry added 15 points and four steals for Lockport (13-4), which plays News No. 1 Large School O’Hara for the crown. The Hawks advanced to the final by crushing Olean, 83-51, behind huge scoring games from Kelsey McCarthy (25 points) and Keyonte Edwards (23).
NT, GI hockey advance
North Tonawanda won its first Federation boys hockey Section VI playoff game ever by taking a 4-2 decision from Amherst.Cody Elinski had a goal and an assist for the Jacks, Ben Rees scored on a penalty shot and goalie Kyle Painter made 25 saves for the win. NT plays Lew-Port in Sunday’s Small School playoff quarterfinals.
Andrew Husted scored the game-winner short handed with 3:19 left to break a 2-2 tie, and T.J. Morgan scored an insurance goal 46 seconds later as Grand Island advanced to the quarters with a 4-2 win over West Seneca West. Grand Island will face Kenmore East Sunday in a matchup that pits younger brother Don Pray of GI against older brother Kyle Pray, who coaches Ken East.