One team is looking to win its first sectional title in five years. The other is seeking its third in five years. Undefeated squads Batavia and Wayne will meet Friday to decide the 2021 Section V Class B1 Boys’ Basketball Championship. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 1 seed BATAVIA BLUE DEVILS (14-0/Monroe County Division IV) vs. No. 2 seed WAYNE EAGLES (14-0/Finger Lakes East Division)
Scoring offense: Batavia (67.4 PPG), Wayne (62.1 PPG)
Scoring defense: Batavia (46.9 PPG), Wayne (41.5 PPG)
Current streak: Both teams have won 14 straight.
How they got here: Batavia defeated No. 8 NE Douglass, 56-38, in the quarterfinals before downing fourth-seeded Palmyra-Macedon, 70-58, in the semis.
Wayne beat Dansville by a 76-44 score in the quarterfinals and took down Livonia, 59-50, in the semis.
Players to Watch for Batavia: Zach Gilebarto Sr. G 23 PPG, 7 RPG, 4 APG; Alex Hale Sr. G 10 PPG, 4 RPG, 4 APG; Stone Siverling Sr. C/F 18 PPG, 8 RPG
Wayne: Mason Blankenberg Jr. G 16.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 5.0 APG; Devon Forrest Jr. C 10.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and Tyler Reynolds Sr. G 16.0 PPG, 5.0 SPG.
Coaches: Buddy Brasky (Batavia), Bill Thomson (Wayne)
History 101: Batavia is seeking its first sectional title since 2016 when it defeated Wilson Magnet, 64-57, to win Class A2. This capped off a span in which the Blue Devils made four consecutive sectional final appearances and won two championships with the other coming in 2013 in B1. Wayne is making its third sectional final appearance in four years – all as the No. 2 seed. The Eagles won back-to-back Class A2 titles in 2017 and 2018.
A 6 p.m. tip off is scheduled at Batavia High School.
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