One team is looking to win its ninth sectional title and first in seven years. The other goes seeking its sixth championship and first in more than a decade. Private-Parochial League meets the Monroe County League when Aquinas Institute and Rush-Henrietta tip off on Saturday with the 2022 Section V Class AA title up for grabs. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 2 seed AQUINAS LI’L IRISH (18-3/Private-Parochial I) vs. No. 8 seed RUSH-HENRIETTA ROYAL COMETS (11-12/Monroe County Division I)
Scoring offense: Aquinas (76.9 PPG), Rush-Henrietta (60.7 PPG)
Scoring defense: Aquinas (55.8 PPG), Rush-Henrietta (64.9 PPG)
Current streak: Aquinas has won six straight and 14 of 15. Rush-Henrietta has won four in a row and five of its past six.
How they got here: Aquinas defeated No. 7 Fairport, 75-52, in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Edison Tech, 84-66, in the semis.
Rush-Henrietta beat No. 9 Penfield, 73-62 in the opening before knocking off top-seeded Victor, 72-64 in the quarter-finals and going to overtime to beat No. 4 Hilton, 66-65 in the semis.
VIEW MORE CHRIS CECERE PHOTOS HERE.
Players to Watch
Aquinas: Jack Bleier Sr. G 13.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.6 SPG; Mason Blackwood So. F 17.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.6 BPG; Myles Blackwood Sr. G 12.6 PPG, 3.5 APG, 3.0 RPG; Jordan Jordan Sr. F 5.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG; Robert McCullough Sr. G 11.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.4 APG; Mykel White Jr. G 4.8 PPG.
Rush-Henrietta: Abdul Bori Sr. F 7.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG; Mason Giorgione Sr. G 14.7 PPG, 3.1 APG; Nasir Hunter Sr. G 9.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG; Tyler Simmons Sr. G 9.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG; Tobey Wright Sr. G 15.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG.
VIEW MORE DENNIS JOYCE PHOTOS HERE.
Coaches: Jeff LaFave (Aquinas), Chris Reed (Rush-Henrietta)
History 101: Aquinas is making its 10th appearance in a title game since 1975 and looking to win its ninth championship. The Li’l Irish won back-to-back Class AA titles in 2015 and ’16 under former head coach Mike Grosodonia. LaFave, in his first season at the helm with AQ, won the AA title with Gates-Chili last season. R-H is making its 14th appearance in a title game since 1975. The Royal Comets have won five titles, four under Reed who is in his 22nd season at the helm on Lehigh Station Road. Reed’s 425 career wins (he also coached eight seasons at Geneseo) ranks 12th all-time in Section V. R-H won back-to-back AA1 titles in 2010 and 2011.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM RON ANDREWS HERE.
What’s a stake: A spot in the New York State Class AA Far West Regional against the Section VI champion.
A 6:00 p.m. tip off is scheduled at Gates-Chili High School.
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