By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A year ago, the Hornell boys’ basketball season ended when free throws late in regulation led to overtime.
Saturday night, the Red Raiders had a chance to redeem themselves.
Jackson White took advantage of the opportunity.
White’s 3-pointer in the closing seconds was the difference as Hornell downed two-time reigning champion Greece Odyssey, 53-50 in Class B1 quarter-final action.
White took a Chase Freeland pass from the right corner and connected from the top of the key.
“A lot of hard work and it came down to that,” White said. “I just felt comfortable shooting it.
“Got the ball. Just knocked down the shot.”
The junior guard’s second 3-pointer of the night came right on time to give Hornell its first lead of the fourth quarter.
“It was the same kind of situation as last year versus Newark, but we were on the opposite end,” White said recalling the loss in last year’s overtime when they were outscored 11-0 in the extra period. “Just to see it come out our way is a really great thing.”
That Hornell was in position to win seemed unlikely at the end of the third quarter.
Collapsing under the wave of an Odyssey run, Hornell surrendered a double-digit in less than three minutes.
“I was thinking this is the worst time to panic and worst time to melt down,” head coach Kirk Scholes said. “I was glad we were up 12 to start with that. We had a complete mental breakdown for a three-minute stretch. Just like lost track of everything we have been working on and doing.”
Having committed just four turnovers in the first half, the Red Raiders fumbled and threw the ball away on five straight possessions to close the third quarter.
“At that point, I was just thinking keep playing, get through this quarter, get through this quarter,” Scholes added. “Once we got through the third quarter, we were able to execute a little bit, handle pressure a little bit.”
Korey Canton scored seven points and handed out two assists in the flurry which saw Odyssey turn a 12-point deficit into a three-point edge at 43-40.
“They have tremendous athletes,” Scholes said “We have the utmost respect for them. We were just gritty and tough tonight and found a way.”
Hornell’s Collin Buisch scored on a wing drive to knot the game at 50 with 27 seconds left on the clock. The ensuing free throw found iron, but the Red Raiders secured the rebound, setting the stage for White.
Jackson White buries a 3, and Hornell downs Odyssey 53-50. pic.twitter.com/NzTRjFwNqW
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 1, 2020
“I was thinking about calling a timeout,” Scholes said. “I wanted to see if the defense broke down, if we got something good out of it.
“It’s a shot that Jackson White can make. He’s made hundreds of them. He splashed one there in the biggest of moments. Just proud of all of them.”
“On our warm-ups it says ‘Finish,'” White said pointing out the team’s shirts worn prior to games. “That’s what we just try to do. Even if we’re down, you just got to come back and rally back together. Just keep fighting.”
White finished with nine points. Buisch added 13. Freeland had 12. Malik Amink contributed 10 points. Tanner Stutzman (6) and Derek McCumiskey (2) rounded out the scoring for Hornell.
Hornell will play top-seeded Geneva in Tuesday’s semi-final.
Jaden Hartsfield and Dylan Kolmetz paced Odyssey with 13 points apiece. Canton had 10. Presten Mathis scored six. Gerald Gaitan and Luke Schneider added three apiece. Jonah Holloway had two points. Hartsfield closed his career with 1,186 points.
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