Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Reaves powers Athena to fourth straight win

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By PAUL GOTHAM

GREECE, N.Y. — Khorie Reaves scored nine of his season-high 30 points in the fourth quarter as the Greece Athena boys’ basketball team erased a deficit and went on to defeat Pittsford Mendon, 67-61 in Monroe County Division III action Friday night.

Reaves grabbed a defensive rebound and went the length of the floor for a layup and a lead the Trojans did not surrender at 59-57.

“He was awesome tonight,” Athena head coach Mike Setzer said. “When he gets locked in like that, he’s tough to stop.”

Next trip down the floor, Reaves hit a pull-up jumper and later fed Connor Osier for Athena’s largest advantage of the night at 65-57 as the Trojans scored on six straight possessions.

“We just keep battling,” the junior guard said. “We just had to tell each other to lock in. Once we did that, I feel like that sparked our defense, and our defense sparked our offense.”

Reaves connected on 12-of-22 shots from the floor. He finished with 10 rebounds along with two assists and a hefty influence on the Athena offense.

“This is when Khorie plays the point,” Setzer said with a smile as he pointed to Athena’s offensive sets noted on his play sheet. “This is when Khorie plays the four. This is when Khorie plays the two or three.

“He was fantastic tonight. He makes me look like a smart coach when he plays like that. I’m not doing anything. I’m just letting him go.”

Athena was also able to take advantage when Mendon’s leading scorer, Jackson Green, went to the floor with a non-contact injury early in the third quarter.

“He is just such a heckuva player,” Setzer said of the opposing guard. “That changed it for them.”

Mendon led 39-32 when Green left the game with 6:53 remaining in the third quarter. He did not return to action.

“With him out, we decided to really pressure the ball,” Setzer said referring to the defensive work of Reaves along with Zee Johnson, I’Zayah Reaves and I’Zick Reaves. “The nice thing is I’ve got guys that can do that.”

With Green on the bench, Mendon’s London Hoyser scored seven of his team-high 14 points in the third quarter. The senior guard converted on back-to-back possessions and Mike Bischoping connected along the baseline to give Mendon its largest lead of the night at 47-38.

Athena responded with Reaves at the front of the charge.

The junior guard grabbed an offensive for a putback as part of traditional three-point play. He set up I’Zick Reaves for another bucket before beating third-quarter buzzer with a basket in the lane as the Trojans cut the deficit to four at 53-49 heading to the final quarter of play.

“I thought Mendon had a good idea trying to draw charges on him,” Setzer said of the Vikings’ attempts to slow Reaves. “He just had another gear tonight, so they were a second late with that.”

Athena (No. 24 NYSSWA Class A) improved its record to 11-2 on the season.

I’Zick Reaves added 15 to Athena’s offensive production. Osier had 10 points. Johnson finished with six steals, five rebonds and four points. I’Zayah Reaves (4), Jovon Barfield (3) and Byron Williams (1) rounded out the Athena scoring.

Mendon’s Green scored 12 points before leaving the game. Ryan Deuel accounted for 13 points. Bischoping had 10. Matt Woods (9) and Ryan Connolly (3) also scored.

Mendon is also without Caleb Lewis who suffered a knee injury last fall during football season. The senior will miss the entire basketball campaign. Green and Lewis were First-Team All-County performers a year ago. Green was the Division III Player of the Year.

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