Improving to 21-1, top seeded Akron downed neighboring No. 4 Alden 46-31 in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball tournament this evening at Buffalo State.

Darren Brooks, a 6-7 sophomore center, scored a game high 14 points to lead the way for Akron as Blake Gerstung added 9, Brayden Lamont 8, Aiden Romesser 6, Syras Jonathan 5, Coy Patterson 3 and Ben Gerstung 1.

Nate Jegierski led Alden with 12.

Leading from wire-to-wire, Akron grabbed a 13-6 first quarter advantage as Blake Gerstung had a three and a two and Lamont and Brooks two baskets each.

The Tigers upped the lead to 27-16 at the half as Romesser hit two threes and Brooks had three baskets in the second quarter.

Akron maintained an 11 point, 36-25, lead at the three-quarter mark as Jonathan and Patterson both hit threes in the third period.

Capping off a strong defensive effort, the Tigers then held the Bulldogs to just one field goal in the final period.

Akron will now face the winner of the No. 2 Olmsted vs. No. 3 Middle Early College semifinal in the championship game at 1:45 p.m. Saturday at Buffalo State.

The 4th annual Albion Basketball Boosters Madness 3-on-3 tournament will be held on Saturday March 15 at the newly remodeled Albion High gym.

The double elimination tournament is for boys and girls in grades 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12.

The 10 minute games will begin at 10 a.m. and the doors will open at 9 for player warm ups.

“Last year over 100 players played in it and we are hoping for more this year,” said tourney organizer and Albion JV basketball Coach Jeff Radder. “It’s a great fundraiser for the Albion Boys basketball program, we raise some money for our program and our players get another opportunity to play basketball competitively.”

“Proceeds from the 3-on-3 will go towards Albion Basketball Program players summer leagues, summer camps, and offseason training programs,” he added. “Last year we sent 13 players to camp along with covering the costs of summer leagues for both JV and varsity teams with proceeds from the 3-on-3.”

Any team interested in competing can sign up by clicking here.

The No. 4 seeded Newfane girls likewise won a thriller as the Lady Panthers nipped top seeded Southwestern 57-55 in the Section VI Class B1 semifinals this evening at Maryvale High School.

Two free throws by Kameryn Boyer with nine seconds remaining provided the margin of victory for Newfane.

Trailing 20-9 in the first quarter, Newfane battled back to within two, 28-26, at the half after closing the second period with a 12-4 run.

Keeping the momentum, the Lady Panthers then rallied into a 39-37 lead at the end of the third period.

Boyer finished with 18, Anna Chunco 15 and Sienna Bowers 12.

Southwestern was led by Ellie Pearson with a game high 25.

Newfane will now face the winner of the other semifinal between No. 2 Health Sciences and No. 3 Olmsted in the B1 championship game on Sunday at Buffalo State.

No. 4 seeded Wilson held off a fourth quarter rally by top seeded Salamanca to earn a thrilling 63-60 victory in the semifinal round of Section VI Class B2 boys basketball tournament this evening at Buffalo State.

Four clutch free throws in the final 20 seconds by Shamus George provided the margin of victory for Wilson. The first two put Wilson up 61-57 and the second two with seven seconds remaining provided the margin of victory keeping the Lakemen on top 63-60.

George finished with 23 as Aidan Neumann added 16, Colton Frerichs 10, Ryan Hough 9, Chase Martin 3 and Josiah Lawrence 2.

Jaxon Crouse led Salamanca with 20 as Maddox Isaac had 14, Jacob Herrick 12 and Avery Brown 10.

Wilson jumped out to a big 17-2 advantage at the outset and held a 20-8 lead at the end of the opening period. George scored 8 and Neumann 7 during that stretch.

The Lakemen went on to hold leads of 30-23 at the half and 45-36 at the end of the third quarter. George scored 7 in the second period while Frerichs and Martin both hit threes and Neumann had a pair of baskets in the third quarter.

However, Salamanca came battling back down the stretch putting together a 13-0 run to rally into the lead for the first time at 54-52 on a basket by Isaac.

Isaac then traded baskets with Neumann to keep the Warriors up 57-55.

That proved to be Salamanca’s last lead though as Frerichs and George answered back with big baskets putting Wilson back on top to stay at 59-57.

Two free throws by George upped the Lakemen’s lead to four at 61-57 but The Warriors answered with a big three by Herrick to slice the deficit to one at 61-60 with 10 seconds remaining.

George then capped off his big evening by sinking two more pressure free throws with seven seconds to go for a 63-60 lead and close out the win for Wilson as a last ditch Salamanca shot was off target.

Improving to 16-6, Wilson will now face the winner of Thursday’s semifinal between No. 3 Eden and No. 7 Allegany-Limestone in the B2 championship game at noon on Saturday at Buffalo State.

Avenging a loss in last year’s title game, No. 4 seed Wilson edged No. 8 Portville 38-37 in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B2 girls basketball tournament this evening at Maryvale.

