CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Faced with a three-game losing streak to end the regular season, Irondequoit Coach Chris Cardon realized that something needed to change. Shake up the starting lineup? Tweak the offensive or defensive philosophies? No, this required something more drastic. Cardon decided it was time to ditch the shirt and tie ensemble he has worn for his 37 years on the sideline in favor of an Irondequoit basketball quarter zip pullover. This decision has continued to pay dividends as the Eagles raced out to a 13-2 first quarter lead and never trailed in a 69-51 victory over Pittsford Sutherland in the NYS Class A Regional Qualifier at Canandaigua, Wednesday night.
Irondequoit scored the first eight points of the game while Sutherland struggled with the Eagles’ man-to-man help defense, turning the ball over on three of its first four possessions. Max Michalski scored Sutherland’s first bucket before the Eagles added on five more to take an 11-point lead. Quinn Vankerkhove (5) and Ryan Heath (4) contributed 9 points in this game-opening run. Sutherland scored six of the last eight points in the quarter to make the score 15-8 after one.
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Sutherland continued to make things tighter in the second, twice pulling within five on baskets by Luke Fliss and Michalski but Irondequoit closed the half on an 8-2 run to retake an 11- point lead heading into the break at 25-14. Four different Eagles scored during this stretch.
The Knights came out in the third quarter looking to change the momentum of the game in their favor. Trailing 30-20, Sam Pisanelli hit four straight free throws to pull Sutherland within six. Heath countered with an and-one 3-point play for the Eagles to stretch the lead up to nine. But Sutherland scored six of the next eight points, all by Michalski who started to assert himself down low, to creep back within five. But just as the Eagles had done all game, they went on a run to keep the Knights from getting within one possession, closing the quarter with eight unanswered points. Vankerkhove’s corner three pointer punctuated the run and swung the momentum back in Irondequoit’s favor. The Eagles led 43-30 heading into the fourth.
The Knights did not get any closer than 10 in the final quarter, while the Eagles pushed their lead to as much as 20 points. Xavier Gissendanner scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the final eight minutes to help close out the game.
Michalski led Sutherland with 14 points followed by Pisanelli (12), Everett Wilcox (11), Fliss (8), Rex Kesselring (4) and Brendan Quinn (2). The Knights close out the season at 16-8.
Irondequoit also had contributions from Heath (17), Vankerkhove (12), Kenyen Lovett (8) and four each from Azavier Ross, Isaiah Ballard and Sala Bori. The Eagles improve to 20-4.
The Eagles move on to Saturday’s Far West Regional versus Amherst of Section VI. A 3:30 p.m. tip-off is scheduled at Gates-Chili High School.
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