Rams, Raiders win N-O openers

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Alex Stoddard (5) puts up a shot against Wilson defenders Kyle Bradley (13) and Emmett Dinse (20) during the Rams win over the visiting Lakemen this evening.

Roy-Hart nipped visiting Wilson 52-51 and Barker downed host Newfane 60-31 this evening to open the Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball season.

Snowy weather caused the postponement of the Akron at Albion and Medina at CSAT games.

In one Genesee Region League game, Holley dropped a 70-45 decision at Alexander.

In the lone N-O girls contest, Barker trimmed visiting Newfane 40-37. The CSAT at Medina and Albion at Akron games were postponed.

Lyndonville dropped a narrow 53-48 decision at Oakfield-Alabama in a G-R girls contest.

Roy-Hart 52, Wilson 51
Alex Stoddard scored a game high 25 points to lead the way for Roy-Hart which turned back a big fourth quarter Wilson rally to claim the one point victory. Andy Xapsos added 9 and Austin Heschke 7 for the Rams.

Kyle Bradley poured in 20, Evan Shank 15 and Emmett Dinse 8 for Wilson.

Getting eight early points from Stoddard, Roy-Hart jumped out to a 16-8 first quarter lead.

Wilson though battled back to within two at 25-23 by half-time as Bradley and Shank both scored six in the second quarter.

Getting five points from both Stoddard and Xapsos, Roy-Hart extended its lead back to seven, 39-32, at the three-quarter mark but Wilson came battling back down the stretch.

Two buckets by Bradley, along with three-point buckets by both Shank and Dinse, rallied Wilson back to within one, 46-45, with 4:30 remaining.

Roy-Hart answered with a 6-0 run, including a lay-up by Stoddard off a steal by DaRon Woods and a jumper by Heschke, to move back out to a 52-45 advantage with two minutes to go.

Wilson though came rallying back to within a single point one last time as six free throws by Shank pulled the Lakemen back to within 52-31 with 40 seconds to go.

Wilson got the ball back 10 seconds later after a Roy-Hart turnover but the Lakemen could not capitalize as three shots misfired in the final seconds enabling the Rams to escape with the narrow win.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Marc Roman drives against Wilson’s Evan Shank.

Barker 60, Newfane 31
Jacob Haight scored a game high 23 points and grabbed off 10 rebounds and Christopher Sweeney tallied 14 points to lead Barker past Newfane 60-31.

Mitch Luckman added 8 points and 7 assists and Bryce Moeller 7 points for the Raiders.

Josh Kneeland led Newfane with 13.

Haight erupted for 12 quick points in the first quarter, including a pair of threes, to spark Barker out to a 22-6 first quarter lead.

Up 30-14 at the half, the Raiders broke the game open in the third quarter with a 22-4 run. Sweeney hit two big threes to highlight that uprising which propelled the Raiders out to a 52-18 advantage heading into the final period.

Alexander 70, Holley 45
Joe DeFelice scored 18 and Josh Porter 10 for Holley in the loss at Alexander which built up a 37-21 advantage at the half.

John Bower added 6 points and Corey Winter and Ian Penders 4 each for the Hawks. Winter also grabbed off 10 rebounds.

Girls Basketball

Barker 40, Newfane 37
Caitlyn Mason scored 13 and Olivia Denny 11 to lead Barker to the narrow 40-37 win over visiting Newfane.

Julia Atwater added 6, Kelsi Flugal 4 and Morgan Brown, Gabby Clare and Melissa Grossshans 2 each for the Lady Raiders.

Brooke Horning took game high scoring honors for Newfane with 15 as Claire Puff added 8.

Barker jumped out to a 14-9 first quarter advantage and went on to hold leads of 26-15 at the half and 32-25 at the three-quarter mark.

Oakfield-Alabama 53, Lyndonville 48
Rebekah Hoffee scored 22 and Jenna Castricone 14 for Lyndonville in the Lady Tigers narrow 53-48 loss at Oakfield-Alabama.

Morgan Hungerford added 7 rebounds and 5 points for Lyndonville which trailed 26-16 at the half.