The title games await. Here are the Section V boys basketball championships matchups

ROCHESTER — Franklin star Terence Thompson couldn't stop smiling Monday night at Gates Chili after his Bulldogs clinched a long-awaited championship game appearance .

Thompson, a 6-foot-8 senior center and double-double machine, carried a decorative 1,000-point basketball and a framed Democrat and Chronicle article with his picture printed huge for all to see. But he was most proud of the 3-point shots that Shawn Goins and his twin brother, Clarence, made in overtime to help No. 3 Franklin defeat No. 2 Fairport 72-68 in the Section V Class AAA semifinals.

"Once Shawn hit that shot, I already knew (Clarence) was going to hit the next one. We all grew up together. We all have chemistry," said Terence, who didn't know he was just 17 points shy of 1,000. He scored 19 before fouling out in overtime.

Class AAA

Franklin will meet No. 4 University Prep in the Class AAA final Friday night at Blue Cross Arena. Here is how they got to the title game.

Franklin 72, Fairport 68

Goins (22 points) and Clarence Thompson took after Terence Thompson fouled out in overtime. Goins scored the last of his 22 points on a 3-pointer that gave Franklin a 68-67 lead with a minute left. After a Fairport turnover, Clarence Thompson (14 points) hit the dagger 3-pointers that put Franklin up four with 12.7 seconds remaining. He left three fingers in the air as he paraded around the court during a Fairport timeout.

Franklin (15-6) overcame a seven-point deficit with 4:44 left in the fourth. Kollin McCullough's 3 was part of a 10-1 run that helped Franklin lead 63-61. Aidan White's free throws with 57 seconds left were the final points of regulation.

In overtime, Terence Thompson was whistled for charging with the game tied at 65 with 1:38 left. Fairport (17-5) big man Aidan White (26 points) took advantage of his absence with an easy layup and 67-65 lead. McCullough scored 14 points while Goins and Fairport's LaShard Lowry (18 points) put on a show at point guard.

Franklin fans motivated this year's team by flooding social media with images of greats like Carl Jefferson, Jermaine Bell, Trent Jackson and Trent Jackson Jr.

"Can the 2024 Franklin Bulldogs fill the shoes of the old school championship teams, and we got that opportunity today," Franklin coach Joseph Jackson said.

UPrep 58, Aquinas 55

Jermelle Cotton had two points until the final minutes of UPrep's win. The Griffins (13-9) trailed Aquinas 53-50 before Cotton scored their final eight points. His sweet midrange jumper gave UPrep a 56-55 lead with 1:06 left. Aquinas (18-4) missed two shots and turned the ball over once during its final three possessions.

UPrep had a brief 10-point lead in the second quarter. Both teams traded leads for much of the contest otherwise. Aquinas was led by Chris Leysath's 16 points and Christian McCullough's 14 points, but UPrep's Ja'yvion Sampson and Alex Webb (11 points), respectively, made the Irish stars work for every bucket.

UPrep coach Jerice Crouch was proud of how well Cotton and Keone Manigault (7 points) played all season.

"They've been great. Keone with his senior leadership and (Cotton) with his ability to score and defend. It's been a great asset this year for this UPrep team," Crouch said.

The Section V Class AAA final between UPrep and Franklin will be the ultimate rubber match. They beat each other once in the regular season. UPrep last won a section championship in 2020. Franklin hasn't won since 2001.

Class AA

Greece Athena's 23-0 and state-ranked No. 1 Trojans, will take on Victor in the Class AA title game. Here is how they got to the championship game.

Greece Athena 61, Penfield 57

Zee Johnson's rim-rattling one-handed dunk was the highlight of a low scoring third quarter for top-seeded Athena (23-0). No. 5 Penfield (16-5) won the frame 9-4 and led 45-39 through three as Greece Athena star Khorie Reaves (16 points) sat most of the frame with four fouls.

Penfield's Trevor Hofer, whose buzzer beater against Webster Schroeder sent the Patriots to the semifinals, scored at will again Tuesday and finished with 29 points. Hofer's two free throws gave Penfield a 55-48 lead. Athena then scored the next 12 points. The run began with three consecutive 3s, two from Ne'Sean Fowlks (12 points) and one from I'Zayah Reaves, giving Athena a 57-55 lead with 2:06 remaining.

The Trojans led by five with a half-minute remaining when Khorie Reaves and Connor Osier fouled out within five seconds of each other. Khorie Reaves was given a technical foul, and Hofer pulled Penfield with Athena 60-57 on two free throws with 27.5 seconds left. Hofer missed a potentially game-tying 3-pointer with 13 seconds remaining.

Greece Athena coach Mike Setzer said Hofer "can flat out play," and applauded Penfield coach Jason Ellis' game plan, which almost succeeded with star forward Patrick Emling visibly ailing his foot. Setzer was upset with how Athena ended the game, but felt grateful to return to the title game for a third time since 2021. The Trojans last won a title in 2015.

"It's disappointing with how we behaved at the end. And that's the thing that I can't get past right now, because I love these boys with all my heart, and that's not us," Setzer said. "We're not getting technicals ... to almost lose a game.

"We gotta be better at that. Because if we're going to win a championship, that requires championship effort and a championship attitude, and they didn't display that at the end."

Victor 86, Irondequoit 56

No. 7 Victor (15-8) pounced on sixth-seeded Irondequoit 11-2 and never looked back. Coach Tyler Roberts' Blue Devils' brilliant display of passing led to 12 players scoring. Center Owen Dake was the main recipient with a team-high 16 points.

Griffen Hopkins (15), Garrett Clar (14) and Nick Leonard (10) also had strong performances for Victor. Irondequoit (16-7) stars Isaiah Ballard (26 points) and Quinn VanKerkhove (23 points) carried the Eagles (15-8) after playing big roles during their 2023 state finals run.

The return of Victor senior point guard Cam Ryan, though, has been awe-inspiring. He scored 10 points sporting a cast as he's about one year removed from knee surgery. The lacrosse star was a key piece to the Victor basketball team's 2023 state championship run that ended a 45-year title drought.

"I had to go slow getting back into things, but now that I'm fully ... ready to go, it's just a great feeling. And I'm happy to be playing with my brothers here," Ryan said.

The Section V Class AA championship will be this season's first meeting between Victor and Greece Athena.

Section V boys basketball championship schedule

Each championship game will be played at Blue Cross Arena on Friday and Saturday. The Class D semifinals were postponed to Wednesday.

Friday

Class B2

No. 1 Avon (21-1) vs. No. 3 Marcus Whitman (16-6), 5 p.m.

Class B1

No. 1 Hornell (19-3) vs. No. 2 Mynderse (14-8), 7 p.m.

Class AAA

No. 3 Franklin (15-6) vs. No. 4 UPrep (13-9), 9 p.m.

Saturday

Class C3

No. 4 Batavia Notre Dame (18-5) vs. Arkport-Canaseraga (18-4), 10 a.m.

Class C2

No. 1 Byron-Bergen vs. No. 2 Alexander (19-4), noon.

Class C1

No. 1 Lyons (20-2) vs. No. 3 Pembroke (18-4), 2 p.m.

Class D

No. 7 Elba (6-15)/ No. 3 Andover-Whitesville (11-10) vs. No. 1 Avoca-Prattsburgh ()12-9)/No. 4 Hammondsport (8-13), 4 p.m.

Class A

No. 1 East (18-2) vs. No. 2 Wayne (21-2), 6 p.m.

Class AA

No. 1 Greece Athena (23-0) vs. No. 7 Victor (15-8), 8 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: Section V boys basketball championship games 2024: What to know