Medina girls edge past Akron

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 16 February 2017 at 4:59 am

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Molley Gross puts up a shot over Akron defender Ellie Leeds during the Mustangs home court win over the Lady Tigers this evening.

Surviving a late rash of turnovers, Medina trimmed visiting Akron 50-46 this evening to close out the Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball season.

Je’ne Brown scored 20, Molley Gross 15 and Maddie Williams 10 to lead the way for Medina which finishes the N-O season tied for second place with Newfane at 8-4. Emily Kams added 3 and Maddie Winters 2 for the Mustangs. Winters also grabbed off 12 rebounds, Brown 10 and Gross 7.

Medina’s Maddie Williams looks to drive around Akron defender Neely Abrams.

Chooch Jonathan had 14 to lead Akron which finishes at 5-7. Helena Hill added 7, Neely Abrams 6, Ellie Leeds and Jenna Robnett 4 and Skylar Jonathan 2 for the Lady Tigers.

Medina grabbed a slender 13-12 lead at the end of a sea-saw first period which saw six lead changes.

Brown then erupted for 11 points and Williams added a jumper and a three in the second period to help the Mustangs maintain a 31-27 lead at the half. Jessie Jonathan tallied 9 in the period to keep Akron close.

Akron rallied back into a 33-33 tie midway through the third period after consecutive baskets by Hill, Abrams and Robnett.

However, Medina answered with a quick 11-0 run to regain the lead for good at 44-33. Gross led that uprising with 6 points on a jumper, layup and rebound bucket as Williams added a three and Brown a rebound bucket.

Gross had a total of 9 in the period which finished with the Mustangs up by 8, 45-37.

Akron again came battling back cutting the deficit to three, 45-42, midway through the final period after back-to-back baskets by Abrams.

Brown though countered with a key burst of five straight points to put the Mustangs up by 8, 50-42, with three minutes remaining.

A rash of turnovers then almost proved fatal to the Mustangs as Akron capitalized on a couple of those miscues to cut the deficit to 50-46 after tallies by Chooch Jonathan and Hill but the Lady Tigers could get no closer.

Newfane 43, Niagara-Wheatfield 33

Emily Foltz scored 16 and Paige Emborsky 10 to spark Newfane to a 43-33 win over Niagara-Wheatfield in the non league regular season finale.

The Lady Panthers led 18-11 at the half.