Enders leads Belfast boys’ basketball to first sectional title since 1940

By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For Adam Enders it was a chance to change the appearance of one wall in his school’s gymnasium.

The Belfast senior didn’t waste the opportunity.

Enders poured in a game-high 34 points, and the No. 3 seed Belfast Bulldogs downed top-seeded Prattsburgh, 60-55 in the finals of the Section V Class D2 championship, Saturday afternoon at Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial.

“We knew that we were going to be making history,” Enders said of the program’s first sectional title since 1940. “Every day in practice we were looking up at the banner and noticing that there was only one number on that banner.”

Despite facing double-teams throughout the game, Enders connected on 13-of-23 shots from the floor including a pair from 3-point land. He converted 6-of-7 from the free throw line and posted a double-double with 11 rebounds.

“He does a great job,” Belfast head coach Joe Hennessy remarked. “He’s seen double teams and triple teams his whole life, box-and-one, triangle-and-twos. We found a way to keep our other guys spread out a little more and open some things up for him. He responded well. I don’t think he forced too much.”

The 6-foot guard connected from long range on the game’s first possession. He hit a pull-up jumper next trip down the floor and Belfast, which led wire-to-wire, was on its way to a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter.

“I’m super-excited,” Enders said. “We were in the semis last year. “Lost to a decent Bradford team.

“Knowing that I’m not going to be here with this small family again to get a sectional that’s something special.”

 

Adam Enders pulls up on the break. 6:20 remaining Belfast 48 Prattsburgh 38 pic.twitter.com/fuTKPMO1xZ

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2019

Fellow seniors Alex Enders (cousin) and Kevin McCumiskey combined to connect four times in the first quarter.

“Those three seniors were our backbone,” Hennessy stated. “I’m so happy for them. Most of them having been playing since eighth, ninth grade. For all the work and dedication, I’m glad we got one for them.”

McCumiskey used a ball screen at the top of the key to get space for a pull-up. Two possessions later, the 6-2 guard connected again from 3-point land. Alex Enders pushed the advantage to double digits with 3-ball of his own.

 

Kevin McCumiskey stays hot from long range. 2:21 to go in the 3rd. Belfast 45 Prattsburgh 29 pic.twitter.com/ioQx6tGI6E

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2019

Belfast (18-6) also held Prattsburgh (averaging 70.90 points per game) to its second-lowest game total of the season.

“Take charges, get back, get on loose balls,” Enders said of the effort on the defensive end of the floor. “Most importantly, just play us. We’ve been playing Belfast basketball for a long time now. It’s good basketball.”

“We played great defensively as a team,” Hennessy added. “Hats off to Prattsburgh. They’re a great team as well. Ball just went our way a couple times.”

The Bulldogs connected five times from long range in the first half and eight overall.

“They shot phenomenal today,” Hennessy said of his squad. “You try to get ready for games like this. The whole bus ride we were all loose and everyone was having fun. I didn’t know if that was going to be a good thing or a bad thing. It turned out to be a good thing. They made some buckets.”

Kris Johnson led Prattsburgh (19-4) with 20 points. Mason Putnam had 19.

 

Kris Johnson beats the buzzer, but Prattsburgh trails Belfast, 45-34 after 3 quarters of the Class D2 Final. pic.twitter.com/mn8jUZIKCg

— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2019

Enders, second all-time on the Section V individual scoring list, ran his career total to 2,524 points.

BELFAST 60, PRATTSBURGH 55
BELFAST (18-6)
Adam Enders 13-23 6-7 34; Kevin McCumiskey 4-19 1-4 13; Carter Guilford 1-1
2-2 4; Hunter Enders 1-1 0-0 3; Alex Enders 1-4 0-0 3; Stefen Struckman 1-3
0-0 2; Devin Harriger 0-3 1-2 1. Totals 21-54 10-15 60.
PRATTSBURGH (19-4)
Kris Johnson 9-19 0-0 20; Mason Putnam 6-13 6-8 19; James Crowder 2-4 1-2 6;
Ethan Covert 2-4 0-0 5; Ammon Anderson 2-6 0-0 5; Chris Hively 0-3 0-0 0;
Caleb Clements 0-0 0-0 0; Henry DeVoe 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-50 7-10 55.
Belfast…………………..   21   12   12   15  –   60
Prattsburgh……………….   11   12   11   21  –   55
3-point goals–Belfast 8-28 (Kevin McCumiskey 4-14; Adam Enders 2-8; Hunter
Enders 1-1; Alex Enders 1-2; Devin Harriger 0-3), Prattsburgh 6-20 (Kris
Johnson 2-3; Mason Putnam 1-8; Ethan Covert 1-3; Ammon Anderson 1-2; James
Crowder 1-2; Chris Hively 0-2). Fouled out–Belfast-None, Prattsburgh-James
Crowder. Rebounds–Belfast 27 (Adam Enders 11), Prattsburgh 28 (Kris Johnson
9). Assists–Belfast 7 (Kevin McCumiskey 3), Prattsburgh 10 (James Crowder
5). Total fouls–Belfast 14, Prattsburgh 18. Technical fouls–Belfast-None,
Prattsburgh-None. A-1000