GREENE – For the second straight playoff game, Greene topped 70 points and nearly scored 50 in the second half. Unlike that first postseason win, the Trojans needed nearly every one of those points.
Greene (21-1) avenged the lone blemish on its record, and will play Odessa-Montour for its first sectional championship since the 1995-1996 season beating Harpursville Tuesday before a capacity crowd, 74-66. The Trojans play the Indians at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.
“This game did mean something to us because you want to beat the best,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton. Harpursville nipped Greene 55-52 less than two weeks ago in the MAC championship game. “They were the league champions and we weren’t. We didn’t get that title, but we might get the title we really want on Saturday.”
A total of seven points were scored in the first five minutes of the game. By contrast, each team kept up a blistering scoring pace in the fourth quarter combining for 55 total points.
Hannah Kimmel, contained by the Greene defense in the first half, scored 32 points to lead her team’s offensive effort. The super sophomore, who went over 1,000 career points earlier in the season, hit three three-pointers and converted a traditional three-point play among her 20 points in the final quarter. As good as Kimmel played, Greene never wavered, and usually had a quick response.
After Kimmel’s driving layup lowered a one-time 13-point Greene lead to 53-45 with 5:08 left, Greene’s Barb Borst hit a step-back 18-footer that found nothing but net.
Kimmel and cousin Alycia Kimmel nailed a three ball and three free throws on back-to-back sequences; however, Megan McDermott ran the floor for a layup in transition off a Liz Wentlent feed, and Borst finished a fast break, again getting the helper from Wentlent.
Borst finished with 24 points to lead her team, and has 47 points in over the two victories. McDermott added 21 points, and now has 45 in two playoff victories. “We came out with the attitude that we weren’t going to let (the loss) get to us,” Borst said, who also had a team-high nine rebounds and three steals. “We just played our defense, we ran the break and pushed the ball up the floor…we played well as a team.”
Harpursville won a team-record 19 games this season, and was never quite out of the game thanks to the Kimmels – Hannah and Alycia – and a gritty outfit that sports just two seniors. Alycia Kimmel added 15 points for the Hornets (19-4). “It’s a big advantage to have home court, and Greene knocked down a lot of shots,” said Harpursville coach Kurt Ehrensbeck. “You’re going to shoot with more confidence in your own gym.”
Greene appeared poised to pull away late in the third quarter when Borst’s three ball made it 45-32 with 1:04 left in the stanza. Borst and Wentlent, both in foul difficulties, sat the last minute of the quarter, and Harpursville put five quick points on board, four coming on offensive rebound putbacks by Hannah Kimmel and Jamie Anderson.
