Section Five basketball was 4-0 through two days against teams from Buffalo. Sunday was much different. The Nazareth girls were the only Section Five team to advance on Sunday, defeating Olean 67-54 in a Class B state quarterfinal at Finger Lakes Community College. NIcole Jones and Porsche Gavin ignited a 14-0 run to break open a tight game late in the third quarter. Naz led by 15-plus and cruised in the fourth. On the boys side, Charlotte arguably suffered the most frustrating loss, falling to the Olean boys 56-54 in the Class B state quarters at Buffalo State. The Lakesiders trailed by two with just over a second remaining and Olean at the free throw line. Olean missed the front end of one and one. Jordan Major corralled the rebound and was ready to fire from three-quarters court. However, the referee clearly blew his whistle before the horn sounded to end the game. Major, distracted, never had his chance, albeit an unlikely one, for the win. Don't tell Devon Marshall about unlikely. Marshall made from almost three-quarters court to end the first quarter, helping Niagara Falls eliminate East 82-67 in the Class AA quarter. The Orientals trailed by 16 at the half. East pulled to within eight, but could not get closer. At Class A, Pittsford Sutherland's Cinderella ride came to an end with a 47-43 loss to Buffalo East. Sutherland led by six at the half, but slowly lost that advantage in the final two quarters. In Class C, East Rochester fell to Maple Grove 65-48. Sean Michele scored 20 points in defeat for the Bombers.
