By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Alyssa Cowart scored 12 of her game-high 19 points in the fourth quarter, and Eastridge girls’ basketball clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming Section V Class A tournament with a 53-30 victory over visiting Rush-Henrietta, Tuesday night.
With the Lancers leading 33-27, Cowart finished a bucket in the lane. Six possessions later, Eastridge had a 43-27 advantage, and Cowart was responsible for all of the offensive production.
“Somebody had to step up and attack,” said first-year Eastridge head coach Charrise Everett. “Once you start attacking, the defense has to move and it opens up for everybody else.”
Cowart finished a drive then converted a Rush-Henrietta turnover into two more points. The ninth-grade guard connected on a pair of free throws before scoring in traffic for a 43-27 Eastridge lead.
Two trips down the floor later, teammate Madyson Fizer set up Liv Green for a basket to cap a 12-0 Lancer run.
“You look to finish the fourth quarter,” Everett said. “You hope to come out after halftime with momentum and carry that to the fourth quarter.”
The win was fifth straight for Eastridge (15-5) which will host a first-round game when sectionals open next week (Wednesday, February 21st).
“This is so exciting,” Everett said of securing a home game in the postseason. “First one as a first-year coach is so exciting. I’m happy for them.”
Cowart scored five points in 10-0 Eastridge to start the game. Grace Devlin opened the scoring with a corner triple, and Fizer also contributed to the run.
Alyssa Cowart, hesi, gets to the basket and extends the @ERidgeLancers lead to 39-27. pic.twitter.com/0ZiuhkFxOk
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 14, 2024
Madyson Fizer forces a turnover and leads Aaliviah Green into the open court. @ERidgeLancers has scored 12 straight, leads 45-27. pic.twitter.com/659CanbP2m
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 14, 2024
Alyssa Cowart takes advantage of a second chance to give @ERidgeLancers a 49-27 lead. pic.twitter.com/4AbG8D6RhA
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 14, 2024
The Lancers led by as many as 18 late in the second quarter.
Rush-Henrietta rallied. The Royal Comets used an 11-2 advantage in the third quarter to cut the margin to six.
Back-to-back buckets from Leyla McClean followed by an Ashlyn Roberts 3-pointer made it a 30-24 game heading to the fourth quarter.
“We looked shocked,” Everett said. “We didn’t expect that. Our motto is ‘Win third quarter.’ At that time, we weren’t winning the third quarter. We weren’t ourselves. We had to get back to how we play basketball.”
Krupa hit a three to start the fourth quarter.
Roberts responded for R-H with a trey of her own.
The Royal Comets played without starting point guard, Ava Santiago who was out due to an illness. The Royal Comets had to endure a sickness going through the team that affected several players in the days leading up to Tuesday’s contest.
Alivia Day starts the third-quarter scoring for @RushAthletics pic.twitter.com/cSGQ43D2vI
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 14, 2024
Jade Gallaska converts a rebound and putback for @RushAthletics @ERidgeLancers leads at halftime, 28-13. @SecVGBasketball pic.twitter.com/iBPeWubKdO
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 14, 2024
“The one thing I can say about these girls – they’ll run through a wall,” head coach Renee Long said of her team’s rally. “Whatever the motivation that gets them going, they do not give up. They just don’t. I love it about them.”
R-H (9-9) had won four of five heading into Tuesday’s action. The Royal Comets will be the top seed in Class AAA.
“The girls know what they have in them,” Long said. “They know what they are able to achieve. We’re excited going into sectionals. We think we have a chance. We know we got some great competition. It’s a good bracket. We’re going to have some fun.”
Cowart also had four rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Fizer accounted for 8 points, 14 rebounds, 6 steals and 2 blocks. Green, an eighth-grader, had 14 points and 4 steals.
RUSH-HENRIETTA
Jani Washington 1 1-2 3, Julia Carter 1 1-2 3, Alivia Day 1 1-2 4, Ashlyn Roberts 2 0-0 6, Layla McClean 2 0-0 4, Grace Gurung 2 0-0 4, Maddie Lewis 0 0-0 0, Jade Gallaska 1 1-2 3, Aliyah Hunter 0 1-2 1, Aleecia Outlaw 1 0-0 2, Maddie Ingrahm 0 0-0 0 TOTAL 11 5-12 — 30
EASTRIDGE
Alyssa Cowart 8 2-4 19, Madyson Fizer 3 2-3 8, T.T. Green 0 0-0 0, Ella Scantlin 0 0-0 0, Ada Krupa 1 0-0 3, Liv Green 7 0-1 14, Grace Devlin 2 0-0 5, Harmony Hall 2 0-0 4 TOTAL 23 4-8 — 53
RUSH-HENRIETTA 1 12 11 6 — 30
EASTRIDGE 10 18 2 23 — 53
3-point goals: RUSH-HENRIETTA 3 (Day 1, Roberts 2); EASTRIDGE 3 (Cowart 1, Krupa 1, Devlin 1).
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