Jack Leasure Shooting and Skills Camp Preview: Andover-Whitesville and Clymer to battle for spot in state semifinal

One squad looks to advance to its first state semifinal as a merged program. The other is in pursuit of a first regional win in program history. Andover-Whitesville and Clymer clash on Friday to determine the NYS Class D Far West Regional winner. Here’s the breakdown:

ANDOVER-WHITESVILLE PANTHERS 
(21-2 / Allegany County Division II / No. 3 NYSSWA)
vs.
CLYMER PIRATES 
(16-6 / CCAA Division 2 / No. 8 NYSSWA)
Friday, Buffalo State, 8:00 p.m.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.

How they arrived here: Andover-Whitesville beat Hinsdale (77-33) and Mount Morris (92-41) to reach the Class D title game. The Panthers took down Elba 54-47 to claim the Section V Class D title. Clymer dropped Panama (53-46) and Sherman (41-29) to win the Section VI Class D title and advance to this game.

Scoring offense: Andover-Whitesville (80.2), Clymer (50.2)

Scoring defense: Andover-Whitesville (51.7), Clymer (43.4)

Trends: Andover-Whitesville has won 10 of its last 11 games. Clymer came out victorious in its last five games.

Players to watch for Andover-Whitesville: Brody Vance Jr. (29.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 3.0 SPG); Vincent Joyce Jr. (14.8 PPG, 13.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.5 BPG); Colton Calladine Sr. (13.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.5 APG, 2.5 SPG); James Miller-Young Sr. (11.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.7 BPG); Jake Mattison Jr. (5.7 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 1.4 APG, 2.0 SPG); Gavin Frungilo Jr. (4.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG).

Players to watch for Clymer: Carson White Sr. G (14.7 PPG); Roman Wassink Jr. F (11.9 PPG); Blake Beckerink Jr. G (9.3 PPG); Elijah Mitchell Jr. F (7.1 PPG); Kameron Einink Sr. G (5.3 PPG)

Coaches: Jimmy Joyce (Andover-Whitesville), Irv King (Clymer)

History 101: Whitesville defeated Pine Valley in the 2002 state quarterfinal and advanced to the NYS Class D championship game before falling to Section I champion Alexander Hamilton, 50-44. The Panthers are looking to win their first state quarterfinal as a merged program. Clymer captured its 11th Section VI championship in boys’ basketball in school history. However, they have never won a regional game.

What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class D semifinal against either Edmeston (IV) or Sackets Harbor (III) on Saturday, March 21.