By BILLY HEYEN
VICTOR, N.Y. — With a few minutes to play on Friday night, Victor head coach Tyler Roberts sent five substitutes to the scorer’s table. They took the place of the Blue Devils’ five seniors — Connor Williams, Chase Dickens, CJ James, Will Tehan and Michael Ferraro.
Each senior shook Roberts’ hand as they headed to the bench, legacies at Victor secure no matter how the remainder of the altered 2021 season goes.
“This group of seniors, they’re obviously pretty accomplished from the success we had last year,” Roberts said. “… It’s a really cohesive group, and they truly are friends and care about each other, and you can see it on the court.”
Victor’s (2-0) seniors all scored, too, in a 64-38 win Friday night at home over Rush-Henrietta (1-1). Dickens led the way with 17 while Williams scored 15 points with 10 rebounds and five assists. Williams may have summed the night up best:
“Considering three weeks ago, we had nothing,” Williams said, “this is great. It’s great to play again. It’s really fun, all of us seniors playing again.”
The only thing normal about Victor’s Senior Night is that it happened in February. But this wasn’t the Blue Devils’ last home game — it was their first. The early festivities in this shortened season were to ensure that COVID-19 wouldn’t halt games before the five Victor seniors could be recognized.
Players couldn’t be joined by a host of family members, but rather just the two spectators allotted to every athlete. The family pictures were taken with masks on. There wasn’t a student section to give rousing applause to their peers.
Even given all that, though, Dickens called it a “dream come true.” The Blue Devils grew up playing together, and the doubts of any season at all gave way to a celebration, even if it was a muted one.
“We’ve always dreamed of this season,” Dickens said, “so I guess we’re just trying to make the best of it.”
Williams added that it all was made better by the night’s win, too. Victor came out clicking from the start on the interior, utilizing big-to-big passing for easy buckets.
The 7-footer Williams scored the first three of the first four baskets for the Blue Devils, all off passes from CJ James (and the fourth opening score was from Williams to James). That was a common theme of the night, as Williams, James and Phil Nwugwo combined for 32 points, 20 of which were assisted by each other.
“Me, (James) and Phil, it’s tough to stop all of us down there,” Williams said. “Being unselfish down there makes our team so much better.”
Two buckets so far for @CWilliams_50 , both off CJ James assists. @victorboysbball @victorbldevils @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/yPka7OGNhg
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) February 13, 2021
Such interior execution left more room on the perimeter for Victor’s shooters. Dickens had the best night of all, nailing five triples en route to his 17 points.
After the game, Dickens was asked if anything felt especially right about his shot Friday night. Williams chimed in first, “He’s always like that.”
Seniors Tehan and Ferraro each hit a 3 of their own, as well, and in the second half, Williams swished a right-wing long two to partly join the long-distance party.
“It’s really nice to have guys like Connor, CJ and Phil to kind of draw and suck in the defense,” Dickens said, “because then I can space out to my little zone. They’re such great passers and we just kind of play a little game between us, outside and in.”
Chase Dickens, shooter. Four triples now for @dickens_chase . @PickinSplinters @VictorBLDevils @victorboysbball pic.twitter.com/R8PcKFvpwf
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) February 13, 2021
Rush-Henrietta made a few runs throughout the contest, including the final six points of the first half by Jalen House, who finished with 11. Chris Sleeper made a difference on the inside, scoring 11 points with eight rebounds himself. But for the most part, Victor’s defense was too stout.
Unlike last season, Roberts frequently used Williams, James and Nwugwo on the back line of Victor’s 2-3 zone together. That works out to a 7-foot, 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-6 trio that can alter any attempt inside by the opposition. Through two games, the Blue Devils have allowed 64 points, the same total they scored themselves Friday.
“They’re on the court a lot more together this year than last year,” Roberts said. “And that’s a pretty big advantage for us.”
Speaking on a microphone to the crowd before the game, Roberts referred to the reasons this particular group of Victor seniors would be remembered. They’d taken the program from 6-16 in 2018-19 to 20-2 last season, a historic accomplishment for the Blue Devils. And there’d be no way to tell the story of their senior year without intertwining it with the COVID-19 pandemic, too, Roberts said.
There’s one more way they could go down in history, though, one that Victor doesn’t like talking about. Williams admitted that a sectional title comes up in conversation between the players occasionally, but at practice and games, it’s all about the next play, the next outcome, the next game.
Roberts and the Blue Devils figure that if they just keep on winning the next moment, it can result in ending the season with a win, too. Roberts’ pregame words will ring true no matter how this Victor season ends, but there’s a chance to cement them even more.
“No one’s ever gonna forget you guys,” Roberts said. “… You are always gonna be a group that’s talked about in Victor basketball.”
Scoring totals
Victor: Chase Dickens (17), Connor Williams (15), CJ James (9), Phil Nwugwo (7), Will Tehan (6), Michael Ferraro (3), Rohan Chitre (3), Owen Stone (2), Brody Engelbrechet (2)
Rush-Henrietta: Chris Sleeper (11), Jalen House (11), Nasir Hunter (6), Tobey Wright (5), Jamari Johnson (2), Gabe Wright (2), Mason Giorgione (1)
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