That group — RJ Koopman, Donovan Dowdy, Colin Luce, Ryan Kelly and Brennan Lincoln — desperately wanted a title of their own. The same could be said for the one underclassman, Graham Putney, who saw both of his older brothers, Tyler and Ashton, win a title themselves.

After earning a spot in the title game, Koopman stated the goal of winning their own sectional crown is what motivated him and his teammates throughout their careers.

That mission was accomplished Thursday night.

The Hillbillies are once again sectional champions.

OBSERVER Photo by Ashleigh Brown Fredonia head coach Nick Bertrando celebrates during the Section VI Class A2 championship game against Olean at the Buffalo State Sports Arena on Thursday.

“It feels amazing. This team, we put in so much work every day. We just knew we couldn’t not leave it all out on that court today,” Koopman said. “It was the best feeling when we heard that last buzzer go off.”

No. 4 Fredonia held off a furious comeback attempt from No. 7 Olean to claim the Class A2 title 76-66 Thursday at Buffalo State University.

“I told them before the game that championships aren’t won on the night of the event,” Fredonia head coach Nick Bertrando said. “They are won through years of dedication and commitment. Those long hours, those extra shooting sessions, everything that we do is for this moment here.”

Things started extremely slowly for both teams. After each side was scoreless for over two minutes to start the game, Fredonia (21-2) got the first burst with three layups from Colin Luce within a two-minute stretch. Fredonia led 8-4 after the opening frame.

In the second quarter, Fredonia finally got its jump shots to fall. As the Huskies (17-7) pulled to within four points, 19-15, on a 3-pointer with less than three minutes left in the first half, Kelly answered with a 3 of his own. Putney then hit a 3-pointer in the final minute, then Kelly hit another 3-pointer in the final 30 seconds to pull ahead by double digits. Fredonia led 28-18 at the break.

The Hillbillies opened it up in the third quarter with 22 points in the frame, including four 3-pointers. Olean had just 10 points in the period until a buzzer-beating 3-pointer fell. Still, Fredonia took a 50-31 lead into the final period.

Olean began the fourth quarter with a full-court press with a double team on the ball handler nearly every time Fredonia touched the ball. The aggressive strategy resulted in a handful of fouls early in the period, as Olean racked up its fifth foul of the period just 2:10 into play.

“Before every game, we go through a drill where all our teammates are slapping us while we have the ball, and we have to be strong with the ball,” Dowdy said. “Our coach is the best coach around. He puts us in the best position to win.”

Fredonia made its free throws, so Olean could not catch up — at least early on. More than 4:40 into the fourth quarter, Olean had only cut into the deficit by a point. From there, however, the Huskies got hot.

Whether it took one shot or several, Olean seemed to score on almost every possession in the fourth quarter. Mykel Rivera and Connor Hogle each had 10 points in the period. Joe Mest drilled a pair of 3s. In all, six different Huskies scored in the period. After scoring just 31 points through three quarters, the Huskies scored 35 points in the fourth quarter alone.

But as hot as Olean got, Fredonia built a large enough lead that it would hold on as long as Bertrando’s team remembered what he preached to them all along.

“Trust your training.”

The words that all five seniors heard their entire careers, and that Putney had passed down from his older brothers, rang true in the fourth quarter on Thursday.

It showed itself in the simplest of ways — from the free-throw line. Koopman, Dowdy and Putney combined to go 18 of 22 from the line in the fourth quarter. Dowdy, himself, went 9 for 10, after making his first nine.

“Every day in practice, we shoot at least 20 free throws. I just came back to my roots and trusted my training to finish it on the line,” Dowdy said.

As Fredonia had possession with under 20 seconds left, up by 10, Olean finally waved the white flag. When the final buzzer sounded, the 2025-26 Fredonia Hillbillies capped off their evening with the ending for which they had hoped. They won a banner and the blue patch that comes with it.

“I’m just so elated for these guys. They have done everything that we’ve asked of them,” Bertrando said. “They were a huge part of that 2023 team, but really what it comes down to is they kind of wanted one of their own.”

After Bertrando’s first shot at states as a head coach ended due to an inadvertent whistle in the Far West Regional in 2023, he now earns another Section VI title three years later, this time in Class A.

After the win, Bertrando had less to say than usual. He said so himself, smiling ear to ear, as water dripped down his cheeks after being mobbed by his players in a locker room celebration.

“I haven’t made a basket in high school since 2002. It’s these guys,” Bertrando said of who deserved the credit. “The seniors and the growth that they’ve had as athletes, and just as young men, I couldn’t be prouder of them for this moment. They now have their moment.”

Koopman led all scorers with 22 points. He also had four rebounds, four assists and four steals. Dowdy had 19 points, plus a team-high 10 rebounds and five assists. Putney had 14 points, including three 3-pointers. That trio shot all 23 free throws Fredonia had on the night, including Koopman’s second quarter and-one, the only free throw Fredonia shot until the final frame.

Rivera led Olean with 19 points, while Hogle and Mest each had 15 points.

Up next, Fredonia plays Grand Island, the champion of Class A1, in the Class A crossover game Sunday at Buffalo State University, with the winner advancing to a sub-regional game next week. Fredonia will be asked to upset the No. 1 seed in Class A1, just as it upset the No. 1 seed in Class A2 in the semifinals, to continue its season.

“The bottom line is getting back to practice every day and never stop working,” Koopman said. “We know we have Grand Island next. They are good, hard competition. Bertrando is going to get us ready.”

FREDONIA (76)

Luce 5 0 10, Kelly 3 0 9, Dowdy 5 9 19, Putney 4 3 14, Koopman 7 7 22, Lincoln 1 0 2. Totals 25 19 76.

OLEAN (66)

Myers 1 1 3, BRuggles 3 0 7, Bohdanowycz 3 0 7, Teachman 0 0 0, Hogle 7 1 15, Mest 5 1 15, Rivera 7 5 19. Totals 26 8 66.

3-point goals–Kelly 3, Putney 3, Koopman, BRuggles, Bohdanowycz, Mest 4.

Fredonia 8 20 22 26 — 76

Olean 4 14 13 35 — 66