By PAUL GOTHAM
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Victor boys’ basketball used a 15-2 run to take a double-digit lead late in the second quarter, but the Blue Devils could not keep pace with Section VI champion Jamestown.
Bishop Butts scored 16, and Jaydian Johnson added 15 as the Red Raiders (20-4) knocked off the reigning state champions, 51-45 in the NYS Class AA Far West Regional, Saturday at Buffalo State College.
“Their size, overall length and physicality just kept us from converting when we got where we wanted on the court,” said Victor head coach Tyler Roberts. “We were still getting the spots we wanted to get. We still played our game. I thought once we got to those spots, they did a good job shutting us off.”
Senior guard Garrett Clar scored nine of his 13 points as Victor (16-9) turned a three-point deficit into a 24-14 Blue Devil lead with two minutes to go in the first half.
“We changed defenses a few times through that to try and keep them off balance,” Roberts said. “That was what was leading to some of our offense because we were really struggling to score against them. Once we were able to get some run-outs we were able to score. That was the key. We were playing more aggressive.”
Jamestown cut that deficit to four going into the locker room.
Johnson set up Elijah Farmer underneath for two and a 28-26 lead early in the third. A lead that Jamestown did not surrender for the remainder of the contest.
“Basketball is a game of variance, and we just didn’t come out on top tonight,” Roberts said. “Their overall physicality as a team really bothered us.”
Cam Ryan, who missed the first 17 games of the season recovering from an ACL injury suffered during the 2023 Spring sports season, scored 12 points in the loss. Nick Leonard added eight, and Griffen Hopkins had six.
Prior to last year’s championship, Victor boys’ basketball hadn’t won a sectional title in four-plus decades. With a starting lineup that included Clar, Ryan and Leonard along with Hopkins, the Blue Devils went on to the NYS Class AA title.
“I’m just proud of these guys and right down to the wire they stuck together,” Roberts said. “They were the ones in the huddle saying ‘Guys let’s stay together.’ I couldn’t be any more proud of what this group accomplished.”
Jamestown limited Victor to eight field goals in the second half while forcing seven turnovers.
Jamestown outscored Victor 12-6 in the third quarter.
The 45 points scored by Victor was nearly 17 under the Blue Devils season average of 61.8 and was the second-lowest output of the season.
Jamestown will play Elmont Memorial (VIII) next Friday in the Class AA semifinal. A 2:15 PM tip-off is scheduled at Cool Insuring Arena.
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