By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
Canandaigua point guard Bryce Ceravolo did not expect to return to the court on Thursday night.
“I honestly did not think I was gonna be able to,” Ceravolo recalled.
Ceravolo, a senior captain who scored 17 points on an undefeated Victor team before Christmas, left the game early in the second quarter with an apparent lower leg injury. He returned after the halftime break, scoring 13 of his 19 points in the second half and overtime.
The Braves overcame Ceravolo’s second-quarter absence, as well as an 11-point third-quarter deficit, to edge Penfield 75-73 in its own holiday tournament. Ceravolo took home MVP honors, but the OT victory required offensive contributions from six shot-making teammates.
Canandaigua stormed back on the strength of 3-pointers. The Braves made four 3-point shots during their 21-7 run to close the third, including two from Derek Andrews. Andrews answered Penfield star Brady Schroeder’s 3-pointer with an off-balance, buzzer-beating triple of his own.
Neither team led by more than five points for the rest of the game.
Kenyon Mahoney made seven 3-pointers, including two in the fourth quarter and another in overtime, to lead the Braves with 21 points. Penfield also felt Canandaigua’s defensive pressure, as the Patriots made just four field goals in the fourth quarter. Still, Canandaigua trailed with 17.1 seconds left after turning over an inbound pass that led to a Penfield fast break basket.
Nick Ferris, off Ceravolo’s feed, took a few power dribbles to find an angle and laid a shot off glass for the tying basket. Penfield’s shot behind the opposite perimeter missed the basket entirely, signaling overtime.
Even the overtime period proved to be unorthodox, as Canandaigua head coach Jim Davern was hit with a technical foul at the end of regulation. Aiden Cook only made one of the two technical free throws, but the Braves were down a point before they even got in their defensive stance.
“I probably could have kept my composure a little better there,” Davern acknowledged, a towel over his shoulder to absorb some of the sweat he acquired on the sideline. “These boys fought hard and I felt like they were done wrong on that one, so it’s my job to advocate for them, but I probably could have done a better job keeping my composure.
“I learned something today, too.”
Davern also re-learned about his team’s tenacity, as the Braves took little time taking the lead again. Ceravolo made a layup through contact on the Braves’ first possession and drew multiple fouls when an eager Penfield squad desperately needed stops. The Braves made five of their seven free throws in the extra session and stopped the Patriots from scoring on their final consequential possession. Penfield’s 3-pointer at the final buzzer was just for show.
Mahoney, Ceravolo and Ferris combined for 50 points; Andrews, Callum Outhouse and Nathan Sheriden tallied eight, seven and six, respectively. Matt Pawlicki made two baskets in the second quarter.
Penfield junior Aiden Cook led all scorers with 29 points, including four 3-pointers. Schroeder contributed 23 points, scoring 10 of Penfield’s 18 points in the third quarter. Caden Harrington chipped in 13 points, making two 3-pointers in the second quarter, while Daniel Gregory and Matthew Karpen added six and two, respectively.
The Braves are now 4-1, snapping Penfield’s two-game win streak in the process. What did it mean for Canandaigua to make the trip and win an in-season tournament?
“Any time a Canandaigua basketball team can go into Monroe County, a two-way school, and get a win on the road, it’s a very good thing,” Davern remarked.
“This is something we’ll cherish,” Ceravolo added, “for the rest of our lives.”
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