WOODBURY, N. Y. — The Rochester girls cruised through pool play of the 2026 Basketball Coaches Association of New York (BCANY) Summer Hoops Festival posting a 24-point average margin of victory through four games on Saturday and Sunday.
With his squad having claimed three straight titles and carrying a 22-game win streak into action, head coach Jeff Parizek knew Sunday’s elimination contests would present a different level of intensity.
So when faced with a six-point deficit early in the second half of the tournament championship game, the 15-year head coach didn’t panic, and his squad didn’t flinch.
Rochester put together a 16-4 run and went on to defeat Suffolk, 57-53.
“We talked in the pregame about how today was not going to be easy,” Parizek said. “I said, we have to withstand the runs. We got to stay together. We can’t be selfish with, you know, forcing one on five, one on two. We gotta play this together for 32 minutes, every second, every minute. These kids just are incredible with resiliency and made plays.”
A year ago, AJ Orr with her inside-outside game was the difference-maker when Rochester won its third straight title. Before that, it was Molly O’Toole who found her shooting stroke from behind the 3-point that led Rochester to a championship.
On Sunday afternoon at Monroe-Woodbury high school sophomore Eva Dixon took command when the local squad needed it most.
Trailing 35-29, Dixon poured in 12 of her game-high 21 points over the final 12 minutes of action.
“We were actually talking about giving her a rest at about seven-minute mark, and I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it,” Parizek said. “I said to the (coaching) staff, ‘We’re living or dying with her on the floor. She is playing too well to take her out.’ She went to the basket at will and refused to lose.”
After coming away empty-handed on their first six possessions of the second half, Semaj Jackson converted a rebound and putback to jump start the Rochester offense. Emerson Wandtke hit an and-one before Lucy Bush went baseline for a reverse layup.
Dixon hit a pair of free throws and tied the game at 35 before setting up Wandtke in transition for a layup.
The 5-foot-6 Dixon then scored the next eight Rochester points.
“When my shot’s falling, I know that I can bring everyone along with me,” said the guard who will be a sophomore at Pittsford Mendon next high school season. “I like to take a leadership role and try to get the team’s energy up by doing my part, and then later, everyone will follow.”
Suffolk answered with a 9-2 run.
Bush drained a 3-pointer off an inbound play for the go-ahead bucket at 50-47. Dixon scored on the next trip down the floor.
“I saw the determination in her eye not to lose,” Parizek said. “She was gonna give it everything.”
The championship was the fourth straight and sixth overall for Rochester. Both are tournament records.
“It’s just a special, special accomplishment,” Parizek said. “With the high level of competition and the quality of play, it’s rare you get to win one or two championships. To win four in a row is just unbelievable.”
Loren Green, who has played on the four most recent champions and has the distinction of never being part of a loss during the BCANY, added 13 points. Wandtke scored nine. Bush had five. Jackson chipped in four. Braelyn Isaman accounted for five points.
Rochester defeated Hudson Valley in the semifinals, 66-57.
“You want to be in a winning culture, and I feel like we have built that,” Dixon said. “Everyone has a chip on their shoulder. They (opponents) know we haven’t lost. It just makes it so much fun to go out and compete with girls who want the same thing as you.”
The Rochester boys fell to Capital in the semifinals, 61-59.
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