Jack Leasure Shooting and Skills Camp Regional Qualifier Preview: Pavilion and Oakfield-Alabama battle for spot in NYS Class C quarterfinals

One team is looking to reach regionals for the second time in four years. The other is looking to clinch its first regional berth in more than 30 years. Pavilion and Oakfield-Alabama will meet for a spot in the NYS Class C Far West Regional. Here’s the breakdown:

PAVILION GOLDEN GOPHERS (20-3/Livingston County AA Division III)
vs.
OAKFIELD-ALABAMA HORNETS (19-3/Genesee Region Division I)

Scoring offense: Pavilion (51.6 PPG), Oakfield-Alabama (49.5 PPG)

Scoring defense: Pavilion (36.2 PPG), Oakfield-Alabama (32.9 PPG)

Current Streak: Pavilion has won ten straight. Oakfield-Alabama has won five in a row and eight of the last nine.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JEROME DAVIS.

How they arrived here: Pavilion opened with a 69-37 win over No. 14 Red Jacket and proceeded to take down No. 6 Byron-Bergen, 49-25 in the quarterfinals. The Golden Gophers went on to defeat No. 2 Notre Dame-Batavia, 51-42 in the semifinals and overcame Dundee/Bradford, 45-36 to lift the Class C2 title. Oakfield-Alabama opened with a 54-26 win over No. 15 Red Creek and proceeded to beat No. 7 Addison, 44-37 in the quarterfinals. The Hornets outlasted No. 6 Bloomfield, 59-56 in the semifinals to earn a spot in the finals. Oakfield-Alabama went on to defeat Canisteo-Greenwood, 49-45 to win the Class C1 title.

Players to Watch

Pavilion: Kylie Conway 5-foot-4 So. G 5.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.4 SPG; Lauren Kingsley 6-foot-2 Sr. F 18.4 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 2.3 SPG; Ella Tillotson 5-foot-4 So. G 3.3 PPG, 5.1 APG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 SPG; Makayla Washburn 5-foot-6 Jr. F 3.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG; Karlee Zinkievich 5-foot-5 Sr. G 18.9 PPG, 4.9 APG, 3.9 SPG.

Oakfield-Alabama: Alea Groff 5-foot-5 So. G 9.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG; Piper Hyde 5-foot-6 So. G 4.6 PPG 1.5 SPG; MaKena Reding 5-foot-1 Sr. G 7.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, 2.3 SPG; Caitlin Ryan 5-foot-8 Jr. G 11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.4 SPG; Emma Wray 5-foot-5 Sr. F/G 6.5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG.

Coaches: Ben Schwenebraten (Pavilion), Jeff Schlagenhauf (Oakfield-Alabama)

History 101: Pavilion fell to eventual NYS semifinalist East Rochester in the 2022 Class C regional qualifier. The Golden Gophers are looking for their first regional appearance since 1981 when they eventually lost in the state semifinals. Oakfield-Alabama reached the quarterfinals of the NYS Tournament in 2019 and fell to Maple Grove.

What’s Next: The winner advances to the NYS Class C Far West Regional on Saturday to play Section VI champion, Randolph.

A 7:45 p.m. tip-off is scheduled at Mount Morris High School.