By SPENCER BATES
PORTVILLE — The booming cheers that ensued after a game-winning shot found its way through the hoop symbolized everything good about the Big 30 Senior Classic.
It brought communities — typically at odds throughout basketball’s regular season — together and it gave a number of soon-to-be graduates one final chance to shine in the spotlight.
And shine they did.
In the girls’ game, the New York and Pennsylvania All-Stars went back and forth, trading blows with neither side building an insurmountable lead throughout the entire affair. This was especially true throughout the first, 20-minute, half in which both sides struggled to score.
The PA girls did manage to construct a 10-point lead in the second half that was completely erased by a resilient NY side that snatched a narrow lead in the dying moments of the game. But all it took was one shot from Coudersport’s Emilee Ruter, a 3-pointer at the buzzer, to break NY hearts. It was Ruter’s only made field goal of the entire game and it gave PA a 51-49 win over their Empire State opponents.
Leading PA on the day was Isabella Rees, who finished with a game-high 13 points. She and NY’s Payton Morrison (12 points) were the only ones to have recorded double figures in the affair. The rest of the scoring, for both teams, was a task completed by-committee.
However, the result of the game itself was not the most important thing at the end of the day. Throughout the event, there was a sense of camaraderie and enjoyment that trumped all.
“It was just awesome,” PA coach Shawn Gray said. “I hope that my girls that I got to coach had as much fun as I did today, because it was a ton of fun. I appreciate the Big 30 committee for asking me to (coach).”
NY coach Michelle Alvord shared that sentiment as well, noting how the event provided the seniors with one final chance to shine in the spotlight.
“It’s just a great send off for the seniors in the Big 30, to be able to have a game like this, with the best talent in the area, and be able to showcase their talent,” Alvord said. “I enjoyed the energy and the camaraderie of the girls. The score really is irrelevant, but the competitiveness in me and in the girls, it definitely shows through.”
New York Big 30 girls basketball all-star Natalie Adams (12, Wellsville) puts up a 3-point attempt. (Spencer Bates)
And giving the players, individuals that have been working to perfect their craft since an early age, one final opportunity to put their ability on display was the most important aspect of the event according to Gray.
“Typically, these are the girls that have put in the work for, not just four years, they started when they were in third and fourth grade,” Gray said. “To get to showcase their abilities just one last time, playing with girls they have been playing against all their lives, it’s fun.”
And the level of fun was evident.
After an initial level of understanding had been developed between the girls, on both sides of the ball, Gray acknowledged seeing former rivals put their allegiances aside to share in the event’s festivities and work towards a common goal.
“(I liked) how they came together and just fed off of each other,” Gray said. “I told (my players) that these games can be choppy at times, just because you don’t know the girls that you’re playing with. And you just saw a lot of happy faces. You saw girls getting to talk to each other that were rivals for four, five, six years or whatever, and they just played so unselfishly. I mean, I can’t tell you how fun it was.”
And personally, for Gray and Alvord, the opportunity to have been a part of the event as coaches came with a certain amount of honor.
“Anytime I get to do something like this, and to do it here, in front of friends and family, the people that you love, it is special,” Gray said.”
Alvord agreed.
“There’s really nothing like it,” Alvord said. “It’s just an honor, it’s a privilege, and it’s a lot of fun.”
AT PORTVILLE
Pennsylvania (51)
Rees 6 0-0 13, Moses 1 3-6 6, Drummond 2 0-0 5, Saf 1 3-4 5, Ruter 1 2-3 5, O. Bell 2 1-2 5, Johnson 2 0-0 5, A. Bell 1 0-1 3, Austin-Keech 1 0-0 2, Pistner 0 1-2 1, Manning 0 1-2 1. Totals: 17 11-20 51
New York (49)
Morrison 3 3-3 12, Marsh 3 3-4 9, Steward 3 1-4 7, Giardini 2 0-0 4, Lavery 2 0-0 4, Dunbar 2 0-0 4, Adams 1 0-2 3, Pence 1 1-2 3, Larabee 0 2-2 2, Crowley 0 1-2 1. Totals: 17 11-19 49
PA 17 51
NY 15 49Three-point goals: PA 6 (Johnson, Ruter, A. Bell, Moses, Drummond, Rees), NY 4 (Morrison 3, Adams); Total fouls: PA 13, NY 15; fouled out: None.
