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By TIM IRVING
Numbers can be deceiving.
For instance, East Rochester defeated Clyde-Savannah in girls basketball 60-39 on Thursday but the game was much closer than that.
Bombers senior Sam Lewis scored 10 points and fouled out but that doesn’t tell much of the story either.
The defending Section V Champion Bombers improved to 12-0, ranked second in the State in Class C while the Golden Eagles dropped to 11-2, with both losses to East Rochester.
The Bombers’ 2-3 zone prevented Clyde from scoring for the first 2:38 of the first quarter with Lewis scoring four points at the other end for a 6-0 lead.
The visitors responded with a 7-4 run, junior Jaida Larsen converting a three-point play with 25 seconds left for a 10-7 score after the first quarter.
By the midway point of the second quarter, ER leading scorers Lewis and Lily Funk along with Larsen had two fouls each and Kelsie DiSanto’s free throw tied the game at 16 with under three minutes to play.
Then Bri Hickman took over inside, scoring twice. Sisters Zarriah and Aniyah Eldridge hit baskets in the final minute and East Rochester had a 25-19 lead.
“When LeBria really wants to play, she’s a difference maker for us because she’s so strong, can go to the rim, is a great rebounder,” coach Mark Florack said of Hickman.
Aniyah Eldridge, an eighth-grader, came out on fire in third, scoring four points in the first minute and a half.
“Once we step on the court, we don’t see the grade. I love her, I’m so proud of her, she’s playing so good, “ Lewis said about her younger teammate.
Lewis then picked up her third and fourth foul in a span of eight seconds and with 6:07 to go in the third, she headed to the bench.
“Even if I am on the bench, as much as I hate it, I know my teammates are going to be fine,” Lewis said. “I think it’s a wake-up call that we have to play smarter.”
Hickman converted a three-point play with 3:25 left in the third and that woke up the Golden Eagles, with Larsen scoring inside and Kylie Paylor’s free throw shooting, Clyde got the lead down to 38-31 heading to the fourth.
Then Lewis came back in the game.
In the first two minutes of the fourth, Lewis hit Zarriah Eldridge on a drive and dish and then a skip pass to Funk and the lead was 44-31.
The teams traded baskets before the Bombers finished the game on a 9-2 run.
Lewis had 10 points but added eight rebounds, five assists and seven steals.
East Rochester had five of their six players that scored totaling double figures, led by Zarriah Eldridge with 14.
Larsen led the Golden Eagles with a game-high 18 points.
Due to COVID, the Bombers missed a shot at States after winning their first Sectional title in 29 years last season and it’s in the backs of their minds now.
Lewis said, “I don’t like to think about it because there’s always that ‘what if?’ but I’m happy with our season last year. I would loved to have gone to States but we’ve got this year, so we’re gonna focus on that.”
SCORING
Clyde-Savannah
Ashlynn Rattray 3, Kylie Paylor 7, Taylor Carnevale 2, Jaida Larsen 18, Kelsie DiSanto 9.
East Rochester
Sam Lewis 10, Zarriah Eldridge 14, Gianna Romach 2, Lily Funk 12, Aniyah Eldridge 10, Bri Hickman 12.
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