Who's headed to states? These 4 Section V boys teams advance to final four
Wayne junior Cam Blankenberg's Eagles are not only the lone Section V team to repeat as boys basketball Section V champions, they're also the area's only squad to return to the state final four.
Coach Bill Thomson's two-time Class A region champion Wayne Eagles helped Section V post a 4-2 record against Section VI's Buffalo area champions during the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Far West Regional championships, or state quarterfinals, this weekend.
Class AA's Greece Athena, Class B's World of Inquiry, and Class C's Honeoye — whose fans boasted the loudest, largest and proudest section of the tournament — also won their region finals along with Wayne. They'll all advance to the NYSPHSAA final four at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. The state semifinals begin Thursday and finals run through Sunday. Class AAA's Rush-Henrietta and Class D's Fillmore each lost their region finals.
Wayne (22-2) may be returning to states, but the Eagles are practically a brand new band as four starters have graduated since their 2024 state finals loss to Section II's Glens Falls. Blankenberg is an even better version of himself after running away with last year's All-Greater Rochester Player of the Year award as a sophomore. He's bulkier, more versatile, and improved his scoring average to nearly 30 points per game.
At the very least, Blankenberg appears to be the best basketball player in Western New York, and perhaps the Buffalo and Albany I-90 stretch. He scored a Far West Regional tournament high 31 points in Wayne's win over Section VI's Williamsville South in their regional rematch Saturday night at Rush-Henrietta.
"We just took it one game at a time, but once we beat East (in the Section V final) we started to get that momentum. We could feel it," said Blankenberg, who became Wayne's all-time leading scorer in January and is on pace to scoring 2,000 career points before he graduates in 2026.
Greece Athena 56, Health Sciences (Section VI) 55
How they advanced
The back and forth Class AA regional Saturday at Rush-Henrietta was tied at 54 when I'Zick Reaves found Dominic LaMar to give Greece Athena (23-2) the go-ahead layup with 1:10 remaining. Health Sciences' (18-7) Zayvion Hawkins drew a foul but split it his with 42 seconds left. After Athena's I'Zayah Reaves missed both of his free throws, Ball Joseph missed a potentially game-winning jump shot with 4.2 seconds remaining. Athena's NeSean Fowlks then missed both of his free throws, but he blocked a desperation halfcourt shot by Nahssan Young as time expired. Russell Ellis, who transferred from Bishop Kearney after spending his middle school years in Greece, led Athen with 17 points.
They said it
I'Zick Reaves, Greece Athena senior: "If you walk in our gym you see John Wallace and his team when they went (26-0 as state champions in 1992). It's a big banner. We see that everyday. To be able to look at that and see there's going to be a 2025 next to it, it's amazing, honestly."
Greece Athena coach Mike Setzer: "Russell has been such a blessing that he's come back to our program. ... He immediately filled in a void in our starting lineup. It took one summer league game for me to watch him to realize, 'OK, he's our starter."
What's next
Greece Athena will play Section II's Niskayuna in the NYSPHSAA Class AA semifinals at 4:15 p.m. Thursday. Winner advances to the final at 6 p.m. Friday. against Section I's Tappan Zee or Section IV's Binghamton.
Wayne 69, Williamsville South (Section VI) 61
How they advanced
The game was tied at 12 in the second before Blankenberg's 14-point quarter helped Wayne take a 33-24 halftime lead. Wayne's Richie Miles scored all 16 of his points in the seconds half, including a 13-point third quarter thanks to three 3-pointers. Aidan Twist scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter of the Eagles' win. In the 2024 region final, Blankenberg scored 30 points as Wayne beat Williamsville South 58-41. The Billies fell to 19-6.
They said it
Aidan Twist, Wayne junior: "After sectionals we had our fun, but we had to get right back to business, because we knew we were going to have another tough opponent. ... We knew (Will South) than they were last year, so we had to get right back to work."
