By PAUL GOTHAM
MENDON, N.Y. — Lexi Green grabbed the rebound in the lane and in one swift motion pivoted to start up-court. The senior guard’s eyes barely made contact with her teammate when she pushed a two-handed pass that bounced 25 feet up court before reaching its target.
On the receiving end, Lily Kennedy grabbed the ball in stride and, with defender in pursuit, finished a left-handed layup.
Two players moving together. Like a quarterback who understands the route of his receiver and can “look off” a defender, Green instinctively glanced to her left. She started the pass before fully seeing her target.
Kennedy started breaking up-court before Green had full possession of the ball, and her teammate rewarded her for running the floor.
The synergy demonstrated between the two was so evident that it is hard to imagine their time playing together is measured in months not years.
That’s right. Last year while Green and her Mendon teammates were winning their fourth straight sectional title, Kennedy was two states away helping Walnut Hills (Cincinnati) to an appearance in the district finals of the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) championships.
“They’ve all welcomed me into the program,” Kennedy said. “It’s been fun.”
When her dad took a job in upstate New York, Kennedy left behind a program that had won or shared three Eastern Cincinnati Conference titles in four years.
On Friday night, Kennedy scored 17 points and helped Mendon to its fifth straight sectional championship.
“She’s fits like a glove,” Mendon head coach Todd Julien said. “She’s a lot like the players from the past. She’s an athletic wing who can defend forwards with great guard skills. She’s a five-tool player.”
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At 5-foot-10, she can match-up in the post. In the Section V Class A final, Kennedy set the tone drawing the assignment of defending Brockport’s primary ballhandler.
“She never let them initiate their offense like they wanted,” Julien noted. “She has great length and great feet. She’s going to be a college player.”
On the offensive side, Kennedy connected six times from the floor including once from behind the 3-point arc.
She averaged 11.0 points with six rebounds and two assists per game this season. Her ability to stretch the floor in transition, though, is as valuable as any statistic she has.
Dani Strauf breaks out the spin move to set up Lily Kennedy before the 3rd quarter horn. Mendon 48 Brockport 32 pic.twitter.com/i55EK056N8
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 13, 2021
“We got lucky with her,” said Danielle Strauf one of three returning starters along with Green and Anaya Coleman. “Coach says all the time, that she’s one of the fastest learners we’ve ever had. We give her feedback in practice, the next play she’s got it 100 percent. It’s great to have her on this team. She brings great energy, great positive energy.”
Mendon finished 15-0 this season. The Vikings haven’t lost since January 14th of last year, a stretch that includes 27 games.
Kennedy along with Coleman, Strauf and fellow starter Bridget Miller will get a chance to continue the Mendon tradition.
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