By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A third quarter that opened with five lead changes closed with the Pittsford Mendon boys’ basketball team on a 13-0 run.
When it was done, the Vikings had a lead they did not surrender and were on the way to a second straight Section V Class A1 title.
Caleb Lewis scored 11 of his game-high 23 points during the decisive run, and Tournament MVP Jackson Green finished with seven assists as top-seeded Mendon defeated No. 3 Webster Schroeder, 63-49.
“We get our energy off stops,” Mendon head coach Bob Nally said. “We knew in order to get out and get some buckets we were going to have to buckle down, be tough on the defensive end so we could get out in transition.”
Trailing 33-32 with 3 minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the quarter, Lewis connected on a pull-up jumper. The junior guard/forward followed with another bucket before converting a pair of free throws. He finished a second-chance opportunity, and teammate Kidder Lindley added a basket. Lewis capped the run with an and-one when Green found him along the baseline for Mendon’s largest lead of the game at 45-33.
Mendon produced points on six of seven possessions during the run part of an overall sequence that saw the Vikings score on eight of nine trips down the floor.
“I do think it was transition led,” Nally said of the run. “To Webster’s credit, they were great defensively. We struggled to get looks in the half-court. We always pride ourselves on our defense, so it’s not a change per se.”
Schroeder opened the game with a 7-2 lead. Gio Schillaci scored nine points in the first quarter including the first five to pace the Warriors. Ben Carey added a bucket in the lane and a pair of free throws later as Schroeder led 13-9 after the first quarter.
“They’re tough,” Nally said of Schroeder. “They can shoot it. They run off great screens. They’re a good offensive and defensive team.”
Green scored 16 in the game and converted on 6-of-6 free throws in the fourth quarter. The junior guard/forward scored at the buzzer for a 28-24 lead at halftime. He finished the game with six rebounds and five blocks.
“He’s got a couple different gears,” Nally said of Green. “He loves to get his teammates involved. He doesn’t try to do too much. He works really hard on defense.
“Our offense is built around sharing the ball. He’s not the main focus on offense but can take over when needed. He’s only a junior but he’s a three-year varsity guy. He knew that we needed him and we told him that we needed him. He amped it up a little bit and showed you what he could do.”
The title was the third in four years for the Vikings. The 2018-19 squad reached the New York State Class A championship game.
“It’s a little surreal,” Nally said. “It’s seven years into the job. We’ve been blessed with great kids. Our staff is phenomenal. We have great culture because we have great kids, great administration and great parent involvement. It makes the coaching job easy but definitely don’t take it for granted. Sometimes you’re on the good end of this. Sometimes you’re on the bad, but I’m definitely enjoying it while we’re on the good.”
Lewis and Lindley joined Green on the All-Tournament team. Lindley scored seven in the game. Eric Krowl had nine. London Hoyser (6) and Ryan Deuel (2) also scored for the Vikings. Schroeder’s Carey and Schillaci also earned All-Tournament honors along with Ryan Heath (Irondequoit) and Shawn Mason (Webster Thomas).
Carey scored 19 points. Schillaci had 16. Alex DeRosa scored six while Nick Hauman and Jon McCaffrey had four apiece.
Mendon will Class A2 champion East in the NYS Class A regional qualifier.
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