By PAUL GOTHAM
A fourth-quarter rally wasn’t enough, and the season ended for the Greece Athena boys’ basketball team with a 48-47 loss to Section II champion Niskayuna in New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA semifinals Thursday at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.
Russell Ellis scored eight of his 12 points over the final eight minutes. The sophomore guard gave the Trojans their first lead of the second half when he finished a drive along the left side for a 43-42 edge. His two free throws gave Athena an upper hand at 47-46 with :26 remaining in the game.
“I’m really proud of the boys,” said Athena head coach Mike Setzer via phone call. “What stinks is that if we had lost by 15, I think I’d already be like you know it was a great run and maybe we overachieved. But because we were just so close, we had it. That’s why it kinda stinks now. We are going to be proud of ourselves. It’s just fresh right now.”
The loss ended a season which saw the Trojans win their ninth sectional title in program history and make their third trip to the state semifinals.
In a game in which neither team led by double digits, Athena trailed 27-26 at half and then 40-35 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Trojans, though, rallied and coming out of a timeout with 4:06 remaining took a lead on the Ellis layup.
“It’s who we are,” Setzer said of the comeback. “There are some kids on this team who are built different. Multiple times they have said this year, ‘there’s no lead too big for us.’ They truly believe it. There’s never a lack of confidence with this squad.”
Setzer pointed to the influence of senior twins I’zayah and I’zick Reaves, who over their three-year varsity careers had won 64 games and three divisional titles.
“They are so used to winning that when they’re down they just turn it up a notch. It’s contagious. That attitude is contagious.”
Ellis set up Dom LaMar for a bucket that pulled Athena with one at 42-41 before Ellis scored to give Athena a one-point edge. It was the first of four lead changes over the remainder of the game.
Garrett Gillooley converted a rebound and putback off a missed free throw with :06 to go for the final margin of victory.
Athena had two shots on the ensuing possessions. An I’zick Reaves attempt from inside the lane bounced once and held on the rim momentarily before falling to the floor.
“That ball was a half an inch from rolling in,” Setzer said. “The angle that it went off his hand it’s like oh, that’s in. I thought it was going to roll in.”
Ellis, I’zick Reaves and Ne’Sean Fowlks scored 12 apiece to lead the Trojans.
LaMar had seven points and 10 rebounds. I’zayah Reaves had four points.
“I was looking forward to putting together a game plan with them to play a very good Binghamton team,” Setzer said of the possibility of playing Friday’s final. “I’m sad we didn’t get to do that.”
The game had a curious call. With 2:52 left in the fourth quarter, Niskayuna’s leading scorer Daniel Smalls drove to the basket. The whistle blew after contact in the lane. One referee signaled for a block on Athena defender I’zayah Reaves. The other had a charge on Smalls. After a discussion, it was decided that both players received a foul on the play. It was the fifth foul of the game for Smalls.
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