STAC GIRLS BASKETBALL: WAVERLY FALLS TO ELMIRA, 44-41, IN PALMER TOURNEY SEMIFINALS (December 29, 2025)

Valley Sports Report
ELMIRA — Waverly struggled to score in the second quarter, and that proved to be the difference in 44-41 setback to Elmira here Monday night in the semifinals of National Girls Division at the Josh Palmer Fund / Elmira Holiday Basketball Classic.

"The girls played another hard fought game," said Waverly coach Bob Kelly. "It was a very physical game on a fantastic stage.

"We played very solid defensively," noted Kelly. "We did not have our best offensive night, yet we had a chance — it says a lot about my eight girls. 

"I am very proud of them," added Kelly. "They need to lace them up again tomorrow because we have another challenge. They’ll be ready."

A pair of three-pointers by junior Makenzie Olmsted and a trey by senior Brilynn Belles help Waverly to an early 10-4 lead, but Elmira closed out the first quarter with a 9-3 spurt to tie the game at 13-13 after the opening eight minutes.

Olmsted and Belles scored Waverly's only field goals in the second quarter as Elmira used a 9-5 spurt to make a 22-18 lead into the halftime intermission.

The Express led by seven points on a couple of occasions in the third quarter, but a 3-pointer by sophomore Kaylin Twedt and a 6-for-6 performance at the free-throw line by junior Ryleigh Judson closed the gap to 33-29 entering the fourth quarter.

Twedt scored six points in the fourth quarter as Waverly cut the lead, but Elmira opened its lead back up to seven, thanks in part to a banked-in 3-pointer.

Waverly cut the deficit to 3 in the final minute, and had an opportunity to tie the game, but could not convert.

Judson led a balanced Waverly attack with 10 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one blocked shot, while Olmsted had nine points and four rebounds, and Twedt had nine points and three steals.

Belles added five points and four boards in with win, while sophomore Kendall Rockwell chipped in with four points eight rebounds, and one blocked shot, senior Kaitlyn Sutton had seven boards and three steals, and junior Hannah Carpenter grabbed three boards.

Mariah Mattias led the Express with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Ava Roberts added 12 points on four 3-pointers.



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