One team is looking to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time in two decades. The other is trying to make its second straight regional appearance. Lyons and Hornell meet Tuesday in the Class B regional qualifier. Here’s the breakdown:
No. 1 seed LYONS LIONS (21-2 / Wayne)
vs.
No. 3 seed HORNELL RED RAIDERS (19-3 / Livingston County Division I)
Tuesday, Wayland-Cohocton High School, 6:30 p.m.
How they arrived here: Lyons defeated No. 9 Attica (58-37) and No. 4 Canisteo-Greenwood (65-53), both by double-digit margins of victory. The Lions then defeated No. 2 Marcus Whitman 55-46 in the Section V Class B2 title bout. Hornell topped Livonia 58-38 to open their Class B1 tournament and followed that up with a 62-26 win over Penn Yan. The Red Raiders topped Mynderse 36-27 to win the Section V Class B1 tournament.
Scoring offense: Lyons (61.9), Hornell (60.9)
Scoring defense: Lyons (40.8), Hornell (43.8)
Trends: Lyons enters the game with nine straight wins and without a loss over the past month. The first seven of those victories were all by over 20 points. Hornell has won five in a row and eight out of its last nine games. Three of those wins have came by at least 30 points.
Players to watch for Lyons: Jayla Bell Sr. (20 PPG, 10 RPG, seven APG, six SPG); Ja’Nyiah Bell Eighth grade, (11 PPG, 15 RPG, six BPG); Kamryn Bonnell (10 PPG, six SPG, five APG); Addison Jones Jr. (three PPG, six RPG); Areyanna Carter Jr. (four PPG, five RPG, three SPG).
Players to watch for Hornell: Jordyn Dyring Jr. G (17.2 PPG 3.3 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.3 SPG); Selena Maldonado Jr. G (12.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 4.0 SPG); Raegan Evingham So. F (9.8 PPG 7.8 RPG 4.0 SPG. 3.2 APG); Payton Bentley Jr F. (10.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.6 BPG, 1.2 SPG); Mia Nasca Jr. G (3.3 PPG 3.2 RPG 3.0 APG, 2 SPG); A’Jonay Hawkins Jr. F (2.9 PPG 3.6 RPG).
Coaches: Richard Hill (Lyons), Jim Dagon (Hornell)
History 101: Lyons now has won four Section V titles with three coming in the last 20 years (2005, 2014). The Lions last state quarterfinal appearance came in 2005. Hornell, which won its first title in 2023, has now won three straight. The Red Raiders advanced to the state for the first time in program history in 2024.
What’s at stake: Winner advances to the state quarterfinals and will face the Section VI representative, either Salamanca or Newfane.
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