By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Russell Ellis Jr. poured in 16 of his game-high 27 points in the second quarter when No. 3 Greece Athena (16-5) turned a one-possession game into double-digit lead and went on to defeat No. 6 Vertus (10-12), 89-72 in Section Class AA2 action, Saturday afternoon.
Ellis connected on a pull-jumper in the lane to make it a 22-14 game. His next basket came off drive from the wing to give the Trojans a 29-14 advantage.
“At the beginning of the game they were face-guarding me, so I didn’t want to force anything; I wanted to find my teammates,” the junior guard said. “When it got a little close, I had to step up and score. When my team needs me, I step up and do it.”
He scored another basket off the dribble and then converted a pair of free throws. His baskets on consecutive possessions late in the quarter pushed the lead to 21 at 50-29.
“When I see one go in, my confidence just soars,” he said. “I know when I miss one, my coaches don’t want me to stop shooting. That’s all the confidence they give me, and I’m grateful for that.”
In all, the Trojans produced points on their first 12 possessions of the second quarter as part of an 11-0 run to open the frame.
“We were anxious to get out here,” Ellis said of the Trojans’ first game of the postseason. “It’s been about 10 practices since our last game. We were ready for a live feel.”
Caleb Brown hit a one-hander along the baseline to start the quarter then capped the outburst with a corner three for a 53-34 lead heading into the locker room.
“It feels pretty great,” said the senior guard. “We’re just trying to keep the momentum going and keep winning.”
Brown went into heat-check mode with a deep triple for a 63-40 advantage less than two minutes into the third.
“Playing aggressive defense,” he said of the mindset on the court. “Knowing where we had to be, being in our spots and pick up the man whether it’s our man or the the next open man.”
Brown finished with 10 points on the day. Teammates Cole Poth and Colten Waterman added 16 and 13 respectively.
Their efforts were needed to outlast that of Vertus senior Terrance Marble who finished with a game-high 36 points along with 19 points from 6-foot-6 Na’Vant Harrison.
“We knew what the matchup was,” Brown said. “We knew they had a bit of a bruiser in the paint. We’re not necessarily the biggest squad. We knew we were going to have go with a lot of aggressive ball pressure to prevent the center (Harrison) from getting the ball.”
Ellis handed out six assists in the win. Waterman grabbed 10 rebounds.
The Trojans had 10 steals a team.
Athena will face No. 2 Pittsford Sutherland in the AA2 semifinals. That game is scheduled for Tuesday night.
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