By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Finding the most effective defense. That’s what it took.
Facing a six-point deficit early in the third quarter, Patrick Muldowney’s Fairport girls’ basketball team made one last adjustment. With that move, the Red Raiders went on to clinch a spot in a sectional final for the first time in more than a decade.
Ne’vaeh Buntley and Bella Pucci combined to score 19 points in the third as No. 2 Fairport defeated No. 3 Penfield, 80-67.
“It feels really good,” Muldowney said after the win. “They (Penfield) gave us everything they had in the first half.”
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And Fairport countered with everything in the playbook including a 1-2-2 press.
“It was just the wrinkle that we needed,” Muldowney said.
Buntley’s influence at the top of the three-quarter court trap sparked the rally. The sophomore guard converted on a pair of steal-and-layup opportunities to make it a one-possession game.
“Ne’vaeh’s hands at the top of that (defense) are so fast,” Muldowney noted. “That kid, I don’t even know how the heck she strips the ball, but she does it. She is so fast. She was determined. She just shut it down. That’s why she’s at the top. I don’t think anyone has seen that yet, but now they have.”
Ne’vaeh Buntley pic.twitter.com/0iONuE6uml
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2022
Less than three minutes of game time later, Pucci threaded a pass through the Penfield defense to an awaiting Ella Meabon for a bucket in the lane and on the ensuing inbound Buntley forced a turnover that Pucci converted into two more points.
Bella Pucci finds Ella Meabon for two. Pucci follows with a strap and layup. Fairport 50-47. pic.twitter.com/PkT0W27dzH
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2022
Fairport had a lead it did not surrender at 50-47 with 2 minutes and 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
“We played them three times,” Muldowney said referring to two Fairport victories over its Monroe County Division I rival during the regular season. “The first two times we hit them with straight 2-3 (zone) and we did great. The second time they only scored 26 points. They just were ready for it tonight.
“We had to give them something different. We tried a 3-2, and they ate that up. It was like what do we got? We tried a little bit of man (man-to-man defense). They’re a man team, so they have everything to run for that. It was like okay, is it time to press? We went for it.”
Abigail Smith steal and feed to Ne’vaeh Buntley pic.twitter.com/Tw9EAxp3zr
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2022
Pucci ended the third with her fourth 3-pointer of the night. The junior guard and recent SUNY Binghamton commit connected on her fifth triple early in the fourth. Buntley followed suit the next trip down the floor for a 71-57 Fairport (18-4) lead.
Bella Pucci connects on her fifth trey of the night. pic.twitter.com/ZGqqsRTfEs
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2022
The margin was never in single digits again.
“They did awesome,” Muldowney said of his team. “I can’t even believe how they executed. It was so good to watch.”
Pucci finished with a game-high 32 points. Meabon added 21 and Buntley scored 20.
Abigail Smith (3), Riley DeRue (2) and Macy Ostrander (2) rounded out the scoring for Fairport.
The Red Raiders last reached the finals in 2010 when Allyson DiMagno led Fairport to the AAA title.
Eva Elliot topped the Penfield offense with 23 points. Jackie Funk had 16. Grace Alexander added nine. Leah Fusilli (4), Sarah Baumer (3), Elisa Faklaris (3) and Ashley Kalvitis (2) also scored for the Patriots.
Eva Elliot snaps a 6-0 run, but Bella Pucci answers with her 4th trey of the night. Heading to the 4th @FCSDSports 61 Penfield 54 pic.twitter.com/OVp5Ks7Bu9
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 2, 2022
Fairport will face top-seeded Bishop Kearney in Saturday’s championship game. A 7 PM tipoff is scheduled at Rush-Henrietta high school.
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