By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — And then there were none.
Ne’Sean Fowlks led three in double figures with a career-high 26 points, and host Greece Athena (16-1) took a 63-59 decision over Rush-Henrietta, Monday night.
The loss was the first of the season for the Royal Comets (16-1) and leaves Section V Boys’ Basketball without an unbeaten team.
One game after hitting 1-of-24 shots from behind the 3-point arc in a 63-44 victory over Brockport, Athena connected 13 times in 28 attempts from long range in Monday’s win.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE.
“We shot the ball really well especially in the first half,” said Athena head coach Mike Setzer. “Today, I thought we did a way better job of taking uncontested threes. Threes after we penetrated and kicked, got a post touch and kicked it to an open shooter.”
Fowlks connected on two of his game-high six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The senior guard gave Athena a 56-54 lead with under four minutes remaining in the contest. The Trojans did not trail again.
“His shot was so hot today,” Setzer said. “That was big for us.”
Fowlks hit from the corner earlier in the fourth quarter when he combined with teammate I’zick Reaves.
Fowlks inbounded the ball from below foul-line extended to Reaves posted on the low block. Reaves didn’t hesitate. As soon as he received the ball, he returned it to his teammate. Fowlks stepped in bounds and buried the shot from the left corner.
“That was all them,” Setzer said. “These boys have been playing together for a long time. They made eye contact. I knew exactly what they were going to do because I saw the look on their faces.”
The win was the fourth straight for Athena.
“We’ve been battling some illness,” Setzer said. “We’re missing two guys with the flu right now. I was sick all last week. This is the first day I feel kinda normal.
“I got to shout out the senior leaders because they made sure that the practices still had energy and my two assistant coaches CJ Jones and Jared Twambley, they ran practices when I was sick. They did an amazing job.”
Ne’Sean Fowlks gives @GAHSBoysHoops a 56-54 lead. pic.twitter.com/4U33dAcPuM
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 11, 2025
Interior passing: Ne’Sean Fowlks feeds Travis Mack. @GAHSBoysHoops 47-45. pic.twitter.com/cFMIsMS4RY
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 11, 2025
I’Zayah Reaves connects from the corner, but @GAHSBoysHoops trails @RHBoysVarsityBB 7-4. @SecVBBasketball pic.twitter.com/Zs4Jf6hIAX
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 10, 2025
Athena (No. 8 NYSSWA Class AA) led 16-15 after one quarter of play. Russell Ellis capped an 8-0 with a triple from the left corner to give the Trojans their largest lead of the night at 30-20 with 2:56 remaining before halftime.
Avery Council scored six straight as R-H tied the score at 45 after three quarters of play.
The teams played through four ties and four lead changes in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter.
Reaves finished with 15 points for Athena. Ellis added 10.
The Trojans will host Pittsford Sutherland for a 6:45 p.m. start on Wednesday.
R-H (No. 16 NYSSWA Class AAA) was coming off a 58-48 win at Health Sciences Charter (VI) on Saturday.
“I hope this wakes them up,” second-year R-H head coach Calvin Betts said of his team. “It’s great to be undefeated. Any given night in the game of basketball, anybody can be beaten. We need to understand that. We can be beat just like anyone else. We need to approach games the right way with the right mindset, the right energy and focus. If you don’t this is what can happen. This was a learning experience for us. I’m glad we got it out of the way now.”
Avery Council led the Royal Comets with 23 points. Jalen Taggart, who picked up his second foul in the first quarter and sat much of the second, had 20 points. Amir Abdul-Haqq added 12.
Jalen Taggart hits his second straight triple. Heading to halftime: @GAHSBoysHoops 34 @RHBoysVarsityBB 29 pic.twitter.com/l2pCuHWYha
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 11, 2025
Avery Council, off the turnover, pulls @RHBoysVarsityBB within 2 at 45-43. pic.twitter.com/De6kNHpX8j
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) February 11, 2025
R-H welcomes Fairport for a 7:15 p.m. start time on Wednesday.
RUSH-HENRIETTA (16-1)
Jahquin Brown 1 0-0 2, Jalen Taggart 10 2-2 20, JJ Ward 0 0-0 0, Avery Council 9 4-5 23, Amir Abdul-Haqq 5 2-3 12, Talhah Ali 0 0-0 0, Kingston Henry 1 0-0 2, Daniel Schmitz III 0 0-0 0 TOTALS 26 8-10 — 59
GREECE ATHENA (16-1)
Ne’Sean Fowlks 10 0-0 26, I’zick Reaves 4 4-5 15, I’zayah Reaves 2 3-5 9 Dominic LaMar 0 0-0 0, Travis Mack 1 0-0 2, Russell Ellis 3 2-2 10, Caleb Brown 0 1-2 1 TOTALS 20 10-14 — 63
RUSH-HENRIETTA 15 14 16 14 – 59
GREECE ATHENA 16 18 11 18 — 63
3-point goals: RUSH-HENRIETTA 5 (Taggart 4, Council 1); GREECE ATHENA 13 (Fowlks 6, I’zick Reaves 3, I’zayah Reaves 2, Ellis 2).
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