Frank Speziale Photo

CORTLAND – The Bainbridge-Guilford Bobcats shot 15-for-17 (88 percent) from the free throw line Wednesday night against Chenango County and MAC Conference foe Greene Trojans. The Trojans shot a perfect 100 percent from the charity stripe but only only took four shots from the line for the entirety of the contest. As the Bobcats won by 13 with a final score of 43-34, one can’t help but notice that the free-throws were the difference.

These two teams had met twice prior to Wednesday’s game, both wins going in favor of top team in the New York State Rankings, Bainbridge-Guilford. However, Greene had held the Lady Bobcats to their lowest point total in the second meeting.

The Trojans head coach Dave Gorton and the head coach of B-G, Bob Conway, know either other very well as far as game strategy as the two have coached each against one another for more than a decade. Both can make adjustments in the game accordingly but the other will answer by making the change to match.

But this chess match was of a different setting as it was the Section IV Class C semifinal game at SUNY Cortland.

With the first seven minutes of the game going back-and-forth, Greene held close to trail by just 2 points.

But the Bobcats’ Abi Selfridge hit her shot, the turnaround 15-footer, then teammate Jill Cannistra drilled home B-G’s third three-pointer of the game and the game opened up to a seven point lead. Megan Palmatier hit one of her two free-throws to make the final point of the first quarter to make the score 12-4.

The second quarter was the Trojans’ quarter. McKenna Sergi scored the first points in the stanza and Emma Smith followed after spinning down the lane for the finished. The two baskets quickly cut the Bobcat lead in half.

After a Kori Thornton three, Sergi answered with one of her own. On the next offensive possession, teammate Mary Borchardt went 2-for-2 at the foul line and the lead was down to two points.

From that point on for the rest of the time before the intermission, every basket was exchanged by the two teams. The Trojans’ Kylee peck closed out the quarter with an offensive rebound put back before the buzzer sounded and Greene went into the locker room trailing by three points.

Coming out of the break, Abi Selfridge provided the inside game for Bainbridge-Guilford as scored the first seven points of the third – a quarter where the Bobcats outscored the Trojans’ 13-7 to pull away.

“Our shooting in the first half made [Greene] have to get out to the shooters a little quicker, which opened up inside a little bit,” said Conway. “By us scoring early, they had to put Emma [Smith] out on the wing so she had to go out and defend people. That gives us an opportunity to get the ball on the low block to score in the post.”

Abi Selfridge went to the free-throw line six times in the eight minute span, making five of her attempts. She saw that many trips to the line because of her presence on the boards, pulling down 15 for the game. Her partner in crime on the glass, Palmatier, pulled down seven with four coming on the offensive end to keep many Bobcat possessions alive.

In the third, Sergi was giving every ounce of effort she could to help keep her team in the game. Scoring five straight points, Sergi was able to help the Trojans’ pull within five with 3:24 remaining in the quarter.

But 1:10 left in the stanza, Sergi went to the bench with three fouls. The next Trojan points came right as the quarter ended as Sophia Brown scored, making the Bainbridge-Guilford lead nine with the one quarter to go.