Wayne coach Bill Thomson: "We were just talking about it in the locker room. We did not think we were going to be in this situation. I'm not going to lie. But Cameron (Blankenberg) has gotten so much better, as you can see. He's taken his game to another level. Then you throw on Aidan, he's improved so much. Then you throw in Richie ... you now have three scorers. We're actually a better perimeter shooting team this year."
What's next?
Wayne will play reigning state champion Glens Falls in the NYSPHSAA Class A semifinals at 3:15 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Winner advances to the final at 11:45 a.m. Sunday, March 23. In the 2024 NYS Class A final, Glens Falls' Black Bears defeated Wayne 50-37.
World of Inquiry 58, Akron (Section VI) 46
How they advanced
As expected, World of Inquiry (22-3) made quick work of Akron (23-2), leading 16-5 midway through the first and built a 21-point advantage through the third at Gates Chili Friday. Devin Dillon, an eighth-grade junior varsity call-up, scored 15 points and continued to be a key cog to WOI's talented rotation. Kanaz Linder scored 14. Coach Willie Mason's Griffins hopes to be the first Rochester City School District team to advance to the state final since 2014. The last RCSD program to win a state title was Wilson-Magnet in 1986. Charlotte won back-to-back NYS championships in 1983 and 1984.
They said it
Jaedon Adams-Griffin, World of Inquiry senior: "It feels good. I wish I had another year here so I can get another one."
Coach Willie Mason, World of Inquiry: "Every coach's dream. First time in school history (to advance to states). For years of me coaching at the helm, getting to go to Binghamton with these guys, it's a dream come true."
What's next?
World of Inquiry plays Section III's Marcellus — 2024 state finalist — in the NYSPHSAA Class B semifinals at 11:45 a.m. Saturday, March 22 in Binghamton. Section I Woodlands/Section IV Dryden and Section VIII Carle Place/Section XI Mattituck play their region finals Sunday, March 16 for spots in the other Class B semifinal. The state final is set for 10 a.m. Sunday, March 23.
Honeoye 64, Westfield (Section VI) 60
How they advanced
Honeoye's entire hamlet apparently traveled to Rush-Henrietta to watch their Bulldogs (24-1) with three sophomore starters clinch the program's first region title. Dylan Washburn drained a pair of free throws for a 62-59 lead with 5.7 seconds left. Westfield (21-4) star Carson Swanson could have tied the game after drawing a foul on a 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds remaining. After making the first free throw, Swanson missed the second, then purposely missed the third, but a lane violation was called.
Braiden Schneider made two free throws with 0.4 seconds left to safely extend Honeoye's lead and clinch the contest. Honeoye's 6-foot-5 sophomore Landon Washburn continued his pulverizing postseason with a 26-point performance. Swanson, whose 23 points were under his 31 points per game average, will graduate as Section VI's all-time leading scorer with 2,448 points. Coach Robb Delasanti, who starred on Honeoye's last section title team in 1997, complimented Westfield as the best team his Bulldogs played this winter.
They said it
Owen Cuba, Honeoye senior: "I have an older brother who never got this experience. And my uncle has told me this is a fantastic experience. Every practice, every game we go into, I look at it as either my last game or my last practice, and I don't want it to end. I'm very happy we can keep going."
Honeoye coach Robb Delisanti: "I can't believe it. We're a fairly young team. I thought maybe we'd have a shot in a year or two, but never thought in my wildest dreams this year."
What's next?
Honeoye plays the Section III Cooperstown/Section IV Moravia — reigning state champion — winner in the NYSPHSAA Class C semifinals at 3:15 p.m. Friday. The final is set for 7:45 p.m. Sunday, March 23.
— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports and Syracuse University athletics. He's won numerous Associated Press and NYNPA awards for his work in print and broadcasting throughout his 15-year career as a reporter. Follow him @MarquelSports and X and Instagram. You can email him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: NYS boys basketball tournament: Section V teams headed to final four
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