2005-06 BOYS BASKETBALL
Jennifer Meyers / The Citizen
From left to right: Pat Crowley, Dave Foltz, Adam Sweet.
From left to right: Pat Crowley, Dave Foltz, Adam Sweet.
One season after advancing to the Section III Class C championship game, Union Springs made another postseason run before being eliminated in the sectional semifinals. The Wolves also won the Cayuga County Holiday Tournament for the fourth straight year.
Auburn had some big wins in Section III Class AA, including victories over Central Square and CBA. After a slow start, Weedsport turned things around, finished the regular season on a four-game win streak and made a run at a conference title. The Maroons and Warriors were each eliminated in the first round of sectionals.
Weedsport's Adam Sweet scored his 1,000th career point.
Dave Foltz
Auburn So. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and had 39 3s; scored a career-high 33 points against Watertown.
STAR QUALITY: Confident for a sophomore; steady ballhandler who took over the Maroons' offense without hesitation.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's a gym rat who consistently works on improving his game,” Auburn coach Al Giannone said. “He's a very good player. He gives the ball up well, he can shoot - either stand still or off the dribble. He had a great year.”
Bryan McClary
Union Springs Sr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 14.1 points, 2.6 steals and 3.9 assists per game.
STAR QUALITY: Blazing speed; can get to the the rim almost at will. Cayuga County Holiday Tournament MVP.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's gotten better every year we've had him in the program,” coach Tim Darnell said. He fills up a stat sheet. He not only gets points, he gets rebounds, he gets steals, he gets assists. He's turned himself into a complete player.”
Pat Crowley
Union Springs Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
STAR QUALITY: A do-it-all guy for coach Tim Darnell; effectively made the switch from post to wing player this season.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Obviously, in our offense we try to give everyone a chance but there are a lot of times when you want to have the ball in a certain guy's hands and certainly, he's the one,” Darnell said.
Adam Sweet
Weedsport Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 18.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and converted 35 3s.
STAR QUALITY: One of six players in school history with at least 1,000 points; moves well off the ball and is a pure shooter.
COACH'S QUOTE: “There's no weakness there,” Weedsport coach Matt Lipiska said. “There's not a whole lot he doesn't do. He's a hard guard, a hard match-up. He's quick enough to take you inside and big enough to beat you outside.”
Kyle Burton
Jordan-Elbridge Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 21.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game; scored 26 points and grabbed 20 rebounds against Solvay.
STAR QUALITY: One of Section III's most prolific scorers; does a lot of damage from the foul line.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Last year he was settling for (outside) shots,” Jordan-Elbridge coach Tom Wilmot said. “He's a very good 3-point shooter so I guess he thought he had to shoot them. But this year, we haven't played anyone who can cover him going to the basket.”
Gregg Cooper
Skaneateles Jr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game from the guard position.
STAR QUALITY: Cooper is almost too unselfish; he led the Lakers in almost every statistical category.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He really had to carry the load for us,” Skaneateles coach Karl Norris said. “He went from being our fourth option in scoring last year to being our first option this year. I thought he handled it pretty well.”
Nate Modafferi
Cato-Meridian Jr. Center
STAR STAT: Averaged 11.4 points per game.
STAR QUALITY: Anchor of the Blue Devils' defense; tremendous shot-blocker and rebounder.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's one of the hardest working kids you'll see,” Cato-Meridian coach Ryan Brunelle said. “He's like a human video game - blocking shots and rebounding. Nate's just active. He reacts very well to the ball.
Fred Bush
Jordan-Elbridge Sr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 steals and 3.0 assists per game.
STAR QUALITY: Always the most energized player on the court; a tenacious defender with quick hands.
COACH SPEAK: “There's no brake pedal on the kid,” Jordan-Elbridge coach Tom Wilmot said. “Sometimes it gets him into foul trouble, but most of the time he gives the other team fits. His head's always working, his mouth is always running and his feet are always moving.”
Tim Paoff
Union Springs Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 10.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
STAR QUALITY: Despite his height (6-4), he was the Wolves' best outside shooter; got better all-around as the season progressed.
COACH'S QUOTE: “You can see the difference (from last year); it's like night and day,” Union Springs coach Tim Darnell said. “I don't know if you can expect a player to improve the way he has in one year, but he has.”
Mike Marr
Moravia Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 10.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.
STAR QUALITY: Good passer for a big man; used his strength to his advantage as well as anybody in the league.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Mike brought a presence to our post play,” Moravia coach Butch McGuerty said. “Whether he's at the low post or high post, it was very hard for anybody to play one-dimensional defense on him. He handled all that really well and made a lot of things go for us.”
