Third-seeded Hilton held second-seed Victor to one field goal and one free throw over the entire fourth quarter to defeat the Blue Devils 51-43 to move on to the Class AA girls’ basketball final against top-seed Penfield.
Hilton jumped out to a four-point lead in the first quarter as freshman Megan Letta created a turnover and fed Cameron Graupman for the jumper. But Victor followed with a 10-0 run to build a six point advantage.
The Blue Devils led throughout the second quarter before sophomore Linzee Reyes came off the Hilton bench and knocked down a three-pointer and a lay-up on consecutive possessions to tie the game at the half 26-26.
The third stanza featured eight lead-changes, but Hilton began to take command in the fourth.
Graupman hit a pair of free throws after taking advantage of Victor foul trouble and driving to the net. Junior Allyson Strauss hit a jumper, but Victor countered with what would be their only points in the quarter with a field goal and free throw to tie the game with 2:59 remaining.
It was all Hilton after that as Strauss knocked down a baseline jumper to give the Cadets the lead for good. Allysa Juergens then hit a turnaround jumper with the shot-clock winding down for a four point Hilton lead and the Cadets made four-of-six from the free throw line in the final minute while holding the Blue Devils scoreless.
“This feels awesome,” Graupman said. “Both games we’ve had (in sectionals) have been close and this win feels amazing.
“When she (Reyes) stepped up and hit those shots for us at the end of the first half – that was really important for us. And then Strauss hit some key shots that put us ahead.”
“We were hyped in the beginning and they wanted to play a fast-paced game. At the end of the first half I was just thinking we’ll get through it and head to the locker room, but Reyes hits those two shots – it’s not the first time she has stepped up for us this year,” Hilton head coach Jeff Eichas said.
Graupman led the Cadets with 23 points while adding six rebounds and three steals. Strauss had ten points with six rebounds, Juergens nine points with six rebounds and four blocks and Reyes added six points. Letta and senior captain Raine Gardner combined for 13 rebounds.
Hilton’s last Section V girls’ basketball championship was in 2011 with a team featuring future Division III college players Biz Reinhardt and Becky Hebert.
