By SPENCER BATES
BUFFALO — For the first time since 2009, the Salamanca girls basketball team is dancing into the New York State Tournament.
The Warriors made their first overall Section 6 Final since 2012 in their game against Newfane, but it was clear they were not settled with that and punched their ticket into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Class B Far-West Regional with a 40-34 win.
“The girls, they deserve it more than anything, because they put the work in,” Salamanca coach Joe Hinman said. “It was really a game of adversity. We finally saw a lot more adversity in this round. The first three games, things were really going our way. Today, things didn’t go our way. So it was good to battle through that. And it just means a whole lot to our program, to our school, to our community and these players. So yeah, it’s awesome.”
The Warriors started the game hot, imposing themselves offensively. And much of that success they can chalk up to the defensive game plan they have been utilizing throughout the postseason. Their high press forced the Panthers into 11 first quarter turnovers which led to steals and extra possessions that the Warriors used to build an early lead that ballooned to as many as 12 points.
“Defense is our identity right now at this point in the season, but we just kind of turned it up a notch,” Hinman said. “Newfane turned it up a notch too. Later in these rounds, these games, it’s tough to stay on track. Momentum can go both ways, and we got hit after that first quarter. … We never really had the game in our grasp. So, it was just good to find it out and bend but don’t break.”
Salamanca’s Makenzie Crouse (3) goes up for a layup in transition. Crouse scored a joint-game-high 10 points against Newfane. (Salamanca Warrior Athletics)
However, as Newfane began imposing a press of its own, Salamanca found itself turning the ball over at a relatively consistent rate. That, combined with the foul trouble it managed to find itself in, led to notable starters such as Leilene McComber and Skyla Dowdy needing to spend crucial minutes in the first half on the bench. This was all the more critical due to how much McComber had affected the game plan of Newfane, her presence altering the defensive focus for the Panthers.
“I give Newfane a lot of credit, they had a good defensive game plan for us, face-guarding Leilene, and they really took it to us,” Hinman said. “They were scrappy, similar to Wilson, they had players that can really grind it out on defense. It was a tough team, but it was good to see our girls kind of battle back after facing the adversity. It was good to have Leilene on the floor, but everyone stepped up, even when she was off.”
But as influential as McComber was in keeping Newfane at an arm’s length throughout the second half, she fouled out of the game with just about five minutes to play. Luckily, Hinman had another foundational piece of his team that he could rely on in Makenzie Crouse. Her, and Madisyn Lafferty for that matter, provided the Warriors with a pivotal presence on the boards thanks to their size, handing them several second-chance opportunities.
“Kenzie is one of the smartest basketball players I’ve coached,” Hinman said. “She just knows how to be in the right spots. She knows how to battle for a rebound or a loose ball, she’s always going to get her hands on it. Same with Madi. We really rely a lot on those two inside the paint and to be the control and the anchors on our defense. So they’re huge, especially late in games. It’s huge to secure those late rebounds in games when the score gets close. So it was huge for us.”
And it was that depth the Warriors were able to rely on that gave them another edge over the Panthers. Kynleigh Wass and Skyla Dowdy, while they may not have garnered as much attention as McComber and Crouse, but each came through when it mattered most, recording 10 and nine points respectively in the game.
Salamanca’s Skyla Dowdy (4) looks to drive along the baseline against a newfane defender. Dowdy scored a joint-game-high 10 points against Newfane. (Salamanca Warrior Athletics)
Hinman had previously noted that the goal of this year’s team was to simply reach a Section 6 title game after having fallen short of that mark last season. But his Warriors have firmly put that benchmark in the rearview mirror and are playing with house money, their hunger to stride ever-further into the postseason only growing with each win.
“Our sights are really dialed in,” Hinman said. “After that first playoff game, we kind of came to the realization, ‘this could be it.’ Then, a few games later, now we’re looking at a state run. So, it’s one game at a time. We know we got Hornell next from Section 5 and they’re a powerhouse over there. … We’ll have to make the easy ones and keep it basic this next game.”
Salamanca will now play for the NYSPHSAA Far-West Regional title, with the opportunity for a NYS Final Four appearance on the line, against Section 5 Class B Champions Hornell on March 15 at 2 p.m. at the Buffalo State Sports Arena.
AT BUFFALO
Newfane (34)
A. Chunco 3 3-6 10, S. Chunco 2 4-5 8, Boyer 3 0-0 6, Bowers 2 2-2 6, Golden 1 2-6 4. Totals: 10 11-19 34
Salamanca (40)
Wass 4 0-0 10, Crouse 3 4-5 10, Dowdy 3 1-6 9, McComber 1 3-4 5, Lafferty 2 0-0 4, Foster 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 8-15 40
New. 7 13 28 34
Sala. 18 25 35 40
Three-point goals: New. 1 (A. Chunco), Sala. 4 (Dowdy 2, Wass 2); Total fouls: New. 16, Sala. 18; fouled out: McComber (Sala.).