Auburn had some big wins in Section III Class AA, including victories over Central Square and CBA. After a slow start, Weedsport turned things around, finished the regular season on a four-game win streak and made a run at a conference title. The Maroons and Warriors were each eliminated in the first round of sectionals.
Weedsport's Adam Sweet scored his 1,000th career point.
Dave Foltz
Auburn So. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 assists and had 39 3s; scored a career-high 33 points against Watertown.
STAR QUALITY: Confident for a sophomore; steady ballhandler who took over the Maroons' offense without hesitation.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's a gym rat who consistently works on improving his game,” Auburn coach Al Giannone said. “He's a very good player. He gives the ball up well, he can shoot - either stand still or off the dribble. He had a great year.”
Bryan McClary
Union Springs Sr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 14.1 points, 2.6 steals and 3.9 assists per game.
STAR QUALITY: Blazing speed; can get to the the rim almost at will. Cayuga County Holiday Tournament MVP.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's gotten better every year we've had him in the program,” coach Tim Darnell said. He fills up a stat sheet. He not only gets points, he gets rebounds, he gets steals, he gets assists. He's turned himself into a complete player.”
Pat Crowley
Union Springs Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.1 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
STAR QUALITY: A do-it-all guy for coach Tim Darnell; effectively made the switch from post to wing player this season.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Obviously, in our offense we try to give everyone a chance but there are a lot of times when you want to have the ball in a certain guy's hands and certainly, he's the one,” Darnell said.
Adam Sweet
Weedsport Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 18.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and converted 35 3s.
STAR QUALITY: One of six players in school history with at least 1,000 points; moves well off the ball and is a pure shooter.
COACH'S QUOTE: “There's no weakness there,” Weedsport coach Matt Lipiska said. “There's not a whole lot he doesn't do. He's a hard guard, a hard match-up. He's quick enough to take you inside and big enough to beat you outside.”
Kyle Burton
Jordan-Elbridge Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 21.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game; scored 26 points and grabbed 20 rebounds against Solvay.
STAR QUALITY: One of Section III's most prolific scorers; does a lot of damage from the foul line.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Last year he was settling for (outside) shots,” Jordan-Elbridge coach Tom Wilmot said. “He's a very good 3-point shooter so I guess he thought he had to shoot them. But this year, we haven't played anyone who can cover him going to the basket.”
Gregg Cooper
Skaneateles Jr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game from the guard position.
STAR QUALITY: Cooper is almost too unselfish; he led the Lakers in almost every statistical category.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He really had to carry the load for us,” Skaneateles coach Karl Norris said. “He went from being our fourth option in scoring last year to being our first option this year. I thought he handled it pretty well.”
Nate Modafferi
Cato-Meridian Jr. Center
STAR STAT: Averaged 11.4 points per game.
STAR QUALITY: Anchor of the Blue Devils' defense; tremendous shot-blocker and rebounder.
COACH'S QUOTE: “He's one of the hardest working kids you'll see,” Cato-Meridian coach Ryan Brunelle said. “He's like a human video game - blocking shots and rebounding. Nate's just active. He reacts very well to the ball.
Fred Bush
Jordan-Elbridge Sr. Guard
STAR STAT: Averaged 11.3 points, 4.6 steals and 3.0 assists per game.
STAR QUALITY: Always the most energized player on the court; a tenacious defender with quick hands.
COACH SPEAK: “There's no brake pedal on the kid,” Jordan-Elbridge coach Tom Wilmot said. “Sometimes it gets him into foul trouble, but most of the time he gives the other team fits. His head's always working, his mouth is always running and his feet are always moving.”
Tim Paoff
Union Springs Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 10.1 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.
STAR QUALITY: Despite his height (6-4), he was the Wolves' best outside shooter; got better all-around as the season progressed.
COACH'S QUOTE: “You can see the difference (from last year); it's like night and day,” Union Springs coach Tim Darnell said. “I don't know if you can expect a player to improve the way he has in one year, but he has.”
Mike Marr
Moravia Sr. Forward
STAR STAT: Averaged 10.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game.
STAR QUALITY: Good passer for a big man; used his strength to his advantage as well as anybody in the league.
COACH'S QUOTE: “Mike brought a presence to our post play,” Moravia coach Butch McGuerty said. “Whether he's at the low post or high post, it was very hard for anybody to play one-dimensional defense on him. He handled all that really well and made a lot of things go for us.”
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