FIRST-QUARTER ONSLAUGHT PROPELS WAVERLY TO 89-26 WIN OVER EDISON

By: Tim Birney | Waverly Athletics | February 7, 2023

ELMIRA HEIGHTS — Waverly raced out to a 28-point first-quarter lead, and cruised to an 89-26 win over Thomas A. Edison here Tuesday night in IAC South Large School boys basketball action.

“I thought we played really well,” said longtime Waverly coach Lou Judson.

“It seemed like guys defensively were at the right place, and the right time,” he noted. “We rotated very well.

“We also got out in transition, and played the style we want to play, and we just kind of overwhelmed them with our press,” Judson added.

The Wolverines improve to 16-2 on the season, while Edison falls to 0-18.

“This team is pretty experience, and has bought into playing the way we want to play,” said Judson “Sometimes you play down (to the level of competition), and tonight we didn’t.”

Junior Joey Tomasso pumped in 17 first-quarter points, and junior Jake VanHouten added seven to fuel a 37-9 blitz in the opening eight minutes.

VanHouten scored eight more points in the second quarter, while Jay Pipher scored five points, including his second 3-pointer of the game, and freshman Hogan Shaw added four points in a 21-2 run that put Waverly ahead 58-11 at the half.

VanHouten scored six more points in the third quarter, while Tomasso added five, and junior Jake Benjamin had four in a 19-3 run that extended the lead to 77-14.

Both teams scored 12 points in the fourth quarter, with Shaw netting five for the Wolverines, and sophomore Payton Fravel added four.

Tomasso led Waverly with 24 points, four assists, and five steals, and VanHouten scored a career-high 21 points to go along with three rebounds, three steals, and one blocked shot.

“Jake VanHouten got a couple of dunks in transition, which is nice,” said Judson. “I think it’s the first time since I’ve been coaching that one of my players has dunked twice in a game.

“Little things like that help with his confidence,” he added.

Shaw scored nine points in the win, while Pipher had eight points, three rebounds, five assists, and five steals, while Benjamin scored six points, pulled down 10 rebounds, and blocked two shots, and senior Nate DeLill scored six points.

Senior Isaiah Bretz added four points and five rebounds for the Wolverines, while junior Jon Searles hauled down seven boards, and handed out five assists, and Fravel grabbed three rebounds.

All 10 Waverly players scored at least two points, and eight scored four or more.

“We got some quality playing time for a lot of players,” said Judson. “We’ve been grinding pretty hard the last three weeks — a lot of basketball games against some pretty good competition. It’s kind of nice to get a win like this tonight.”

Waverly closes out the regular season Thursday when it hosts S-VE.

On Feb. 17, the Wolverines will square off with Lansing for the overall IAC Large School Championship at Tompkins-Cortland Community College. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.