Jack Leasure Shooting and Skills Camp Preview: Bishop Kearney and Olmsted to battle for spot in state quarterfinal

One squad looks to return to the state quarterfinal for the first time since 2013. The other is making its first appearance in the state tournament in program history. Bishop Kearney and Olmsted clash on Wednesday to determine who moves on to the NYS Class B quarterfinal. Here’s the breakdown:

BISHOP KEARNEY KINGS 
(21-3 / Private/Parochial / No. 7 NYSSWA)
vs.
OLMSTED OWLS (VI)
(17-7 / Yale Cup Division II / No. 8 NYSSWA)
Wednesday, Buffalo State, 7:45 p.m.

How they arrived here: Bishop Kearney beat Red Creek (93-51) and East Rochester (62-59) to reach the Class B2 title game. The Kings took down Canisteo-Greenwood 82-58 to claim the sectional title and then Le Roy 76-61 to clinch a spot in Wednesday’s matchup. Olmsted took down Salamanca (49-34) and Springville-Griffith (49-34) to reach the Class B1 title game. The Owls beat Medina 68-33 to claim the sectional title and Tapestry 58-45 to earn the overall Section VI Class B title.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.

Scoring offense: Bishop Kearney (73.9), Olmsted (58.9)

Scoring defense: Bishop Kearney (60.5), Olmsted (46.5)

Trends: Bishop Kearney has won eight of its last nine games. Olmsted has won 14 of 15 games.

Players to watch for Bishop Kearney: Jayden Capers Sr. G/F (17.5 PPG, 9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.2 SPG); Jaiden Pascoe So. G/F (13.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.6 SPG); Maddox Volpe Sr. PF/C (12.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.7 SPG); Owen Gorham 7th G (7.2 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.1 SPG, 2.0 RPG); Dalton Hamer Fr. G (4.1 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.5 SPG)

Players to watch for Olmsted: Tacari McCray Sr. (22.7 PPG); Jaden Wood Jr. (13.5 PPG); Duriel Price Sr. (9.4 PPG); Omar Taylor Sr. (5.2 PPG); Zaeveon Crump So. (3.4 PPG).

Coaches: Willie Mason (Bishop Kearney), Andrew Bush (Olmsted)

History 101: This is Bishop Kearney’s seventh trip to the state tournament. In the Kings’ six previous trips, they are 5-1 against Section VI teams with wins in 2013, 2012, 2009, 2004, 1999 and 1995. Olmsted won its only sectional title in 2016, which resulted in a loss in the Class C qualifier to OTC Middle Early College 69-62. Now, the Owls are playing in the state tournament for the first time in program history.

What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class B quarterfinal against either Cold Spring Harbor (VIII) or Windsor (IV) on Saturday, March 14.