By PAUL GOTHAM
MENDON, N.Y. — Todd Julien and his Pittsford Mendon girls basketball team will not need any introductions to their opponent when they take the floor Saturday.
The last time they played Hudson Valley Community College court, Mendon fell to Jamesville-Dewitt in the 2017 NYS Class A title game, 48-46. It was the Red Rams second of three straight titles.
Despite beating J-D during earlier this season, Julien knows the task ahead and understands his opponent.
“Familiar and significant,” the Mendon head coach said. “They’re a very good basketball team. They’re well-coached.”
Mendon (No. 1 NYSSWA) handed Jamesville-Dewitt (No. 2 NYSSWA) one of its five losses on the season. Julien, though, knows Saturday will be different.
“We don’t take that because we won we’re some kind of favorite. These teams are very even. There’s a very slim margin between the two teams. We have to be the team that just finds a way, executes a little better. We got some things we can do better from that game.”
Alana Fursman scored 17, and Lexi Green added 13 in the 43-40 win on January 26th.
“During that game, our defense was really good. It got us through that game,” Green said. “Our shots were not necessarily falling the way we had hoped. Our defense was able to stop them enough and get us to the offensive end to score enough to beat them.”
Fursman (16.8) and Green (13.4) along with Katie Bischoping (10.9) and Ellie Mooney (10.8) pace a balanced lineup which Julien says goes “nine deep.”
“It’s a rarity in girls to have four kids in double figures. We could have some more kids, but there are only so many shots available out there in a ball game. It’s clearly a luxury. It makes us a much more significant opponent because you’ve got guard five kids.”
“If one of us is having a bad game, we know that someone else can pick up the slack and play basketball,” Fursman said of the balanced lineup.
Mendon (23-1) has won 14 straight. They needed a Danielle Strauf 3-pointer late in regulation and double-overtime in the Far West Regionals to beat Lake Shore (VI), 68-66.
The win set up the rematch.
“The last time we played them in that gym it didn’t go the way we wanted it to go,” Green said. “It’s exciting to have a rematch against them in that place where we lost to them last time. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to maybe beat them this time.”
A 10:45 AM tip off is scheduled.
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