Section V girls basketball brackets, schedule, players to watch for small schools
Section V's small school programs have been among the most well-represented in state rankings during the winter 2023-24 season.
Now those schools will tip off for supremacy across four classifications.
Due to the amount of Class C schools, Section V divided up that classification into two tournament brackets. The C1 and C2 champions will meet in the state-qualifying game March 5 at a location to be determined.
Among the competitors is one defending state champion (Waterloo), while several other contenders changed classifications from a year ago.
View: Section V players to reach 1,000 career points this winter
Section V girls basketball: Class B
Top seed: Hornell
Semifinals: Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Honeoye Falls-Lima
Championship: Saturday, March 2 at Finger Lakes Community College
Early matchup to watch: No. 8 Livonia vs. No. 9 Marcus Whitman
Livonia and Marcus Whitman, which play in different conferences, did not play during the regular season. Both teams finished with 12 wins during the regular season (Marcus Whitman played one less game).
Players to watch: Natalie Adams, Wellsville; Abby Allen, LeRoy; Aynsley Belcher, Dansville; Payton Bentley, Hornell; Elizabeth Brandt, Williamson/Marion; Addison Bree, Waterloo; Kate Campbell, Williamson/Marion; Lily Carroll, Marcus Whitman; Aliysiah Clark, Marcus Whitman; Lola Coots, Haverling; Jordyn Dyring, Hornell; Goose Dunn, LeRoy; Kierstin Einhiple, Livonia; Raegan Evingham, Hornell; Chelsea Korzeniewski, Mynderse; Libby Kwak, Livonia; Mary Kwak, Livonia; Selena Maldonado, Hornell; Lauren McDermott, Mynderse; AJ McIntyre, North Rose-Wolcott; Lilyin Mellick, Wayland-Cohocton; Kali Meyer, Dansville; Maci Mueller, Waterloo; Gwyn Panek, Waterloo; Sophie Snyder, Marcus Whitman; Lindsey Steffenilla, LeRoy; Chelsie Tyler, Dansville; Peyton Verkey, Mynderse
Section V girls basketball: Class C-1
Top seed: Gananda
Defending champion:Oakfield-Alabama
Semifinals: Monday, Feb. 26 at TBD
Championship: Friday, March 1 at Finger Lakes Community College
Early matchup to watch: No. 6 Lyons vs. No. 11 Letchworth
Led by double-double machine Jayla Bell, Lyons has won five of its last six games.
While Letchworth’s win-loss record took a hit toward the end of the season, the Indians have proven capable of sticking with several state-ranked teams throughout the season.
Players to watch: Janessa Amesbury, Byron-Bergen; Samantha Bates, Holley; Lily Baughman, Bloomfield; Jada Brown, Red Creek; Jayla Bell, Lyons; Olivia Bucci, Geneseo; Seneca Calderon, Pembroke; Taylor Carnevale, Clyde-Savannah; Madi Dohse, Gananda; Aniyah Eldridge, East Rochester; Zarriah Eldridge, East Rochester; Maria Geary, Avon; Milleniyah Glanton, Lyons; Alea Groff, Oakfield-Alabama; Lauren Hill, Avon; Piper Hyde, Oakfield-Alabama; Eva Jenny, Gananda; Nellie Koronas, Perry; Ava LaMay, Kendall; Emily Lamb, Geneseo; Peyton Liss, Pembroke; Calla McCombs, Bloomfield; Alyssa Milillo, Letchworth; Jaelyn Morris, Perry; Danielle Offhaus, Kendall; Car’Mella Parker, Lyons; Elle Peterson, Pembroke; Sophia Phillips, Warsaw; Gianna Romach, East Rochester; Caitlin Ryan, Oakfield-Alabama; Allie Williams, Oakfield-Alabama; Charity Scott, Letchworth; Alivia Wolf, Holley
Section V girls basketball: Class C-2
Top seed: Dundee/Bradford
Defending champion:Pavilion
Semifinals: Monday, Feb. 26 at TBD
Championship: Friday, March 1 at Finger Lakes Community College
Early matchup to watch: No. 7 South Seneca vs. No. 10 Pavilion
These teams are separated by only three seeds despite South Seneca finishing with seven more wins during the regular season.
While Pavilion has five wins under its belt, the Golden Gophers are Section V’s reigning Class C representative in the state tournament.
Players to watch: Ava Amorese, Caledonia-Mumford; Libby Benner, Keshequa; Madi Boyce, Alexander; Shaniese Brown, Mt. Morris; Kylie Conway, Pavilion; Rylee Cuozzo, York; Vanessa Guerrero, Wheatland-Chili; Braelyn Isaman, Keshequa; Alyssa Kramer, Alexander; Isabel Laney, York; Hazell Nickerson, Caledonia-Mumford; Kendall Parker, Dundee/Bradford; Tessa Rodwell, York; Hope Russell, Fillmore; Chloe Scott, South Seneca; Ava Thayer, Keshequa; Ella Tillotson, Pavilion; Chyene Whitcomb, Wheatland-Chili
Section V girls basketball: Class D
Top seed: Charles G Finney
Defending champion: Keshequa
Semifinals: Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Mt. Morris
Championship: Friday, March 1 at Finger Lakes Community College
Early matchup to watch: No. 4 Genesee Valley-Belfast vs. No. 14 Harley Allendale Columbia
Five of Harley Allendale Columbia’s six wins came against higher classications, and HAC also gave Bloomfield, an 18-win team, a score during the regular season finale.
Players to watch: Maria Aguilera, Romulus; Maggie Bloom, Romulus; Cadence Brecker, HAC; Addison Dillenbeck, Lyndonville; Sofia Falleti, Batavia Notre Dame; Mary Hamer, Genesee Valley-Belfast; Sawyer Hartman, HAC; Lily Herring, Lima Christian; Alyssa Marsh, Lima Christian; Sydney Reilly, Elba; Lydia Ross, Elba; Nevaeh Ross, Friendship-Scio
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V girls basketball brackets, seeds, schedule for small schools
