By BILLY HEYEN
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — At the end of Tuesday’s third quarter, Pittsford Mendon called a last-second play. Its individual outcome wouldn’t affect the Vikings’ sectional quarterfinal contest, which was well in hand. But it gave the Mendon starters a chance to stay sharp with another win-or-go home game in less than 48 hours.
Jacob Shadders dribbled left toward Jackson Green at the top of the key, as if to hand the ball off. No exchange occurred, though, and as Shadders continued left, Green sliced around the backside of the defense, totally uncovered. It was an easy pitch, catch and finish for the Mendon duo.
“That’s something we’ve put in,” Shadders said. “Jackson’s getting his hops up this season… We trust him to go up and get it, and it’s a good play design.”
Slick end of third quarter play by @mendonbball — @jacob_shadders with his seventh dime to @Jacksongreen236, who’s up to 18 like Shadders.
Mendon up 66-33 after three on Churchville with a date with Leadership awaiting Thursday. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/aTx2ub0JhR
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) March 10, 2021
Top-seeded Pittsford Mendon controlled proceedings from start to finish in an 84-46 win over eight-seed Churchville-Chili on Tuesday night. Shadders and Green led the Vikings with 18 points apiece, and Luke Hoyser joined them in double figures with 11.
Almost as important, the Vikings felt they’d maintained focus from beginning to end. It may not have mattered Tuesday, but with fourth-seeded Leadership Academy’s Mo McKinney and Sean Smith on the docket for a Thursday night Class A1 semifinal, every good game rep mattered.
“It should be a fun matchup,” Shadders said. “One I’ve been looking forward to for a long time, and it’s gonna be a big one Thursday night to go to the Section V championship, and I’m ready to go.”
MORE: Rush-Henrietta advances to Class AA semifinal
Mendon snagged early momentum Tuesday by dominating on the defensive end. The Vikings have spoken time and again this season about their identity starting with defense, and it was on display against the Saints.
In one first half sequence, Mendon nabbed steals on three consecutive possessions. The first, Shadders took his own steal for a left-handed lay-in. The next, Green finished off his own takeaway for an and-one. And while the third didn’t lead as directly to a bucket, the Vikings cashed a 3 off that one, too.
“We know that our good defense leads to offense,” Mendon head coach Bob Nally said. “We’re gonna get deflections, we’re gonna get steals and that leads to transition points… When we play good defense, we play good offense.”
https://twitter.com/BillyHeyen/status/1369440199541948419?s=20
Helping the Vikings’ defensive cause more than he could early in the season was Caleb Lewis. The 6-foot-2 wing missed time with an injury to start the year, but he’s worked back to full health and joined Mendon’s starting lineup Tuesday.
Lewis scored all eight of his points after halftime, but even in the first half, he added length and energy to a Vikings team firing on all cylinders. Mendon brought Kidder Lindley off the bench Tuesday for matchup reasons, Nally said, but he also added it feels like he’s now got six starters to choose from.
“Caleb makes us different,” Shadders said. “… He makes us deeper, which helps us out in this COVID year when you’re playing back to backs, playing so constantly. Caleb’s just another guy we can plug in there who can do it all.”
And-1 for @calebllewis for @mendonbball. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/b4hL67BRRW
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) March 10, 2021
At the offensive end, things were made easier for Mendon by Green’s increased passing vision. Nally praised it earlier in the season, and in the third quarter, Green dished out three assists in a three-minute span.
One of those came off a hop step to set up Brady Miller for a bucket, and another lined Hoyser up for a triple.
“(Jackson’s) so smooth,” Hoyser said. “Gets to the basket super easily, makes things happen. Great eyes, great passer.”
The 3 from @LukeHoyser has @mendonbball up 60-27 with 2:46 left in the third. @PickinSplinters pic.twitter.com/ayAX4KxFYD
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) March 10, 2021
Shadders and Green got the final 6:31 of game action off, resting up with the quick turnaround to Thursday night in mind. Shadders did expend a bit more energy, though.
A timeout was called with 91 seconds left, and Shadders rose from his seat near the corner of the court and walked around high-fiving or fist-bumping every Mendon player and coach not involved in the timeout huddle. The Vikings’ message heading into the sectional tournament was the same many teams have, Nally said: “One game at a time.”
Shadders, Green, Hoyser and the rest of the Vikings took care of the first “one game,” and now Mendon’s got two more between itself and a sectional trophy.
“Anything can happen,” Nally said. “We just want to stay focused. We like our chances, and we’re excited to be competing and playing for a block.”
Scoring totals
Pittsford Mendon: Jacob Shadders (18), Jackson Green (18), Luke Hoyser (11), Caleb Lewis (8), Kidder Lindley (7), Will Connors (6), Brady Miller (5), Conner Rook (5), Eric Krowl (4), Connor Memmott (2)
Churchville-Chili: Davi Pride (11), Joaquon Thomas (11), Jason Gibbs (9), Robert Munding (4), Gideon Todd (3), Caleb Smith (2), Justin Meister (2), Collin Curley (2)
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