By PAUL GOTHAM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — It’s been more than a decade since the Red Jacket boys’ basketball team claimed a sectional title. Friday night, Trevor Gage’s squad will get a chance to change that.
Travis Hill scored eight of his game-high 25 points to pace a 13-0 Red Jacket run to close the first quarter as the Indians jumped to an early double-digit lead on their way to 71-58 victory over the Alexander Trojans in Class C2 semifinal action, Tuesday night at Pittsford Sutherland High School.
“Travis just took over,” Gage said. “he’s been working so hard this year. He was very raw in the beginning of the year. He’s just stayed with it, showed that he wanted to improve.”
With Red Jacket leading 10-8, the 6-foot-3 junior center scored in the lane. He converted on an inbound play and then nailed a free throw line jumper. Hill finished under the basket to stretch the Red Jacket advantage to double digits at 18-8.
“He has made leaps and bounds in this one season,” Gage added. “I’m looking forward to him with another season to go.”
At the same time, Red Jacket’s defense forced four Alexander turnovers over the final 3:51 of the first quarter while limiting the Trojans to four field goals over the first eight minutes.
“Our game plane was to keep them outside at about the 15 to 17 foot range and take contested shots from there,” Ellsworth said of his team;s focus on defense. “If they were going to beat us, it was going to have to be that way. We were going to take away the drive and take away the uncontested 3-point shots.”
Hill paced four in double figures. Chase Rizzo scored 16 points. Matt Record added 14, and Mason Pollot had 10.
Chase Rizzo finds Travis Hill underneath for 2. Red Jacket 62 Alexander 51 pic.twitter.com/wCC5vzJkjf
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 27, 2019
Rizzo accounted for 12 of his points in the second half, but Alexander refused to go away.
Chase Rizzo uses the upfake. Red Jacket 50 Alexander 37 late 3rd. pic.twitter.com/FPpklsZEa6
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 27, 2019
Ryan Davis scored nine of his team-high 23 points in the third quarter, and Chris McClinic added nine in the fourth to pace the Trojans. McClinic’s spin move and kiss off the glass cut the Red Jacket to eight with less than 4:30 remaining in the game.
Chris McClinic uses the spin move in the lane to get Alexander within single digits. Red Jacket leads 62-54 midway through the 4th. pic.twitter.com/hQUocRqg3f
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 27, 2019
Red Jacket did not allow the Trojans any closer.
“It took discipline,” Gage said when asked what it took for his team to hang on for the win. “These guys are an inexperienced team. This is my first year with them. Most of them are up from the JV. We’ve just been working the whole year on staying disciplined mentally. This is by far the best they’ve done with that. Hats off to them.”
McClinic scored 19 points for Alexander (17-5). Tyrone Woods added nine and Carson Wright had seven.
No. 3 seed Red Jacket (17-5) will meet top-seeded Lyons (20-2) in Friday’s Class C2 final.
Red Jacket’s most recent Section V championship came in 2007 when the Indians claimed the Class C crown.
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