The Lyons girls basketball team had a rough start, but everything changed after halftime.
Trailing by eight at the break, the top-seeded Lions (21-2) came out of the locker room and went on a 22-8 run in the third quarter to take control, and they never looked back, securing a 55-46 victory over second-seeded Marcus Whitman (20-3) in the Class B2 Championship on Friday evening at Finger Lakes Community College.
The win marked Lyons’ first sectional title since 2014 and the program’s fourth overall. Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ championship drought continues, as they haven’t claimed a title since their four-peat from 1995 to 1998.
Car’Mella Parker and Jayla Bell powered the Lions’ offense, combining for 37 of the team’s 55 points. Parker led with 19, including 13 in the second half, while Bell added 18, scoring 12 after halftime. Bell’s strong performance earned her the Class B2 Most Valuable Player award. Ja’Niyah Bell and Kamryn Bonnell chipped in seven points apiece, while Addison Jones and Areyanna Carter each contributed two points to round out the scoring for Lyons.
For Marcus Whitman, Lily Carroll led with 13 points. Madison Daggett and Sophia Snyder also reached double figures with 11 points apiece. Alysiah Clark added five, Evelyn Royston scored four, and Helen Snyder finished with two for the Wildcats.
Radio Replay: Jim Sinicropi had the call on FingerLakes1 Radio.
With the victory, Lyons advances to the Class B regional qualifier next week, where they will face Hornell.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].