They rallied back twice from large deficits in the first half, but Brockport was outscored 23-10 in the third quarter by top-seed Irondequoit and lost 70-47 in the Class A1 boys’ basketball Section V semi-finals.
“We just didn’t make any shots and they’re a good team – there’s a reason why they are 20-1,” head coach Scott Schlede said about the third quarter.
“Our guys played their hearts out tonight, but we just didn’t hit some of the perimeter shots and that led to long rebounds and run-outs, so they had a couple of transition baskets.
“Doesn’t change the type of season we had. I’m proud of this team. It’s the fourth time this year we’ve erased a double-digit deficit, but we couldn’t finish the run.”
Irondequoit ran out to a 13-0 lead and led 16-2 before Brockport’s first comeback on the backs of scoring on five consecutive possessions at the end of the first and beginning of the second quarter.
Senior Raphael Odey started the run with an offensive rebound put-back before classmate Antonio Alvarez hit on consecutive drives to the basket. Cory Gross ended the first with his own drive and opened the second with a put-back to cut the Eagles lead to just four points.
Irondequoit re-extended their advantage to nine, but Alvarez hit two free throws, a three-pointer and a runner at the end of the first half to make it a five-point deficit.
That’s when the Eagles regrouped and scored on six of their next seven possessions while Brockport opted for some questionable shot selections to open up the lead for good, which extended to as many as 21 points in the third quarter.
Alvarez finished with a team-best 21 points and added six rebounds while fellow senior Odey had six. Noah Schultz led with ten rebounds and five points, Gross six points with four rebounds, Amire Odey six points and Emilio Ball added four points for the 15-7 Blue Devils.
