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Hornell's standout season ends in Section V finals with loss to Mynderse at Blue Cross

staff report
·3 min read

An outstanding winter campaign for the Hornell boys basketball program came to a close Friday night at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, where No. 2 Mynderse claimed the Section V, Class B1 title with a 68-59 win over the top-seeded Red Raiders.

Mynderse (15-8) started strong and jumped out to a 9-0 lead on Hornell. The Finger Lakes squad led 17-10 after the first quarter. The Red Raiders battled back and the score was tied at 28 apiece when Jake Prayne hit a buzzer-beater to give Mynderse a 30-28 halftime lead.

Prayne, son of Mynderse coach Pat Prayne, used a pick, dribbled through a double team on the left side and fell to the ground as he hit a jumper over three defenders in front of Hornell's bench.

Hornell senior guard Gennaro Picco drives the lane against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.
Hornell senior guard Gennaro Picco drives the lane against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.

Mynderse later led 49-41 heading into the fourth quarter and held off Hornell down the stretch to give the Blue Devils their first title since 2017.

Senior guard Gennaro Picco led Hornell with 20 points. PJ Picco followed with 15 and Wyatt Evingham added 12 points, going 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. Marco Picco had four points. Aaron McInerney and Quinn Mauro both connected from downtown for three points, and Xzaiver Patrick added a bucket.

Hornell coach Kirk Scholes' Red Raiders wrap up a stellar 2023-24 season with a record of 19-4. They were seeking the program's first Section V title since 2013. Hornell swept its way to the Livingston County Division I league title and won its first two sectional games by a combined 45 points.

Hornell junior forward Aaron McInerney drives against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.
Hornell junior forward Aaron McInerney drives against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.

Gennaro Picco will leave a superstar-sized hole in the Hornell lineup after smashing Hornell's all-time scoring mark of 1,376 points in January. The Red Raiders will also lose Patrick and Braydon Campbell from this year's group.

More: Avon wins 4th boys basketball title in 5 seasons; Mynderse runs away with B1 championship

Mynderse won four games last season but has a group of seniors and juniors who gelled this winter. Guards Anthony Luffman and coach's son Jake Prayne ran the show, but Alan Plummer scored 14 points as Hornell couldn't match his size.

Mynderse junior guard Anthony Luffman was named tournament MVP following a 15-point outing. When Luffman wasn't dropping buckets, Hornell had to worry about Jake Prayne, a sharpshooter who scored 18 points.

Hornell senior Xzaiver Patrick drives the lane against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.
Hornell senior Xzaiver Patrick drives the lane against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.

What's next

Also on Friday, No. 1 Avon defeated No. 2 Marcus Whitman, 69-47, in the Class B2 bracket.

Avon and Mynderse will play each other in the Section V Class B crossover Wednesday to qualify for the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Far West Regionals, which takes place Saturday, March 9 in Buffalo.

Hornell guard Wyatt Evingham drives baseline against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.
Hornell guard Wyatt Evingham drives baseline against Mynderse Friday night during the Section V, Class B1 finals at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. No. 2 Mynderse prevailed over No. 1 Hornell, 68-59.

Class B All-tournament teams

Class B1: MVP Anthony Luffman (Mynderse), Jake Prayne (Mynderse), John Brady (Mynderse), Alan Plummer (Mynderse), Gennaro Picco (Hornell), PJ Picco (Hornell), Thomas Stewart (Livonia).

Class B2: MVP Trevor Stroud (Avon), Josh Harter (Avon), Michael Rowland (Avon), JJ Howard (Wellsville), Merritt Holly (LeRoy), Myles Pendergast (Marcus Whitman, Brody Royston (Marcus Whitman).

Tom Downey Coach of the Year: Hornell coach Kirk Scholes (Class B1); Avon coach Rob Fries (Class B2).

-- With reporting by Marquel Slaughter, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell boys basketball stopped by Mynderse in Section V finals