Elba cagers edge past Lyndonville

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 1 February 2018 at 9:43 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Matt Hess tries to block a shot by Elba’s Jon Boyce during the host Tigers narrow loss to the Lancers this evening.

Elba needed a late scoring burst to edge past upset minded Lyndonville 58-52 this evening in a Genesee Region League boys basketball game at Lyndonville.

Breaking away from a 43-43 tie midway through the final period, Elba put together a key 9-0 run on layups by Colton Dillon and Ben Pflaumer, a jumper by Owen Scouten and a three-point play by Jon Boyce to regain the lead for good at 52-43 with 2:50 remaining.

Another three-point play by Boyce then offset a pair of Lyndonville tallies on two free throws by Nathan Poler and a layup by Matt Hess to keep the Lancers on top by eight, 55-47, with 1:45 to go.

Lyndonville did close the gap to four at 56-52 with 22 seconds remaining after a jumper by Poler and a three by Nathan Dillenbeck but the Tigers could not pull even. Ben Pfhaumer answered with a pair of free throws at the 15 second mark to close out the Lancers narrow win.

Boyce finished with a game high 23 points as Dillon had 12, Scouten 10, Pflaumer 9 and Collin O’Halloran 4.

Poler had 13, Kane Flynn and Zach Johnson 12, Hess 9 and Dillenbeck 6 for Lyndonville.

Zach Johnson drives for a layup for Lynodnville against Elba defender Owen Scouten.

Elba grabbed a narrow 10-8 lead at the end of the first period as O’Halloran and Pflaumer both hit threes.

Lyndonville pulled even at 12-12 early in the second period after a rebound basket by Johnson and a layup off a steal by Hess.

However, Elba answered right back with a 14-5 run to move out to a 26-17 advantage. Two threes by Boyce ignited that uprising which also included a pair of baskets by Dillon. Another three by Boyce at the buzzer put the Lancers up by 10, 29-19, at the half.

Lyndonville though came battling back from a 10 point, 33-23, deficit by closing the third period with a big 15-2 run to take a 38-35 lead at the three-quarter mark.

Two threes by Flynn and one by Dillenbeck sparked that rally. A three-point play by Poler then knotted the contest at 35-35 and Johnson followed up with a three to put the Tigers up 38-35.

A jumper by Hess kept Lyndonville up 40-37 early in the final period but Elba answered with consecutive baskets by Boyce, Dillon and Scouten to regain a 43-40 lead.

The Tigers pulled even for what would be the last time at 43-43 on a three by Kane but again the Lancers answered, this time with a key 9-0 run to regain the lead for good.

Elba improves to 11-5 while Lyndonville slips to 5-11.

Wheatland-Chili 65, Kendall 57
Wheatland-Chili used a 15-7 scoring surge to close the game to claim a 65-57 G-R win at Kendall.

Elijah Gissendanne scored 12 of his game high 36 points to spark W-C in the fourth quarter.

Kendall had pulled even at 50-50 on a three by Dale Steffen.

Nate Warters scored 22 and Mason Kuhn 15 to lead Kendall as Steffen had 8 and John Rath 6. Rath also had 8 rebounds and 5 assists.

Kendall jumped out to a 19-12 first period lead as Warters scored 14 during that stretch.

W-C though rallied into leads of 37-30 at the half and 46-43 at the three-quarter mark.

Byron-Bergen 52, Holley 33
Byron-Bergen built up a 26-15 half-time advantage and went on to down host Holley 52-33 in another G-R contest.

Patrick Bower scored 14 for Holley.