Emily Phillips scored 12, Kari Beck and Addison Elia 9 each and Bella Thrush 8 for Wilson which lost 51-29 to Portville in last year’s Class B2 final.

Addison Isaman scored 11, Ashley Carls and Emma Rheinhard 9 each and Ali Haynes 8 for Portville.

Wilson held leads of 16-12 at the half and 27-22 at the end of the third period but Portville rallied back to tie the contest three times in the final period.

Breaking away from a 31-31 deadlock, the Lakewomen regained the lead for good with a key 6-0 run on tallies by Beck and Phillips and  Thrush.

Thrush had a total of 5 points in the final stanza, Phillips 4 and Beck 2.

Beck and Elia both had a pair of baskets and Phillips her second three of the game in the third period to give the Lakewomen the 27-22 lead heading into the decisive final period.

Wilson will now face the winner of the No. 2 Salamanca vs. No.3 Eden semifinal in the B2 title game on Sunday at Buffalo State.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Among the Niagara-Orleans League winter sports varsity teams that are being coached by alumni are Albion boys basketball Coach Travis Downs, left, and Medina boys basketball Coach Justin Morgan.

It is always interesting to see when alumni members come back to coach at the high school they graduated from.

It is therefore especially noteworthy that six of the seven Niagara-Orleans League boys varsity basketball teams are coached by alumni of those schools.

That group includes Travis Downs at Albion, Justin Morgan at Medina, Justin Gerstung at Akron, Jake Haight at Barker, Eric Klumpp at Newfane and Brett Sippel at Wilson.

In all over 15 N-O winter sports varsity teams are being guided by alumni from those schools.

Four N-O girls varsity basketball teams are likewise coached by alumni including Grace Swick at Roy-Hart, Jim Harris at Barker, Antoinette Abrams at Akron and Kevin Klumpp at Newfane.

No less than five alumni are coaching on the N-O wrestling mats including Mike Sanders at Albion, Eric Gross at Medina, Matt McCauley at Roy-Hart/Barker, Matt Lingle at Newfane and Mike Carlo at Wilson.

The N-O swim coaches include Roy-Hart grads Dottie Barr and Lindsay Yates who guide the Roy-Hart/Barker boys and girls teams.

Four Niagara-Orleans League teams will be competing in the semifinal round of the Section VI boys and girls basketball tournaments this week.

That quartet includes the Akron and Wilson boys teams along with the Newfane and Wilson girls squads.

In the boys Class B1 semifinal, top seeded Akron (20-1) will face No. 4 Alden (8-13) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Buffalo State. The victor will take on the winner of the No. 2 Olmsted (13-8) vs. No. 3 Middle Early College (13-8) semi in the championship game at 1:45 p.m. Saturday at Buffalo State.

Akron downed No. 9 Southwestern 59-30 in the quarterfinals while Alden ousted No. 5 Medina 65-38.

In the boys Class B2 semifinal, No. 4 Wilson (15-6) will take on top seeded Salamanca (18-3) at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Buffalo State. The victor will face the winner of the No. 3 Eden (18-3) vs. No. 7 Allegany-Limestone (14-8) semi in the championship game at noon on Saturday at Buffalo State.

Wilson defeated No. 12 Roy-Hart 59-40 in the quarterfinals while Salamanca edged No. 9 Falconer 60-58.

In the girls Class B1 semifinal, No. 4 Newfane (15-5) will face top seeded Southwestern (18-3) at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Maryvale. The victor will take on the winner of the No. 2 Health Sciences (14-4) vs. No. 3 Olmsted (17-3) semi in the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday at Buffalo State.

Newfane edged N-O foe No. 4 Akron 45-44 in the quarterfinals while Southwestern downed No. 8 Medina 70-37.

In the girls Class B2 semifinal, No. 4 Wilson (14-7) will take on No. 8 Portville at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Maryvale. The victor will take on the winner of the No. 2 Salamanca (15-6) vs. No. 3 Eden (12-9) semi in the championship game at 12:15 p.m. Sunday at Buffalo State.

Wilson nipped No. 5 Allegany-Limestone 27-25 in overtime in the quarterfinals while Portville ousted No. 1 Riverside 50-37.

A new local spring league basketball team is being planned for boys in current grades 4-11 in the Orleans and Eastern Niagara counties area.

The North Shore Fury, which will be part of the Fury Basketball Club organization, is being organized by Kendall boys varsity coach Kevin Rhodes.

The team will be holding a free open tryout and evaluation session this coming Sunday March 9 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Kendall High School.

Registration can be done on line at www.FLFURY.COM. Walk-ins will also be welcome but must be accompanied by a parent.

The North Shore Fury’s season will run from March 31 to June 2 and will include 4-5 weekend tournaments most of which will be local.

Player fee and other information can be obtained by contacting Rhodes at ALL41HOOPS@GMAIL.COM or by texting 585-301-2452.