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Black Knights advance in postseason

Silver Creek's Abby Rice (23) drives by Cassadaga Valley's Mckenzie Haskins (34) in Silver Creek's 44-38 playoff victory at Cassadaga Valley High School on Friday night. OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms.

SINCLAIRVILLE – The cardiac kids from Silver Creek delivered yet another fourth quarter comeback, but this time it was when it mattered most, during the Section VI Class C1 girls basketball playoffs.

“This team has been a fourth quarter comeback team all season long,” Silver Creek head coach Tammy Rice said about her group. “When we got down I just had to remind the girls that we love the fourth quarter.”

On the road against 3-seed Cassadaga Valley, 6-seed Silver Creek erased a nine point fourth quarter deficit thanks to big clutch shots from Abby Rice. Silver Creek outscored the Lady Cougars, 20-5, to steal the 44-38 victory right out from under the home team.

“Rice got hot. I tip my cap, they never quit,” said Cassadaga Valley head coach Todd Fryberger about Silver Creek’s comeback. “Silver Creek’s a tough team and we just went cold shooting. We’re a streaky team and got cold at the wrong time.”

Cassadaga Valley first established its lead in the second quarter as Kaylee Pattyson started to establish her dominance in the paint. The Lady Cougars scored the first nine points of the second quarter and built a 17-11 lead. The Black Knights had no answer for both Pattyson and Meghan LeBaron in the paint on both ends of the floor and had to resort to shooting from outside.

“When we can play aggressive and don’t have to worry about being in foul trouble, we can go after the boards and the loose balls,” Coach Fryberger said about his team’s early play.

Once Silver Creek did manage to find some scoring outside on the perimeter, Cassadaga Valley just matched it. On four consecutive possessions in the second quarter both teams exchanged 3-point shots, Phoebe Kingsfield and Kaylee Hutchison for Silver Creek hit shots, but Mckenzie Haskins and Sarah Meder responded with 3-pointers of their own. At halftime Cassadaga Valley led Silver Creek 25-17 and had all of the momentum.

In the third quarter Cassadaga Valley continued its dominance against Silver Creek, but the fouls started adding up against them. By the end of the third quarter the Lady Cougars had a lead of nine points, but Pattyson had found herself with four fouls with about a minute left, so coach Fryberger was forced to put her on the bench. Headed into the final frame the Lady Cougars led 33-24.

“Everything will stem off of her,” Coach Fryberger said about Pattyson. “She gets us going and that opens up all our shooters and everybody else. When we can’t get her going it makes for a long night for us.”

When needed most Silver Creek’s best player rose to the occasion. Abby Rice opened the fourth quarter with back-to-back 3-point shots and cut the deficit to 33-30. Once Pattyson left the game the momentum clearly shifted and Silver Creek began getting sustained offense and was able to drive the paint.

“She hit the two three’s and it just fired up the team,” Coach Rice said about Abby’s clutch shots. “Everyone started to refuel. That was in my mind where the team perked up and said ‘we have a shot at this.'”

Kiera Brennan grabbed a rebound and put it back, then on the next possession Brennan got an and-one that finally gave Silver Creek its first lead since the second quarter, 35-33. Pattyson was finally subbed back in with about five minutes left, but Silver Creek was rolling on all cylinders.

Jaylah Cossin hit a big 3-point shot that was followed up by a Jade Bouvier bucket and at that point it seemed like there would be no coming back for Cassadaga Valley. Isabella Ruiz finally got Cassadaga Valley back on the board and Pattyson got back on the board to make it 40-37 in favor of Silver Creek.

With little time remaining Brennan scored a clutch bucket and that put the game out of reach for the Lady Cougars. Rice scored the last few points at the free throw line to bring the game to its 44-38 final.

Cassadaga Valley’s effort was led by Pattyson with 12 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks and Meghan LeBaron had 12 points and nine rebounds.

“Tonight’s game for me was hard in the sense that Cassadaga Valley is my second home,” stated Coach Rice who is also a teacher at Cassadaga Valley. “I’ve worked here for 22 years, I’ve coached in the district and the kids in this community are as important to me as the kids in my own community. They’re great kids, they work hard in school. As much as I am excited for my team moving forward, my heart aches for those girls as well.”

The Black Knights effort was led by Rice with 14 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Brennan with 10 points and six rebounds and Cossin had seven points and six rebounds.

Silver Creek’s season will continue on Wednesday when they travel to Jamestown Community College to play the 2-seed Chautauqua Lake Lady Thunderbirds. Chautauqua Lake beat Catt./Little Valley 61-19.

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