Buzzer beaters propel UPrep, Penfield to Section V semifinals in dramatic finishes
Buzzer beaters and game-winners. It must be Section V tournament time.
Just ask University Prep and Penfield, whose boys basketball teams clinched semifinal spots in the final seconds of their quarterfinal contests this weekend.
Alex Webb's winning bucket with 1.5 seconds remaining propelled fourth-seeded UPrep's 58-56 victory over No. 5 Rush-Henrietta (11-10) in a Class AAA bout Friday night at Roberts Wesleyan University. On Saturday, Trevor Hofer's layup trickled through the twine as time expired in No. 5 Penfield's 51-50 win at fourth-seeded Webster Schroeder (14-7) in a Class AA contest. Penfield's student section stormed the court and piled on top of the Patriots to celebrate.
Section V semifinals are Monday and Tuesday. Winners advance to the championship game Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at Blue Cross Arena. Will any of those games match up to this weekend's quarterfinal classics?
"That was a dogfight we were fortunate to walk out of," a relieved Penfield coach Jason Ellis said after sharing a postgame moment with his family.
Webb wins it for UPrep
UPrep coach Jerice Crouch's Griffins could have taken the lead on Gavin White's free throw trip with 2.7 seconds. He missed both, but Webb had his back.
UPrep's Keone Manigault had the first crack at a last-second score, but Rush center Amir Abdul-Haqq-Bradford deflected his tip attempt. That's when Webb jumped for the ball and put the shot right back up while still in the air to give UPrep a two-point lead. Webb wowed the crowd with a rim-hanging dunk and finished with 15 points for the Griffins (12-9).
"They weren't boxing out. I just grabbed the rebound and put it back in," Webb said.
Rush-Henrietta coach Calvin Betts' Royal Comets had 1.5 seconds left to respond. They had the entire length of the court ahead, but Avery Council still managed to move the ball inside the 3-point arc for a potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer. Council missed the shot, but time expired before the attempt. Jalen Taggart led Rush with 25 points.
"(Webb) is probably one of the better rebounders in Section V ... so he's always going to keep stuff alive for us. I love that kid, " Crouch said.
Penfield's Hofer calls game
Penfield's game-winning play was easy for coach Ellis to draw up: Get Trevor Hofer the ball.
The Geneseo-bound guard made it look easy. Penfield (15-6) trailed Schroeder (14-7) by one when Hofer received the inbound pass from Jacob Natale by center court with 4.2 seconds left. Hofer's handles split a double team on the left side and drove hard to the paint. Stud defender Tyler Washington met Hofer at the rim, forcing the Penfield star to absorb contact on his right-handed layup.
The two seconds the basketball took to leave Hofer's fingers, bounce off the backboard, skip along the rim, then gently plunge through the net, seemed a lifetime. Time just expired just as the ball finally fell into the hoop. Hofer's game-winner was set up by Schroeder senior Anthony DeRosa's missed free throws, which could have extended the Warriors' slim one-point lead with 6.4 seconds remaining.
"It was sitting on the rim. I was just looking up, watching it fall. Good feeling," Hofer said.
Ellis praised Patrick Emling's 16-point effort while playing on a foot so hampered Penfield teammates carried him to the bus. Ellis even applauded Warriors coach Rashaad Stokelin's defense, and said Jacob Insley is a "special" point guard.
"The last play was 'Get our best player the ball,'" Ellis said about Hofer, whose Patriots trailed 47-38 with 5:34 remaining. "He's unbelievable and he's going to do fantastic things at Geneseo. Get him the ball and let him dictate what we do. It's his team. And he said he didn't want to go home tonight."
Brighton bests Mendon in OT
Brighton senior Reggie Smith Jr. scored 24 of his game-high 32 points in the second half and overtime of his eighth-seeded Bruins' 69-66 win over No. 9 Pittsford Mendon in the Class AA first round Wednesday.
Smith Jr. did much of his work from the high post, finishing at the rim with strength and finesse. His put-back dunk and fast break slam ignited Brighton's crowd. Smith Jr. is the Bruins' all-time leading scorer and became the first player in program history to eclipse 1,000 points.
Smith Jr. outdueled Mendon's star center Michael Bischoping, who scored 30 points on six 3-pointers with his sweet left-handed jumper for coach Bob Nally's Vikings (10-11). Brighton (11-11) eventually fell to No. 1 Greece Athena 79-55 in Saturday's quarterfinals.
"Every day. Every practice. Every game. It's what he does," Brighton coach Dave Tisa said about Smith Jr.
Section V semifinals
Monday
Class AAA at Gates Chili
No. 2 Fairport (17-4) vs. No. 3 Franklin (14-6), 5:30 p.m.
No. 1 Aquinas (18-3) vs. No. 4 UPrep (12-9), 7:45 p.m.
Class B1 at Finger Lakes Community College
No. 2 Mynderse (13-8) vs. No. 3 World of Inquiry (10-11), 6 p.m.
No. 1 Hornell (18-3) vs. No. 4 Livonia (11-10), 7:30 p.m.
Class B2
No. 3 Marcus Whitman vs. No. 7 Wellsville (9-13), 6 p.m. at Haverling.
No. 1 Avon (20-1) vs. No. 5 LeRoy (15-5), 6:30 p.m. at Mount Morris.
Tuesday
Class AA at Gates Chili
No. 1 Greece Athena (22-0) vs. No. 5 Penfield (16-4), 5:30 p.m.
No. 6 Irondequoit (15-7) vs. No. 7 Victor (14-8), 7:45 p.m.
Class C1 at Pittsford Sutherland
No. 1 Lyons (19-2) vs. No. 4 Gananda (17-5), 5:30 p.m.
No. 2 East Rochester (19-2) vs. No. 3 Pembroke (17-4) 7:30 p.m.
Class C2 at TBA
No. 1 Byron-Bergen (17-4) vs. No. 4 York (16-6).
No. 2 Alexander (18-4) vs. No. 3 Bolivar-Richburg (17-5).
Class C3 at TBA
No. 1 Fillmore (19-2) vs. No. 4 Batavia Notre Dame (17-5).
No. 3 Arkport-Canaseraga (17-4) vs. No. 7 Northstar Christian (10-10).
YOU KNOW WHY IM HERE
Syracuse game was so good that I wanted more hoops.@PenfieldBball at @WebWarriorBball@WSWarriorCrew up 27-21 at halftime. @DandC pic.twitter.com/wx1DQNLL3X— Marquel Slaughter🌊 (@MarquelSports) February 24, 2024
Class D at Wayland-Cohocton
No. 1 Avoca-Prattsburgh (12-9) vs. No. 4 Hammondsport (8-13), 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Andover-Whitesville (11-10) vs. No. 7 Elba (6-15), 7:30 p.m.
— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been reporter for 14 years. Follow him @MarquelSports on X or on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buzzer beaters propel UPrep, Penfield to Section V semifinals
