Pickin' Splinters

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Rochester girls claim second straight BCANY title

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By PAUL GOTHAM

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — Four players contributed to an 11-4 run early in the second half as the Rochester girls pulled away from a two-point game and went on to defeat Capital, 64-58 in the championship of the 2024 Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Summer Hoops Festival at Johnson City High School, Sunday afternoon.

The title was the second straight for the Rochester squad which finished the weekend with a record of 7 wins against 0 losses and became the first four-time champion in the 12-year history of the tournament.

“Obviously, with eight kids back from last year, expectations were high,” said Rochester head coach Jeff Parizek who has led the local team since the inception of the BCANY festival. “They worked hard every day. They came with a smile, and they really bought into playing as a team which makes it a dream to coach.”

Leading 32-30, Mallory Heise drove the lane and scored. Two possessions later, Asia Wilson grabbed a rebound and went the length of the floor for two more. Molly O’Toole connected on a 3-pointer from the right wing. Heise hit a pull-up jumper, and Rhylin Fehrenbach took a pass from Wilson and finished underneath for a 43-34 advantage.

“It was finding the chemistry,” said Heise who played with 2023 championship team. “Finding that communication, that level of having the same wavelength of knowing where each other are on the court.”

Rochester forced two turnovers during the pivotal stretch and held Capital to one shot or less on six straight possessions.

“That was the biggest part of this whole tournament, our defense and our energy,” Wilson said. “Our energy is a key component to this team. Our defense can change the game. Whenever we’re on defense and we keep turning over the opponent that’s how we get the lead. That was our main focus.”

Rochester trailed early and did not hit a field goal for the first four-plus minutes of the game. The local side connected on 11 3-pointers in its win over Central on Saturday and eight more against Buffalo later in the day, but managed just four shots from distance in Sunday’s championship game.

“When you get to games six and seven, your legs start to get a little tired,” Parizek said. “We talked about getting to the basket more, not settling for the 3 as much. Penetrating, kicking yeah and then taking a three, but really trying to get to the rim more and use Rhylin (Fehrenbach) and AJ (Orr) around the basket.”

Rochester took its largest lead of the game when Heise led Fehrenbach to the basket for a 52-40 lead. The local squad still held a double-digit advantage at 56-46 when Wilson hit a pull-up jumper at the free-throw line.

“We really talked about trying to play as a team and moving the ball better,” Parizek said of the discussion during halftime. “Not just come down after one pass and take a shot or shot off the dribble. We talked about being a little bit more patient and getting the ball into the hands of our stronger players. They went to a zone, so we had to put our shooters in and we did a great job with ball movement and getting good shots.”

Heise and Wilson scored 15 apiece in the win. Heise converted 6-of-6 from the free throw line and was part of a larger effort that saw Rochester connect on all 16 of its attempts from the stripe.

“Just staying composed and knowing that when you get to the line, you’re just back at the gym at home,” said Heise, a St. Bonaventure commit who helped Hilton girls basketball to its first appearance in the state final this past winter. “You just remember all the work you put in at practices and just do it for each other.”

Capital crept within three at 60-57, but Rochester limited its counterparts to two field goals over the final 4:45 of the game.

Fehrenbach finished with 14. O’Toole scored nine. Loren Green (5), Kendall Parker (4), and AJ Orr (2) also contributed to the offense.

Capital’s Ella Trimarchi led three in double figures with 15. Olivia Hoffman had 13 and Natalie Birmingham 12 points.

Earlier in the day, Rochester erased an eight-point halftime deficit to beat Buffalo, 61-50 in the semifinals. Wilson scored 10 of her game-high 22 points in the second half. O’Toole had 12 points, and Heise added 10. Orr (8), Fehrenbach (3) and Takyla Vaughn (2) also contributed.

Sarah Seyfang and Megan Millerville led Buffalo with 10 points apiece.

Rochester also won BCANY championships in 2013 and 2019 along with the 2023 title.

OTHER SCORES: HUDSON VALLEY 67 ROCHESTER 59 (BOYS Semifinals)
LaShard Lowry, Jr. scored 14, and Griffen Hopkins had 13 to lead the local squad. Dylan Pohl added nine points.

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