By PAUL GOTHAM
CANANDAIGUA, N. Y. — Three different players found the range from distance in the fourth quarter as host Canandaigua girls’ basketball pulled away to beat Penfield, 63-52, Saturday afternoon.
Leading 45-41, Leah Sheridan started the barrage from the left wing. Two trips down the floor later, the sophomore guard found space along the baseline for a bucket.
Julia Geitner made it a double-digit game at 55-43 with the junior’s second trey of the game. By the time Macy Bacon pumped in a triple from the top of the key, the Gray Wolves had a commanding lead at 58-43.
“We spread them out by the third and fourth quarters and started to get some open shots that we didn’t get in the first half,” Canandaigua head coach Michael Brennan said. “We have some kids who can really shoot it, kids on the perimeter. If four of them are really good shooters, one of them is going to get an open shot.”
Canandaigua scored on five of its first six possessions in the fourth quarter to take control of the game.
“The ball has energy,” Brennan said echoing encouragement made to his squad. “If everybody is sharing the ball and everybody knows they got an equal chance at this thing, we play better defense, we box out better. Where as if it’s a two-man game, people fall into a lull.”
Kyleigh Chapman scored 23 points to pace the Gray Wolves’ offense. The junior guard/forward connected seven times from the floor including a pair of 3-pointers. Chapman also hit 7-of-9 from the free throw line.
Macy Bacon takes the inside-out feed from Kyleigh Chapman and buries a three. pic.twitter.com/VFTImK9Z0J
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 16, 2023
Kyleigh Chapman opens the third-quarter scoring with her second triple of the game. @CAGrlsbball 32-23 pic.twitter.com/v6N6HHnket
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 16, 2023
Kyleigh Chapman leads Leah Sheridan into the open court. @CAGrlsbball 40-30. pic.twitter.com/vbnzdDRpJy
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 16, 2023
“She’s Reggie Jackson,” Brennan said referring the baseball hall-of-fame member who won World Series titles with the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees. “She’s the straw who stirs the drink. She’s our best rebounder. She might be our best passer. She’s a great dribble-drive player. She hits some shots for us. Everything kinda works through her, but you wouldn’t know it. We don’t force-feed her the ball. She does it within the concept of our offense which makes it more challenging for them (opponents).”
The win was the fourth straight for Canandaigua (4-1). Penfield dropped to 1-3 on the season.
“I don’t know that we’ll play another team as physical as them. And I mean that as a compliment. Penfield has been so good for so long. They’re never going to beat themselves. You know if you get a win, you’ve earned that win.”
Bacon finished with 16 points in the win. Sheridan had 12 and Geitner 10. Eily Hubler accounted for two points.
Cassidy Cone led Penfield with 13 points. Mary Bernat added 12. Lena Lipani had 10. Reegan Sercu (5), Emma Alexander (4), Aleah Petre (4), Anna Coyle (3) and Audriana Funk (1) also scored for the Patriots.
Anna Coyle starts the fourth-quarter scoring. @CAGrlsbball 45 @penfieldgbb 41 pic.twitter.com/rVVbGjMMw2
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 16, 2023
The game was part of the First Annual Canandaigua Holiday Showcase.
I was just reading your article and I’m sure it was an oversight, but Mary Bernat from Penfield actually had a double double with 12 pts and 10 rebounds vs Canandiagua.