Wayne clinches spot in boys basketball state championship game for first time ever

For the first time ever, Wayne coach Bill Thomson's Eagles will play for a state championship.

Wayne senior PJ Ostrowski carried the team in the first half, then sophomore Cam Blankenberg blew up with a 26-point second half, helping the Eagles defeat Section VIII's Friends Academy 61-48 in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A semifinals Friday morning at Glens Falls' Cool Insuring Arena.

What it means

In his 22nd season as Wayne's head coach, Bill Thomson will guide the Eagles (24-2) into the state final against unbeaten Section II champion Glens Falls. The Finger Lakes East champions are riding a 21-game winning streak and are 23-0 against New York State teams. Wayne's only two losses are to California's Northview and Illinois' Murphysboro during an Orlando, Florida trip in December. Wayne's previous Section V titles came in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

Friends Academy coach Matt Johnsen team ended the season 20-5. The Section VIII champs led 24-21 at halftime, and held a brief 28-27 advantage in the third. Friends last won a state championship in 2011. They lost the 2022 Class B state final 63-62 to Ichabod Crane.

Players of the game

Cam Blankenberg

Wayne's stud sophomore continued his outstanding postseason in the NYS final four. Blankenberg, a 6-foot-5 point guard, scored 26 of his game-high 30 points in the second half after a poor 2-for-10 shooting performance entering halftime. Blankenberg was more aggressive immediately out of the locker room as he scored Wayne' first 11 points of the third quarter. The Eagles freed Blankenberg on an array of screens for midrange and long range jump shots.

Friends star Jackson O'Brien blocked a few Blankenberg layups early on. The Wayne star got a block of his own against O'Brien midway through the third, then nailed a deep 3-pointer on the other end for a 30-28 lead. Blankenberg shot 10-for-23 from the field, went 3-for-6 from 3-point range, made 7-of-8 free throws, grabbed eight rebounds, and handed out five assists.

Before Friday's 30-point performance, Blankenberg scored 30 last week in regionals, and 20 in the section final against East High.

PJ Ostrowski

Wayne's senior forward carried the Eagles early on with 13 first half points. Ostrowski made precise backdoor cuts and won paint positioning for high percentage 1-on-1 layups, often on the other end of a Blankenberg pass. Ostrowski finished 9-for-11 from the floor, made 3-of-4 free throws, pulled down eight rebounds and dished out five assists.

Neither man nor zone defenses could stop Ostrowski. After Blankenberg scored 11 straight in the third, Ostrowski scored Wayne's next eight points, which led to a 40-30 third quarter lead over Friends Academy.

Top play

Wayne already led by 11 when Warner missed his free throw, failing to convert a three-point play after drawing a foul on his layup with 3:20 left. Warner missed the free throw, but Blankenberg grabbed the offensive board and made a 3-pointer, essentially finishing a five-point play, turning a single digit Eagles lead into a 52-38 lead within seconds.

Game balls

Stephen Habecker

Wayne's senior guard earned the Sportsmanship Award and played a key role in the Eagles' stifling 2-3 zone defense that forced Friends to shoot 17-of-43 from the field. Habecker and his defense allowed 45 points or less for the sixth time in seven games.

 Eyan Valadez

Friends Academy's freshman guard led the team with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Senior Jackson O'Brien added 12 points on 5-of-14 from the field, and four blocks. Senior Jake Bock scored 11 points.

Josh Warner

Wayne's senior center scored eight points while shooting 4-of-7 from the field. Ostrowski's touch pass led to Warner's two-handed fourth quarter dunk. Not long after, Warner drew a foul while converting a layup on Wayne's following possession. Warner also grabbed four rebounds and was an integral role in Thomson's lengthy zone defensive sets.

What's next

Wayne will plays Glens Falls coach Rob Girard's Black Bears (26-0) — a 91-46 winner over Section IV's Maine-Endwell in the other semifinal — in the NYSPSHAA Class A final at 5:15 p.m. Saturday. Glens Falls last won a state title as a Class B program in 2019. That's when future Syracuse and Clemson star Joseph Girard III scored his 50th point on a layup as time expired, defeating Section III's Lowville before winning the federation championship the following week.

— 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: Wayne vs Friends Academy score: NY boys basketball tournament