By PAUL GOTHAM
MENDON, N.Y. — Daniel Cook and Michael Harrington provided all the offense in the pivotal third quarter as top-seeded Pittsford-Mendon defeated No. 8 Aquinas, 67-48 in Section V Class A1 quarterfinal action, Saturday night.
Harrington scored 10 and Cook had six to help the Vikings turn a five-point edge into a 10-point advantage.
“We wanted to hit them hard coming out the locker room,” Harrington said of the discussion at halftime. “Lock in on defense because that usually sparks our offense. That was the goal.”
Leading 38-33, Cook converted a steal and layup. Harrington followed with a corner triple. Harrington hit a pair from the free throw line, and Cook closed the stanza with a bucket and two free throws of his own.
Mendon led 49-39.
Harrington connected again from 3-point land on the third possession of the fourth quarter for a 52-42 lead, and Mendon did not allow Aquinas within single digits again.
“We were struggling to score,” Mendon head coach Bob Nally said referring to the first half. “Credit to Aquinas. They had a good game plan. They played really hard. They were playing physical, and it was making our shots really tough. We were missing some shots that we normally make.”
Mendon continued the surge in the fourth with Harrington’s trey the first of nine straight.
“The way they share the ball and get out in transition,” Nally said of his squad. “When Jacob (Shadders) is leading the charge down court, he’s able to find guys and share the wealth with the scoring. That’s sort of what happened.”
Harrington led the Vikings with 16 points to go with six rebounds. Cook had 15 points, 16 rebounds and and six assists. The double-double was Cook’s 20th of the season. Shadders added 15 points and five assists. Connor Krapf collected eight points and five steals in the win.
Nate Strauf (8) and Charlie Bennett (5) rounded out the scoring for Mendon (21-0).
Tyler Warner led Aquinas with 11 points. Luke Putnam and eight. Freshmen Myles Blackwood and Jack Bleier added seven apiece for the Li’l Irish. Jack Scanlon (5), Gabe Miller (4), James Jones (4), Steven Mahar (4) and Jack Forsyeth (4) rounded out the scoring for AQ.
Mendon advances to play No. 4 Eastridge in the Class A1 semifinals.
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