WAVERLY KNOCKS OFF ELMIRA, 66-49, FOR KELLY'S 300TH CAREER WIN
By: Tim Birney | WaverlyAthletics.com | February 27, 2021 | Photo courtesy David Alliger
ELMIRA — Elmira started fast, but Waverly finished strong, pulling away
for a 66-49 victory — the 300th career win for coach Bob Kelly — here
Saturday afternoon in non-league girls basketball action.
Kelly
has been at the helm at Waverly since the 2013-14 season, and has
compiled a 132-26 record. The remainder of his wins came at Elmira Notre
Dame, where he also coached the Lady Crusaders to a pair of state
titles.
Elmira led 8-4 midway through the first quarter, and
16-14 at the end of the first eight minutes, but the Lady Wolverines
scored the first 12 points of the second quarter, and never trailed
again.
Senior Sidney Tomasso scored on a drive to the bucket in
the opening minute of the second quarter to tie the game at 16-16, and
sophomore Kennedy Westbrook followed with a 3-pointer and a fast-break
lay-up a minute apart to give the Lady Wolverines a 21-16 lead with 5:27
remaining the first half.
Tomasso scored just 14 seconds later
to push the lead to 23-16, and Westbrook capped the rally with a
conventional three-point play with 4:18 left to make it 26-16.
Elmira
cut into the lead, and trailed 28-22 at the half, but senior Gabby
Picco opened the second half with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 31-22.
After
the teams traded buckets, Waverly went on a 12-0 run to take firm
control of the contest. A free throw by freshman Peyton Shaw, and then
two by Westbrook gave Waverly a 36-24 lead with 5:28 left in the third
quarter.
Tomasso then buried a pair of 3-pointers, sandwiched
around a bucket and a free throw by Picco to make it 45-24 with 2:14
left in the third quarter.
Elmira cut the lead to 47-31 after
three quarters, and turned it up offensively in the final eight minutes,
putting together a game-best 18-point quarter, but Tomasso scored seven
points in the final stanza, and junior Lourden Benjamin added six as
Waverly added one point to it margin.
Tomasso led the way for the
Lady Wolverines with a 28-point performance that included a trio of
3-pointers, and a 9-for-10 effort from the free-throw line. Westbrook
scored 15 points in the win, while Picco added 11, Benjamin had six, and
Shaw chipped in with four.
Mea Abrams led Elmira with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and Mean Fedor added 10.
Waverly, now 8-1, travels to Corning Monday night.
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