By PATRICK WALSH
Cam Blankenberg (Wayne) dropped 31 points to go with 11 rebounds and eight blocks, powering Wayne to its second-straight sectional title, with a 61-55 win in the Class A final. Blankenberg headlined the Section V Tournament MVP honorees. Jalen Taggart (Rush-Henrietta), I’zick Reaves (Greece Athena), Patrick Emling (Penfield), Kanaz Linder (World of Inquiry), Eli Tanner (East Rochester), Dylan Pohl (Alexander), Parker Bonefede (York), Landon Washburn (Honeoye) and Jonah Bialek (Fillmore) all garnered MVP honors for their respective classifications, the section announced.
Taggart finished with a game-high 18 points as the Royal Comets captured their first sectional title since 2011. In the fourth quarter, the junior tallied six points, including a three-pointer with under four minutes remaining to give Rush-Henrietta its largest lead on the way to the AAA title.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.
Emling tallied seven of his game-high 20 points in the opening quarter, pacing the Penfield offense early. The Class AA1 All-Tournament MVP opened the game with five quick points in the early minutes, and the Patriots were off to their first Section V Championship in 72 years, winning 71-44.
Reaves dropped 23 points, including a dunk to cap off a 30-8 Trojan run to lead Greece Athena to its first sectional title in 10 years with a 73-54 win over Canandaigua in Class AA2. Reaves dug the Trojans out of an early 10-0 hole, knocking down a three-pointer to get Greece Athena on the board and earning Class AA2 All-Tournament MVP honors.
Blankenberg, the lone reigning MVP returner and lone returning starter from last year’s NYS finalist Eagles tallied nine points in the opening frame of the Class A championship when Wayne jumped out to 17-4 lead.
Linder lifted World of Inquiry to its first Section V title in program history, defeating Waterloo 62-53 in Class B1. The senior poured in 18 points, including five in a 10-0 Griffin run in the opening quarter.
Tanner dropped 19 points, sparking a rally in the second-half to lift East Rochester over reigning Section V Champion Avon, 57-56. After getting into foul trouble early, the Class B2 All-Tournament MVP scored 13 points in the third frame, including nine in a row when the Bombers were down 33-26 in the frame.
Pohl tallied 17 points allowing Alexander to capture its first championship in program history, defeating Geneseo 60-55 in Class C1. Pohl jumped out of the gates hot, scoring the Trojans’ first eight points and erasing an early 9-2 deficit.
Bonefede compiled a double-double, scoring 29 points and grabbing 12 rebounds, garnering Class C2 All-Tournament MVP and lifting York over Bolivar-Richburg 64-56. In the last four minutes, Bonefede connected on a basket, starting a 12-0 run that allowed the Golden Knights to pull away.
Sophomore Landon Washburn tallied seven of his 17 points in the third quarter, powering Honeoye to its first sectional title since 1997, winning 54-27. Washburn paced a Honeoye offense that this season averaged 70.6 points per game and was the No. 1 seed heading into sectionals.
Bialek lifted Fillmore to the top of Section V Class D for the first time since 2010, scoring 22 points in a 74-38 win on Saturday. The sophomore scored 12 points in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 44-26 lead at the break.
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